Shared Decision Making

• Accountability
  • Accountability markers aligned with NYSED designations and/or Building/District self-evaluation.
• Budget/Funding
  • Process for Title I, SIG and General Fund recommendations.
• Communication
  • Post minutes from our DLT/BLTs for stakeholders
  • Building level communication versus District level
  • Consistent communication platforms across the district for students and parents/legal guardians
  • Increase the use of our student management system to increase communication between teachers and parents/legal guardians.
  • Budget process
• Community Involvement
• Curriculum Development and Selection
  • Share curriculum adoption process with all stakeholders and invite stakeholders to the process when possible.
  • Share the completed process and benchmarks on how curriculum is being evaluated.
• Extracurricular Programs
• Health and Safety
• Parent Involvement
• Student Performance
• School Climate
• School/Classroom Procedures
• Scheduling

In addition to all of the building and district level committees and workgroups, there will be a standing District cooperative planning committee and will consist of a minimum of:

A. Composition of District cooperative planning committee:

Superintendent or Designee(s)

1 – Member of ASPA – selected by unit

1 – Member of ESP – selected by unit

1 – Parent – per NYSED stakeholder focus (if applicable if not the Superintendent will solicit another parent)

1 - Parent – representative selected from a parent organization

1 – Member of CSEA – selected by unit

3 – Members of the KTF – selected by unit (1 Elemenary,1 Middle, 1 Secondary)

1 – Student – chosen by High School student organization

1 – Member from nonaligned

1 – Community Member – open invitation (Others may be invited to attend on an as needed basis per agenda items.)

The District committee will meet a minimum of three (3) times per year.

Each meeting should have an agenda and an attendance sheet.

B. Building level cooperative planning team: Each building will have a cooperative planning team. Each building team will consist of a minimum of:

Building Principal

1 - Parent – per NYSED stakeholder focus (if applicable if not building leader will solicit another parent)

1- Parent – representative selected from a parent organization.

1 - Member of ESP – selected by unit.

1 - Member of the KTF – selected by unit

1 - Student- selected by a student organization

1 - Member of CSEA – selected by unit.

1 - Member from nonaligned (if applicable)

1 - Student – chosen by building leader or student organization

1 - Community Member – open invitation (Others may be invited to attend on an as needed

basis per agenda items.)

Building level teams will meet a minimum of four (4) times per year.
Each meeting should have an agenda and an attendance sheet.

• Analyze strengths and weaknesses of the school environment, along with its structure, organization and student performance.
• Improve the students’ education and the school community.
• Increase communication between stakeholders in the school - including yearly schedule, agenda and purpose.
• Send concerns of team to appropriate building/district level committee.

Achievement include but is not limited to:

• Attendance Information
• Diagnostic/Standardized Test Results
  • Include growth models.
  • Ensure a growth model for all students to reach their potential.
• Graduation Rates
• Parent/Child/Teacher Conferences
  • Increase platforms for parent engagement.
• Physical, Valued and Seen, Social and Emotional Growth Evaluation
• Post-Graduation Data
• Disciplinary Data (Suspensions)
• State and Local Assessment Results
  • Include longitudinal studies and trends.
• Students’ Daily Classroom Performance
  • Investigate consistent documentation for individual growth.
• Students receiving additional supports beyond Tier I (RtI/MTSS I)
  • Number of students receiving Tier II and III and movement
• Surveys
  • Surveys will be attached to a district/building goal.

Members of all committees/work groups are accountable for their decisions. Members of committees should:

• Attend meetings consistently and on time.
  • Members need to attend 75% or send an approved alternate.
• Be knowledgeable about the agenda or issues.
  • Agenda to go a week in advance.
  • Meeting dates to be published at least a month in advance.
• Bring input/issue from constituents.
• Commit to the responsibility of committee membership.
  • If a majority of the members of the committee finds that these standards are not being met by any single participant of the committee, they may vote to remove that individual from the committee.
• Communicate openly and honestly.
• Members of the committee are expected to respond to communication when appropriate.
  • Represent concerns of their constituents – no personal agendas.
  • Serve as an active listener.
  • Take an active role in committee tasks.
  • Take information back to their constituency.
• Minutes will be spotted in a timely fashion.
• District and Building level plans will be posted and shared with stakeholders.
  • DCIP: (District Compressive Improvement Plan) is board approved and sent to the state.
  • Building SCEP (School Comprehensive Educational Plans) for schools that have an accountability designation are also approved by the BOE and submitted to NYSED.

Shared Decision Making (SDM) committee decisions must be made within the constraints of Education Law, Board of Education Policy, Administrative Regulations, union contracts, and budgetary limits established by the Board of Education. Decisions are to be arrived at through consensus whenever possible. Consensus is reached when all participants agree that they understand something or some issue, can live with a decision, will support it and will communicate it. Every attempt will be made to reach consensus on issues. Consensus decision making helps to ensure that every individual on the committee has involvement in a decision. It requires everyone’s participation. Listening, thinking, studying, sharing, trust, and respect are values inherent in the process. All members must agree to support — or at least not undermine — a decision. Reaching consensus does not mean the vote is unanimous, the result is everyone’s first choice, or everyone agrees. Consensus lends to the development of the commitment and ownership necessary in collaborative decision making. Said in another way, consensus is reached when all members agree with one of the following statements:

a. “I strongly support this decision and I will be a leader.”

b. “I agree with this decision, and I will give a lot of support.”

c. “I can live with this decision; I will be supportive.”

d. “I don’t agree with this decision, but I will trust the opinion of the group.”

If consensus is unattainable, other strategies will be employed. These strategies may include, but are not limited to mediation, sending issues to a sub-committee for further work, problem-solving models, etc. If an impasse is reached, it can be resolved by a 75% vote of the total committee membership in support of a committee decision.

Whenever possible, disputes regarding educational decisions will be resolved within the committee or work group. It is the expectation that committee representatives will seek input and reaction from their various constituencies as part of the process.

As with all other education disputes, those that cannot be resolved informally through collegial discussion will follow the following dispute resolution process:

Step 1: Discussion with the appropriate person in authority closest to the problem. ∙ Step 2: Discussion with the administrator/supervisor of the person noted in Step 1.

Step 3: Vote if consensus cannot be reached by step 2. (1 vote per stakeholder group)

Step 4: Appeal to Superintendent or designee for resolution. School based disputes will be presented in writing the Superintendent for resolution. The Superintendent will respond in writing within thirty (30) days.

The superintendent will respond to acknowledge receipt of the appeal.

Step 5: District-based complaints may be brought in writing to the Board Clerk for review by Board of Education. The Board shall respond within thirty (30) days.

The District Committee will:

• Conduct Biennial Review of Shared Decision-Making Plan.
• Consult on annual Consolidated Application.
• Ensure that each stakeholder/constituency in the district is represented on District Committees as dictated by Board Policies.
• Ensure District complies with all federal and state regulations regarding involvement and informing persons in parental relationships as it relates to their child’s education.