PGCPS policy committee approves revised language for school-based management teams and sends it to sponsor for revision approval

The Policy & Governance Committee voted on Feb. 25 to recommend revised language for Policy 3-415, School-Based Management Teams, to the policy sponsor for revision approval. The committee vote was recorded as four in the affirmative.

The revised policy draft circulated to the committee expands the policy's specificity. It defines the school‑based management team as an advisory group to the principal, specifies representative membership (school administrator; faculty-advisory-council representative; expected representation from bargaining units; PTA/PTSA/PTO designee; a parent of a student receiving special‑education services or Section 504 accommodations; and, at high schools, a student-government representative), and states that decision-making authority rests with the principal.

The draft directs the SBMT to review data on student performance and attendance, teacher feedback and community input to measure overall school performance; it requires meetings to be publicized and meeting minutes to be readily accessible. The policy also directs the superintendent or designee to provide annual professional development to SBMT members on the team's functions and processes and authorizes the superintendent to develop administrative procedure to implement the policy.

During committee discussion board members suggested clarifying language to emphasize coordination between central office and principals, to consider meeting frequency (quarterly was proposed as a starting point), and to align SBMT responsibilities with existing community-school steering committees and faculty-advisory councils so principals are not required to maintain duplicative advisory groups. Committee members asked staff to consult principals and other stakeholders about practical implementation details and to return with suggested edits.

Action: The committee recommended Policy 3-415 be forwarded to the policy sponsor for revision approval. Roll call was taken; the clerk recorded four votes in the affirmative and no dissenting votes. No final adoption vote was taken at the committee; the draft will move through the sponsor-review stage and subsequent policy review steps.