3.2 Family Leadership Opportunities

We have ambitious goals for the public school students of San Francisco.  We believe that the collective and collaborative work of all stakeholders will achieve academic success for all students.  School Site Councils (SSCs) and parent/community advisory committees such as the School Advisory Committees (SACs) and English Learner Advisory Committees (ELACs) play a critical role in raising expectations for student achievement. The Board of Education has passed Parent Involvement Policy 6020 to support that goal. The Board policy recognizes that parents/guardians are their children's first and most influential teachers and that sustained parent/guardian involvement in the education of their children contributes greatly to student achievement and a positive school environment. 

SSCs, SACs, ELACs, and other parent/community groups bring diverse ideas to produce a more comprehensive shared plan for school improvement. The most effective councils and committees use data and direct experience with their schools to guide decision-making, make a concerted effort to achieve authentic participation of staff and families, work closely with their principals, seek consensus with the staff, develop innovative solutions that are monitored for effectiveness, and use policies and procedures that ensure common understanding and strong communication. 

School Site Council:

The School Site Council (SSC) represents the whole school community, including parents/caregivers, teachers, the principal, other school staff, and (in secondary schools) students. California law requires that a School Site Council develop a “single plan for student achievement” if a school receives state or federal supplemental funding. Since all schools in SFUSD receive such funds, SSCs at every school in our district must approve the plan, recommend it to the local governing board for approval, monitor its implementation, and evaluate the effectiveness of the planned activities at least annually.

SSC members are elected by their peers to represent all members of a school community.  Their primary role is to guide the site planning process to ensure that the needs of all students are specifically addressed in the School Plan for Student Achievement  and to budget use of supplemental funding (e.g., Title I).  

School Advisory Committee:

Schools that receive state Economic Impact Aid-School Compensatory Education (EIA-SCE) funding must have an elected group of parents and staff representing students with high academic needs on a School Advisory Committee. The SAC may also include the principal, teachers, other staff, and/or community representatives elected by the parents of students identified as “educationally disadvantaged youth” per data indicating great academic need. The SAC provides advice to the principal and the SSC on how to address the needs of these students in the School Plan for Student Achievement and the best use of EIA-SCE funding to aid students requiring academic assistance.

English Learner Advisory Committee:

Schools with 21 or more English Learner (EL) students must hold an election voted by the parents of EL students to form an English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC).  The ELAC must include a percentage of parents of EL students equal to, or greater than, the percentage of EL students of the school population.  Others on the ELAC may include the principal, teachers, other staff, and/or community representatives elected by the parents of EL students. 

The ELAC is responsible for advising the principal and staff on how to address the issues of EL students in the School Plan for Student Achievement. An ELAC should also advise the SSC on the best use of EIA-LEP (Limited English Proficient) and other targeted English Learner funds (e.g. English Language Acquisition Program funds), including the use of Title I funds in schools where applicable.

District-level advisory committees:

The SF Board of Education recognizes advisory committees created for the purpose of meeting federal, state and/or local legal requirements, and to provide advice and stakeholder perspectives in matters of interest to the District.

Advisory committees in SFUSD have included the District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC), District Advisory Committee (DAC), Community Advisory Council for PEEF (Public Education Enrichment Fund), Community Advisory Committee for Special Education (CAC), African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC), Parent Advisory Council to the Board of Education (PAC), and Student Advisory Council (SAC), among others. Please visit https://www.sfusd.edu/advisory-councils-committees for more information.