Transmitted on 8 October 1998
The Future Role of School Councils
How can parents, communities, and school councils best contribute to a childs education?
Parents can contribute by taking an active role in deciding what educational objectives are suitable for their children, and in seeking out schools which are best able to meet those objectives.
School councils can contribute by defining the educational philosophy for the school and establishing policies which will permit the staff to act a manner consistent with that philosophy.
The community can contribute by providing welcoming learners to experience and take advantage of learning opportunities which take place outside the physical confines of the school building.
What should school councils be doing?
School councils should be:
Setting the educational tone and philosophy for the school
Establishing an administrative framework for learning consistent with the desired tone and philosophy for the school. This means hiring a principal, setting spending priorities.
In conjunction with the principal, establishing meaningful educational objectives for the students at the school.
Evaluating new ways to improve the achievement of children in the school. This might mean permitting innovations suggested by staff members, or copied from other schools.
Providing guidance to parents regarding ways in which they can contribute towards improving the quality of education being delivered to their children.
Providing feedback to parents about the schools success in meeting the objectives established above.
How can school councils ensure that they represent their communities?
A schools community should consist primarily of the parents and children who have chosen to attend the school, and the teachers who have chosen to work there.
The best way to ensure that the interests of these groups are represented is to provide school councils with the power to direct the activities which take place at the school, and also hold them accountable for their decisions.
If school councils are seen as meaningful institutions then the the various communtity members will have an interest in having their voices heard at the council because it is only by influencing the council that the direction of the school can be influenced.
What should be the relationships among the school council, the staff, the principal, the district school board, and the community?
The community of parents selects the council members.
The council hires the principal.
The principal hires the staff.
The district school board audits the schools performance to make sure that it is operating within the parameters which are established by the Ministry of Education and Training: this would include meeting academic standards as well as providing socialization skills important to the society. The school board would also be responsible to ensure that the school is not restricting enrollment either arbitrarily, or by systematically excluding a particular type of student. Even thought the school council should have considerable control over the schools activities, they must not be allowed to priortize the students which attend the school.
What kinds of support do school councils need?
In addition to administrative support to permit councils to operate effectively [i.e. have a place to meet] and to communicate to the parents they represent, school council members would also benefit from communication opportunities with other councils.
What makes an effective school council?
An effective school council is one which understands the educational decisions which must be made by the school, and which is able to choose among various alternatives in a manner consistent with the wishes, desires, and aspirations of the parental community, and which does so within any constraints [fiscal or philosophical] which the parental community has laid down.
In order to be effective in this manner it is necessary for school councils to have the authority to make the most important educational decisions facing the school, and to be accountable to the parental community for their decisions.