The SBDM office oversees the process of School-Based Decision Making by working with the school councils to ensure educational and legal compliance. The councils are made up of teachers, parents, and an administrator. It is our office's responsibility to assist them as they work to ensure the highest possible achievement for all students.

School councils

School councils promote shared leadership among those who are closest to the students: parents, teachers and administrators of the local schools. The school council must set school policy to provide an environment to enhance student achievement and help the school reach its accountability goals. To meet this responsibility, councils should:  

• Collect, interpret and analyze information;
• Set priorities, goals and targets;
• Establish committees, review committee reports and consider their recommendations;
• Evaluate achievement;
• Work as a team;
• Hold regularly scheduled meetings;
• Conduct meetings in a democratic manner;
• Get the required SBDM training;
• Make student-based decisions;
• Monitor policy and program implementation.

Portal: Membership and training tracker

Training: Classes and registration

Super Council

The Super Council meetings are now folded into our Family University events as ongoing professional learning breakouts. This change allows more families and stakeholders the opportunity to better engage in understanding school governance in a more inclusive learning environment and at times when it is more convenient for families and community partners. 

Save the date: March 23 at the University of Kentucky's Gatton College

Resources in FCPS

• Important dates and deadlines
• Parent elections (see more under 'PTA')
• Teacher elections
• SBDM training & online registration
• Membership and training tracker
• Minutes guidelines, with sample
• Sample of meeting notice and agenda
• Form for a specially called meeting
• Template for membership list (Excel spreadsheet)
• Email notification agreement
   

From the Kentucky Department of Education

• Bylaws clarification (November 2016)
• School-Based Decision Making
• SBDM Handbook
• Comprehensive Improvement Planning
   

Transparency

• "Your Duty under the Law" -- Kentucky open records and open meetings acts
• "Managing Government Records"
• Certificate of receipt and distribution of written documentation
   

Emergency management response

• What school stakeholders should know
• B-Safe School-Centered Emergency Management Policy
   

Related sites

• Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and Kentucky EdGuides
• Kentucky Association of School Councils
• Kentucky PTA

Web tip: The URL shortcut to this page is fcps.net/sbdm