Did you know that Georgia law requires each school to have a School Council? An active School Council can help you make a positive change for your school climate. According to the Georgia School Council Institute, “a School Council brings communities and schools c loser together in a spirit of cooperation to solve difficult education problems, improve academic achievement, provide support for teachers and administrators, and bring parents into the decision-making process.” 

What Does a School Council Do? 

Your school council is a link to the community and should provide recommendations and assistance on the following:

• School improvement plans
• Curriculum and assessments
• Development of the school’s profile
• School budget priorities
• School communication strategies
• Methods of involving parents and the community
• Extracurricular activities
• Any other appropriate topic involving student achievement and school improvement

 

Getting Started

If your School Council is not in place or has not been active, concentrate on your members. The required members consist of:

• The Principal

• Two certified teachers
• At least four parents, with two being businesspeople

Focus on getting the right people. You need people who will be dependable and who will look at issues with an open mind and an eye toward school improvement. 

School Council Meetings

The Council must meet at least two times per year and must have an agenda for each meeting. Written notice of the meetings must be provided seven days prior to meeting. The meetings are open to the public and are subject to Open Records requests. A quorum (majority of members) must be present at the meeting.