School Site Council (SSC)

What is a School Site Council?

SSCs make decisions at the school site regarding site and categorical programs, in addition to spending.  SSCs are made up of parents, community members, and school personnel.  The SSC decides upon academic instructional programs and all related categorical resource expenditures for a school.

An SSC is a school-community representative body made up of:

• Principal
• Teachers 
• Other School Personnel
• Parents or Community

Education Code Section 52852 (formerly 52012) specifies that a school improvement plan shall be developed by a school site council (SSC). The law says, “The SSC shall be composed of the principal; representatives of teachers selected by teachers at the school; other school personnel selected by peers at the school; parents of pupils attending the school selected by such parents.”

Continued School Improvement:

School Improvement is a program for elementary, intermediate, and secondary schools to continue the improvement of instruction, services, school environment, and organization at school sites according to plans developed by School Site Councils. The California Education Code states the school site council should:

• Measure the effectiveness of improvement strategies at the school.
• Seek input from school advisory committees.
• Reaffirm or revise school goals.
• Revise improvement strategies and expenditures.
• Recommend the approved single plan for student achievement (SPSA) to the governing board.
• Monitor implementation of the SPSA
• Single Plan for Student Achievement Plan

The purpose of the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) is to raise the academic performance of all students to the level of state achievement standards. California Education Code sections 41507, 41572, and 64001 and the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) require each school to consolidate all school plans related to state and federal funding. The California Department of Education has developed a planning guide and template for local educational agencies (LEAs) to meet the program requirements.