2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 10 - Education and Culture › Chapter 170 - Boards of Education › Section 10-223j. - School governance councils.

(a)(1) Except as provided in subdivision (4) of this subsection, on and after July 1, 2012, the local or regional board of education for a school that has been identified as in need of improvement pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-223 may establish, in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, a school governance council for each school so identified.
(2) Except as provided in subdivision (4) of this subsection, on and after July 1, 2012, the local or regional board of education for a school that has been designated as a low achieving school, pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of subsection (e) of section 10-223e due to such school failing to make adequate yearly progress in mathematics and reading at the whole school level shall establish, in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, a school governance council for each school so designated.
(3) Except as provided in subdivision (4) of this subsection, on and after July 1, 2012, the local or regional board of education for a school that has been classified as a category four school or a category five school, pursuant to section 10-223e, shall establish, in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, a school governance council for each school so designated.
(4) The provisions of subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this subsection shall not apply to a school described in said subdivisions if (A) such school consists of a single grade level, or (B) such school is under the jurisdiction of a local or regional board of education that has adopted a similar school governance council model on or before July 1, 2011, that consists of parents, teachers from each grade level or subject area, administrators and paraprofessionals and such school governance council model is being administered at such school at the time such school is so identified as in need of improvement or so designated as a low achieving school.
(b) (1) The school governance council for a high school shall consist of (A) seven members who are a parent or guardian of a student attending the school, regardless of such parent or guardian's status as a public official, (B) two members who are community leaders within the school district, (C) five members who are teachers at the school, (D) one nonvoting member who is the principal of the school, or his or her designee, and (E) two nonvoting student members who are students at the school. The parent or guardian members shall be elected by the parents or guardians of students attending the school, provided, for purposes of the election, each household with a student attending the school shall have one vote. The community leader members shall be elected by the parent or guardian members and teacher members of the school governance council. The teacher members shall be elected by the teachers of the school. The nonvoting student members shall be elected by the student body of the school.
(2) The school governance council for an elementary or a middle school shall consist of (A) seven members who are a parent or guardian of a student attending the school, regardless of such parent or guardian's status as a public official, (B) two members who are community leaders within the school district, (C) five members who are teachers at the school, and (D) one nonvoting member who is the principal of the school, or his or her designee. The parent or guardian members shall be elected by the parents or guardians of students attending the school, provided, for purposes of the election, each household with a student attending the school shall have one vote. The community leader members shall be elected by the parent or guardian members and teacher members of the school governance council. The teacher members shall be elected by the teachers of the school.
(3) Terms of voting members elected pursuant to this subsection shall be for two years and no members shall serve more than four terms on the council. The nonvoting student members shall serve one year and no student member shall serve more than two terms on the council.
(c) (1) Except for those schools described in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section, schools that have been designated as a low achieving school pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of subsection (e) of section 10-223e due to such school failing to make adequate yearly progress in mathematics and reading at the whole school level prior to July 1, 2012, and are among the lowest five per cent of schools in the state based on achievement shall establish a school governance council for the school.
(2) Except for those schools described in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section, schools that have been designated as a low achieving school, pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of subsection (e) of section 10-223e, due to such school failing to make adequate yearly progress in mathematics and reading at the whole school level prior to July 1, 2012, but are not among the lowest five per cent of schools in the state based on achievement, shall establish a school governance council for the school.
(d) The school governance council shall have the following responsibilities: (1) Analyzing school achievement data and school needs relative to the improvement plan for the school prepared pursuant to this section; (2) reviewing the fiscal objectives of the draft budget for the school and providing advice to the principal of the school before such school's budget is submitted to the superintendent of schools for the district; (3) participating in the hiring process for the school principal or other administrators of the school by conducting interviews of candidates and reporting on such interviews to the superintendent of schools for the school district and the local and regional board of education; (4) assisting the principal of the school in making programmatic and operational changes for improving the school's achievement, including program changes, adjusting school hours and days of operation, and enrollment goals for the school; (5) working with the school administration to develop and approve a school compact for parents, legal guardians and students that includes an outline of the criteria and responsibilities for enrollment and school membership consistent with the school's goals and academic focus, and the ways that parents and school personnel can build a partnership to improve student learning; (6) developing and approving a written parent involvement policy that outlines the role of parents and legal guardians in the school; (7) utilizing records relating to information about parents and guardians of students maintained by the local or regional board of education for the sole purpose of the election described in subsection (b) of this section. Such information shall be confidential and shall only be disclosed as provided in this subdivision and shall not be further disclosed; and (8) if the council determines it necessary and subject to the provisions of subsection (i) of this section recommending reconstitution of the school in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this section.
