Model encourages the establishment of an advisory council, inclusive of parents and community members, to to review and advise the school counselor(s) on the implementation of the school counseling program.

Subject to the requirements listed in this Subpart D, the instructional program of a school district shall be determined by the board of education with involvement of parents, students, the professional staff, and the local community. The basic curriculum shall include organized experiences that provide each student ample opportunity to achieve the goals set forth in Appendix D of this Part and that meet the minimum program defined by the School Code and the State Board of Education. It is recommended that activities, including student internships and observations of government in action, be a part of the instructional program where appropriate.

(a) A local school council shall be established for each attendance center within the school district. Each local school council shall consist of the following 12 voting members: the principal of the attendance center, 2 teachers employed and assigned to perform the majority of their employment duties at the attendance center, 6 parents of students currently enrolled at the attendance center, one employee of the school district employed and assigned to perform the majority of his or her employment duties at the attendance center who is not a teacher, and 2 community residents. Neither the parents nor the community residents who serve as members of the local school council shall be employees of the Board of Education. In each secondary attendance center, the local school council shall consist of 13 voting members — the 12 voting members described above and one full-time student member, appointed as provided in subsection (m) below. In the event that the chief executive officer of the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees determines that a local school council is not carrying out its financial duties effectively, the chief executive officer is authorized to appoint a representative of the business community with experience in finance and management to serve as an advisor to the local school council for the purpose of providing advice and assistance to the local school council on fiscal matters. The advisor shall have access to relevant financial records of the local school council. The advisor may attend executive sessions. The chief executive officer shall issue a written policy defining the circumstances under which a local school council is not carrying out its financial duties effectively.

7. To approve a school improvement plan developed as provided in Section 34-2.4. The process and schedule for plan development shall be publicized to the entire school community, and the community shall be afforded the opportunity to make recommendations concerning the plan. At least twice a year the principal and local school council shall report publicly on progress and problems with respect to plan implementation.

The school improvement plan shall be designed to achieve priority goals including but not limited to: (a) assuring that students show significant progress toward meeting and exceeding State performance Standard in State mandated learning areas, including the mastery of higher order thinking skills in these areas; (b) assuring that students attend school regularly and graduate from school at such rates that the district average equals or surpasses national norms; (c) assuring that students are adequately prepared for and aided in making a successful transition to further education and life experience; (d) assuring that students are adequately prepared for and aided in making a successful transition to employment; and (e) assuring that students are, to the maximum extent possible, provided with a common learning experience that is of high academic quality and that reflects high expectations for all students’ capacities to learn. With respect to these priority goals, the school improvement plan shall include but not be limited to the following: (a) an analysis of data collected in the attendance center and community indicating the specific strengths and weaknesses of the attendance center in light of the goals specified above, including data and analysis specified by the State Board of Education pertaining to specific measurable outcomes for student performance, the attendance centers, and their instructional programs; (b) a description of specific annual objectives the attendance center will pursue in achieving the goals specified above; (c) a description of the specific activities the attendance center will undertake to achieve its objectives; (d) an analysis of the attendance center’s staffing pattern and material resources, and an explanation of how the attendance center’s planned staffing pattern, the deployment of staff, and the use of material resources furthers the objectives of the plan; (e) a description of the key assumptions and directions of the school’s curriculum and the academic and non-academic programs of the attendance center, and an explanation of how this curriculum and these programs further the goals and objectives of the plan; (f) a description of the steps that will be taken to enhance educational opportunities for all students, regardless of gender, including English learners, students with disabilities, low-income students, and minority students; (g) a description of any steps which may be taken by the attendance center to educate parents as to how they can assist children at home in preparing their children to learn effectively; * (h) a description of the steps the attendance center will take to coordinate its efforts with, and to gain the participation and support of, community residents, business organizations, and other local institutions and individuals;

Crosswalk addresses the establishment of an advisory council to guide implementation of the school counseling program, fulfilling stakeholder collaboration requirements under the Illinois ESSA Plan.

Site provides information on the P-20 Council, established by the legislature in 2009 to foster collaboration among state agencies, education institutions, local schools, community groups, employers, taxpayers, and families, and to collectively identify needed reforms to develop a seamless and sustainable statewide system of quality education and support.