Boulder Valley School District

AE-R

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  • Foundations and Basic Commitments
AE-R

File: AE-R (pdf)
Adopted:   Date of manual adoption
Revised:  August 14, 2012, December 11, 2018, September 12, 2023

ACCOUNTABILITY/COMMITMENT TO ACCOMPLISHMENT
(District Accountability Committee and School Accountability Committees)

District Accountability Committee

Purpose: The DAC is a state mandated committee in which the School District community engages in meaningful consultation in performance and improvement planning. The DAC advises the Board of Education on budgetary priorities, unified improvement plans, student growth and achievement, charter school applications, School District policies, family partnerships, Board policies relevant to the work of the DAC, and jointly determined topics of study.

Membership: The Board shall appoint persons to the DAC. In making these appointments, it shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that:

  • the parents/guardians appointed reflect the student populations significantly represented within the School District;
  • at least one of the parents/guardians is a parent/guardian of a student enrolled in a charter school authorized by the Board;
  • at least one of the persons appointed has a demonstrated knowledge of charter schools; and,
  • each School is represented on the DAC.

 

The DAC shall consist of at least 6 (six) members including the following:

  • three parents/guardians of students enrolled in School District schools.
  • one teacher employed by the School District
  • one school administrator employed by the School District
  • one person who is involved in business (for profit, nonprofit, social or service organization) in the community within the School District's boundaries
  • one representative from each SAC. The School Accountability Committees (SACs) are responsible for nominating a member to serve on the DAC. Any SAC member, including a new member and a non-parent/guardian, is eligible to serve as a SAC representative on DAC.

Additionally, the DAC may nominate at-large members and ask the Board to expand the DAC’s membership by no more than 10% to accomplish the Board’s priority of diverse representation. The number of parents appointed to DAC shall always exceed the number of representatives from the group with the next highest representation.

A person may not serve in more than one of the required DAC membership roles. A person who is employed by the School District or related to a School District employee shall not be eligible to serve as a parent on the DAC. "Related" means the person's spouse, child or step-child, sibling or step-sibling, parent or step-parent. If, however, the School District makes a good faith effort and is unable to identify a sufficient number of parents/guardians that meet these criteria, a person may serve as a parent/guardian despite being a School District employee or related to a School District employee

Nominations shall be made by May 31st of each year, supplemented as necessary to include new SAC members in the Fall, and approved by the Board annually in September.

The Superintendent or designee shall serve as an administrative liaison to the DAC.

Terms and Service: Members of the DAC will serve terms of two years, and no member shall serve more than three successive terms.

A DAC member shall be removed automatically if that member no longer meets the qualifications for the appointment (e.g. a parent/guardian’s child no longer attends the school) or does not attend three consecutive meetings unless the DAC by resolution approves any additional absences or unless such absences are due to temporary disability or illness.

In addition, the DAC by majority vote may request the removal of any member. Such removal shall require subsequent Board approval.

If a vacancy arises on the DAC, the Board shall appoint members to fill the vacancy. Any SAC representatives appointed to fill vacancies shall be nominated by the SAC represented.

Powers and Duties: The DAC shall select a parent representative to serve as chair or co-chair, who shall serve a term of two years. The DAC shall also select additional officers as necessary.

DAC members shall receive information on the laws, rules, and policy setting forth the powers and duties of the DAC at the beginning of each school year. This information shall include, but need not be limited to the BVSD SAC Manual, BVSD DAC website, the CDE website on DAC/SAC Responsibilities and Resources, and recommendations from the State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement In Education (SACPIE).

The DAC shall adopt bylaws/general rules for its operation, consistent with state law and Board policy.

The Board of Education and the DAC shall, at least annually, cooperatively determine the areas and issues for the DAC’s study and formulation of recommendations, including at least regarding:

  • School District budget and spending priorities, following reasonable efforts to consult in a substantive manner with the School District’s SACs
  • Preparation of the School District Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) and other improvement plans, following reasonable efforts to consult in a substantive manner with the School District’s SACs
  • Development and use of assessment tools used for the purpose of measuring and evaluating student academic growth as it relates to teacher evaluations
  • Review of any Charter school applications prior to review by the Board
  • Creation and equitable enforcement of the student conduct and discipline codes

Also, the DAC shall have the power and duties to:

  • Compile and submit to the Board all of the SAC improvement plans
  • Consider input and recommendations from the SACs to facilitate the evaluation of the performance of the School’s principal
  • Increase the level of parent engagement in the School District and its Schools, especially the engagement of parents of historically marginalized students. Activities to increase parent engagement must include, but need not be limited to:
    • Publicizing opportunities to serve on the DAC and SACs;
    • Assisting in the implementation of the School District’s family partnership policy; and
    • Assisting school personnel to increase parents/guardians’ engagement with educators, including in creating students’ READ plans, ICAPs, and attendance plans.
  • Meet at least quarterly to discuss whether School District leadership, personnel, and infrastructure are advancing or impeding implementation of the School District’s UIP or other progress pertinent to the School District’s accreditation contract.

