In the Berkeley Unified School District, each school has a School Governance Council (though the high school operates slightly differently, see below) which combines the responsibilities of the state-mandated School Site Councils (such as writing the School Plan and allocating certain state funds directed to schools) as well as the duties of looking at all school spending including BSEP Site Funds, a portion of special local funds that go directly to school sites.
A community response to school funding shortages in the wake of Prop.13, the Berkeley Schools Excellence Program (BSEP), has made a huge difference in the quality of our children’s education since 1986. This special local tax was on Berkeley’s November 2006 ballot as Measure A, where it was reauthorized with the approval of close to 80% of the voters, and was extended for 10 years.
On September 15th, 2010, the Board of Education adopted School Site Council Bylaws for Berkeley High School. (click here) These complete the other Bylaws for School Governance Councils that were adopted on April 23, 2008. ( click here )
At Berkeley High, due to its size and complexity, the BSEP Committee remains a discrete committee, focused on the school’s BSEP/Measure A Site Discretionary Funds. The Berkeley High School Site Council (SSC) allocates state and federal categorical funds.The charge of the Berkeley High BSEP Committee is to develop a budget to allocate BSEP/Measure A School Site Discretionary Funds for the personnel, services and materials required to deliver effective activities leading to improved student performance as outlined in the Single Plan for Student Achievement. The BSEP Committee’s proposed Plan and Budget is sent to the Berkeley High SSC where it receives a vote to approve or disapprove. If disapproved, the BSEP Committee subsequently submits another Plan and budget for approval. (this text taken directly from the Bylaws)
Two tables are reproduced here from the Bylaws, the School Governance Council Composition, Quorum & P&O Committee Representation chart, and the Annual Timeline of School Governance Council Activities chart.
School Governance Council Composition, Quorum & P&O Committee Representation
| School/ Program Type |
Parent* Members |
Staff Members |
Student Members |
Minimum Size |
Quorum** | P&O Committee Represen- tatives |
| Elementary | 6 parents + 2 Alternates (elected at large) |
6 staff + 2 Alternate (includes Principal & at least 1 Classified staff member) |
N/A | 12 | 7 = quorum** At least: 3 parent members & 3 staff members |
1 + Alternate(s) |
| Middle | 6 parents + 2 Alternates (elected at large) |
6 staff + 2 Alternates (includes Principal & at least 1 Classified staff member) |
2 students may serve as non-voting members |
12 | 7 = quorum** At least: 3 parent members & 3 staff members |
2 + Alternate(s) |
| Berkeley High BSEP Committee |
5 parents + 2 Alternates (elected at large) |
5 staff + 2 Alternates (includes Principal or designee & at least 1 Classified staff member) |
5 students + 2 Alternates |
15 | 8 = quorum** At least: 2 parent members, 2 staff members & 2 student members |
4 (minimum 2 must be parents /community) + 2 Alternates |
| B-Tech | 2 parents + 1 Alternate |
4 staff (+ Alternate) (includes Principal or designee; Classified staff optional) |
2 students (+ Alternate) |
8 | 5 = quorum** At least: 1 parent member, 2 staff |members & 1 student member |
1 + Alternate(s) |
| Independent Study Program |
3-4 parents (+ Alternate) (parents + students = 5; minimum 1 student) |
5 staff (+ Alternate) (includes Principal or designee; Classified staff optional) |
1-2 students (+ Alternate) (parents + students = 5; minimum 1 student) |
10 | 6 = quorum** At least: 2 parent members, 2 staff members & 1 student member |
1 + Alternate(s) |
| Pre-K Program |
4 parents (+ Alternate) |
4 staff (+ Alternate) (includes Principal or designee and both Certificated & Classified staff) |
N/A | 8 | 5 = quorum** At least: 2 parents + 2 staff |
1+ Alternate(s) |
Annual Timeline of School Governance Council Activities
| Tasks | Responsibility of | Date |
| Conduct elections for School Governance Council (SGC) at each school site | School Principal and outgoing SGC Chair person or designee |
September 30 |
| Collect SGC membership, election data, and select P&O Rep(s); submit to District Office for review |
School Principal and SGC Chair or designee |
mid-October |
| Participate in orientation / training | All new and returning SGC members; District staff coordinate |
Fall-Winter |
| Review each SGC to certify the election and compliance with the guidelines; submit membership rosters to the Board of Education |
District staff with P&O Committee representatives |
October – November |
| Conduct regular meetings of the SGC to review all pertinent information about the effectiveness of the strategies adopted in the School Plan; submit minutes of meetings |
SGC Chairperson & School Principal; District staff to implement budget changes |
ongoing |
| Collect and review student evaluation data from prior year and draw conclusions; prepare a report for the Board |
Each SGC with school’s Principal and District staff support |
October thru December |
| Review school’s student data analysis with selected School Board members & Educational Services Department staff |
SGC Chairperson, members and Principal |
January |
| Solicit input from school community re: the status, performance, and needs of the students and school |
SGC Chair and members | January |
| Discuss funding priorities and possible new programs for the new year; develop (every 3 years) or revise the school’s Action Plans and Strategies to meet the three year Goals |
Each SGC | February-March |
| Develop budgets based on the Action Plans of the Single Plan for Student Achievement |
Each SGC | March |
| Submit the Single Plan for Student Achievement with budgets for administrative review |
Each SGC | March-April (deadline varies) |
| Adopt each school’s Single Plan for Student Achievement (after 2 readings) |
School Board | May-June |
| Prepare recruitment activities for election of next year’s SGC members |
Each SGC | May-August |
| Publish BSEP Annual Plan, including Site Plans |
District Staff | June-September |
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