(e) The school governance council or a similar school governance council model, described in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section, at a school that has been identified as in need of improvement pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-223e may: (1) In those schools that require an improvement plan, review the annual draft report detailing the goals set forth in the state accountability plan prepared in accordance with subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-223e and provide advice to the principal of the school prior to submission of the report to the superintendent of schools; (2) in those schools where an improvement plan becomes required pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-223e, assist the principal of the school in developing such plan prior to its submission to the superintendent of schools; (3) work with the principal of the school to develop, conduct and report the results of an annual survey of parents, guardians and teachers on issues related to the school climate and conditions; and (4) provide advice on any other major policy matters affecting the school to the principal of the school, except on any matters relating to provisions of any collective bargaining agreement between the exclusive bargaining unit for teachers pursuant to section 10-153b and local or regional boards of education.
(f) The local or regional board of education shall provide appropriate training and instruction to members of the school governance council or a similar school governance council model, described in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section, at a school that has been identified as in need of improvement pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-223e to aid the members in the execution of their duties.
(g) (1) The school governance council or a similar school governance council model, described in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section, at a school that has been designated as a low achieving school, pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of subsection (e) of section 10-223e may, by an affirmative vote of the council, recommend the reconstitution of the school into one of the following models: (A) The turnaround model, as described in the Federal Register of December 10, 2009; (B) the restart model, as described in the Federal Register of December 10, 2009; (C) the transformation model, as described in the Federal Register of December 10, 2009; (D) any other model that may be developed by federal law; (E) a CommPACT school, pursuant to section 10-74g; or (F) an innovation school, pursuant to section 10-74h. Not later than ten days after the school governance council informs the local or regional board of education of its recommendation for the school, such board shall hold a public hearing to discuss such vote of the school governance council and shall, at the next regularly scheduled meeting of such board or ten days after such public hearing, whichever is later, conduct a vote to accept the model recommended by the school governance council, select an alternative model described in this subdivision or maintain the current school status. If the board selects an alternative model, the board shall meet with such school governance council to discuss an agreement on which alternative to adopt not later than ten days after such vote of the board. If no such agreement can be achieved, not later than forty-five days after the last such meeting between the board and the school governance council, the Commissioner of Education shall decide which of the alternatives to implement. If the board votes to maintain the current school status, not later than forty-five days after such vote of the board, the Commissioner of Education shall decide whether to implement the model recommended by the school governance council or to maintain the current school status. If the final decision pursuant to this subdivision is adoption of a model, the local or regional board of education shall implement such model during the subsequent school year in conformance with the general statutes and applicable regulations, and the provisions specified in federal regulations and guidelines for schools subject to restructuring pursuant to Section 1116(b)(8) of the No Child Left Behind Act, P.L. 107-110 or any other applicable federal laws or regulations.
(2) Any school governance council for a school or any similar school governance council model, described in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section, at a school that has been identified as in need of improvement pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-223e may recommend reconstitution, pursuant to subdivision (8) of subsection (d) of this subsection, during the third year after such school governance council or such similar school governance council model was established if the school for such governance council has not reconstituted as a result of receiving a school improvement grant pursuant to Section 1003(g) of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 20 USC 6301 et seq., or such reconstitution was initiated by a source other than the school governance council.
(h) A school governance council or any similar school governance council model, described in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section, at a school that has been identified as in need of improvement pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-223e shall be considered a component of parental involvement for purposes of federal funding pursuant to Section 1118 of the No Child Left Behind Act, P.L. 107-110.
(i) The Department of Education shall allow not more than twenty-five schools per school year to reconstitute pursuant to this section. The department shall notify school districts and school governance councils when this limit has been reached. For purposes of this subsection, a reconstitution shall be counted towards this limit upon receipt by the department of notification of a final decision regarding reconstitution by the local or regional board of education.
(P.A. 12-116, S. 23; P.A. 13-31, S. 19–21; P.A. 18-42, S. 8; P.A. 19-31, S. 2; 19-91, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 12-116 effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 13-31 made technical changes in Subsecs. (b)(3), (d) and (i), effective May 28, 2013; P.A. 18-42 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re parent or guardian of student to serve as student governance council member regardless of parent's or guardian's status as public official, and making technical changes, effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 19-31 made technical changes in Subsec. (b)(1) and (2), effective June 26, 2019; P.A. 19-91 amended Subsec. (b)(3) by replacing “two terms” with “four terms”, effective July 1, 2019.