• A campus improvement team (CIT) shall be established on each campus to assist the principal. The team shall meet for the purpose of implementing planning processes and site-based decision making in accordance with Board policy and administrative procedures.

    The facilitator shall be elected by the CIT. The facilitator shall receive training in facilitating meetings. The principal shall retain a leadership role by enhancing, contributing to, and guiding the work of the CIT. The team shall serve exclusively in an advisory role except that each campus team shall approve staff development of a campus nature.

    Each principal shall be responsible for the development of campus performance objectives. These objectives shall be formulated annually in accordance with a schedule established by the District, shall support the District’s educational goals and objectives, and shall be specific to the academic achievement of students served by the campus. The Board shall review and approve campus performance objectives.

    Waivers:  The principal shall be responsible for ensuring that no campus initiated decision violates rule, law, or policy, unless the campus has obtained a waiver. [See BQB(LEGAL) and BF]

    Except as prohibited by law [see BF], a campus may apply to the Board for a waiver of a local policy. An application for a waiver must state the achievement objectives of the campus and the reasons for requesting the waiver.

    Communications:  The principal or designee shall ensure that the campus improvement team obtains broad-based community, parent, and staff input and provides information to those persons on a systematic basis. Methods of communication may include, but are not limited to, periodic reports on the work of the team that may be posted on campus bulletin boards or the campus website.

    Composition:  The team shall be composed of members who shall represent District- and campus-based professional staff, parents, businesses, the community, and noncertified/classified staff. At least two-thirds of the District and campus professional staff representatives shall be classroom teachers. The remaining professional employee representatives shall be professional nonteaching District- and campus-level staff. For purposes of this policy, District-level professional staff shall be defined as professionals who have responsibilities at more than one campus, including but not limited to, central office staff.

    Classroom teachers shall be nominated and elected by classroom teachers assigned to that campus.

    Campus-based nonteaching professionals shall be nominated and elected by nonteaching professionals assigned to that campus.

    District-level professionals shall be nominated and elected by the principal assigned to that campus. A District-level professional shall not serve on more than two CITs.

    Campus Based NonCertified Staff:  One representative from the campus’s classified, custodial, paraprofessional, or food service personnel shall be nominated and elected by employees in those categories assigned to that campus.

    Parents:  The team shall include at least two parents of students currently enrolled at the campus, selected in accordance with administrative procedures. The principal shall, through various channels, inform all parents of campus students about the team’s duties and composition and shall solicit volunteers. The principal, in consultation with the CIT, shall select the parent representatives. [See BQB(LEGAL)]

    Community Members:  The team shall include at least two community members selected by a process that provides for adequate representation of the community’s diversity, in accordance with administrative procedures. The principal shall use several methods of communication to ensure that community residents are informed of the team and are provided the opportunity to participate and shall solicit volunteers. Community representatives must reside in the District. The principal, in consultation with the CIT, shall select the community member representatives.

    Business Representatives:  The team shall include at least two business representatives selected by a process that provides for adequate representation of the community’s diversity, in accordance with administrative procedures. The principal shall use several methods of communication to ensure that area businesses are informed of the team and are provided the opportunity to participate and shall solicit volunteers. Business representatives need not reside in nor operate businesses in the District. The principal, in consultation with the CIT, shall select the business representatives.

    Elections:  An employee’s affiliation or lack of affiliation with any organization or association shall not be a factor in either the nomination or election of the employee to the team. [See DGA]

    Nominated employees shall give their consent to serve on the team before they are eligible for election. Elections shall be held during the sixth week of the school year. A special meeting shall be called by the principal to conduct the election. The elections shall be conducted by secret ballot. The Board expects full participation of staff in the CIT elections.

    Terms:  Representatives shall serve staggered two-year terms and shall not be limited as to the number of consecutive terms they may serve on the team. Each principal shall determine the date on which the newly elected representatives at his or her campus assume office, provided that the date is within 20 business days prior to January 1. The terms of elected representatives shall continue until their successors take office.

    Vacancy:  A vacancy during a term shall be filled for the remainder of the term by election or selection as appropriate for the category.

    Meetings:  The CIT shall meet regularly throughout the school year. At the first CIT meeting of each year, meeting dates for the coming year shall be determined and shall be published by the end of the first month. Special meetings may be called by the principal or facilitator with a minimum 24-hour notification to all members. The principal or designee must be present at all meetings. The agenda shall be set for each regular meeting and shall be published and posted two school days before the meeting. Community, business, and parent members shall also be notified two days prior to the meeting.

    All meetings shall be held outside the regular school day.