The DAC may make recommendations in writing and through an annual presentation, or more frequently as requested by the Board. The Board shall strive to provide feedback about DAC’s recommendations and the Board’s decisions and actions.

 

School Accountability Committees

Purpose: SACs are state mandated committees in which the school community engages in meaningful consultation in performance and improvement planning at the school level. The SAC advises the school principal and school community on budgetary priorities, student growth and achievement, school improvement plans, family partnerships, and topics of study relevant to the work of the SAC.

Membership: Members of the SAC shall be appointed by the principal of each school. Each SAC shall consist of at least seven (7) members as follows:

  • three parents of students enrolled in the school
  • one teacher who provides instruction at the school
  • the principal or the principal's designee
  • one person involved in the business community (for-profit, non-profit, social, or service organization) within the school boundaries
  • one adult member of an organization of parents, teachers and students recognized by the school

A person may not serve more than one of the required membership roles on the SAC. The number of parents appointed must always exceed the number of representatives from the group with the next highest representation. If, after making good-faith efforts, a principal or an organization of parents, teachers and students is unable to find a sufficient number of persons who are willing to serve on the SAC, the principal shall notify the school community and the DAC and make ongoing efforts to encourage people to join the SAC.

Terms and Services: The principal of each school shall appoint the SAC annually in September.

Members of the SAC shall serve terms of one year. There is no limit on the number of terms a SAC member may serve provided they continue to meet membership qualifications.

A SAC member shall be automatically removed if that member no longer meets the qualifications for the appointment (e.g. a parent/guardian’s child no longer attends the school) or does not attend three consecutive, regularly scheduled meetings unless the SAC by resolution approves any additional absences or unless such absences are due to temporary disability or illness. In addition, the SAC by majority vote may request the removal of any member. Such removal shall require subsequent principal approval. The principal shall fill any vacancy that exists only if the SAC has fewer than seven (7) members.

Powers and Duties: The SAC shall select a parent representative to serve as chair or co-chair, who shall serve a term of one year.

SAC members shall receive information on the laws, rules, and policy setting forth the powers and duties of the SAC at the beginning of each school year. This information shall include, but need not be limited to the BVSD SAC Manual, BVSD DAC website, the CDE website on DAC/SAC Responsibilities and Resources, and recommendations from the State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement In Education (SACPIE).

The SAC shall adopt bylaws/general rules for its operation, consistent with law and Board policy.

The SAC shall establish a schedule of meetings and publicize the time and location through available channels of school-community communication, both physical and digital.

Each SAC shall have the authority to submit written recommendations and input to the School Principal on:

  • Budget and spending priorities for school moneys, including state, federal, local or private grants and any other discretionary moneys
  • School performance or improvement plan, including the contents of the plan. This input will also be shared with the Superintendent and the Board.
  • School and Family partnerships
  • Development and use of assessment tools used for the purpose of principal evaluations
  • Study items relevant to the work of the SAC and needs of the school

Also, the SAC shall have the powers and duties to:

  • Send a copy of its recommended spending priorities to the Board and the DAC.
  • Provide input and recommendations on an advisory basis to the DAC and School District administration concerning principal development plans for their Principal and principal evaluations.
  • Increase the level of parent engagement in the School, especially the engagement of parents of historically marginalized students. Activities to increase parent engagement must include, but need not be limited to:
    • Publicizing opportunities to serve on the SAC;
    • Assisting in the implementation of the School District’s family partnership policy at the school level; and
    • Assisting school personnel to increase parents/guardians’ engagement with educators, including in creating students’ READ plans, ICAPs, and attendance plans.
  • Meet at least quarterly to discuss whether School leadership, personnel, and infrastructure are advancing or impeding implementation of the School’s performance or improvement plan or other pertinent progress. 
  • Publicize and hold a public SAC meeting and/or hearing, when required by law, to discuss strategies to include in and/or to review a written public school performance or improvement plan.

The SAC may make recommendations in writing and through an annual presentation, or more frequently as requested by the Principal. The Principal shall strive to provide feedback about SAC’s recommendations and the Principal’s decisions and action.

End of File: AE-R