(5) As part of setting local goals, school districts shall undertake a communications process that involves parents, students, teachers, school employees and community representatives to explain and discuss the local goals and their relationship to programs in the continuous improvement plan.

(1) (a) The Department of Education shall require school districts and schools to conduct self-evaluations and to periodically update their local district continuous improvement plans. Except as provided by paragraph (b)(C) of this subsection, the department may not require school districts or schools to conduct self-evaluations or to update their local district continuous improvement plans more frequently than biennially.

(b) The department may require a school district to:

• (A) File, periodically, or at the department’s request, its local district continuous improvement plan with the department;
• (B) Notify the department of any substantial changes, as defined by rule of the State Board of Education, to the school district; or
• (C) Update its local district continuous improvement plan when there has been a substantial change, as defined by rule of the board, to the school district.

(c) The self-evaluation process conducted as provided by this subsection shall involve the public in the setting of local goals. The school districts shall ensure that representatives from the demographic groups of their school population are invited to participate in the development of local district continuous improvement plans to achieve the goals.

(1) Nothing in this section shall interfere with the duties, responsibilities and rights of duly elected school district boards. There shall be established at each school a 21st Century Schools Council. The duties of a 21st Century Schools Council shall include but not be limited to:

• (a) The development of plans to improve the professional growth of the school’s staff;
• (b) The improvement of the school’s instructional program;
• (c) The development and coordination of plans for the implementation of programs under this chapter at the school; and
• (d) The administration of grants-in-aid for the professional development of teachers and classified district employees.

(2) A 21st Century Schools Council shall be composed of teachers, parents, classified employees and principals or the principal’s designee, as follows:

• (a) Not more than half of the members shall be teachers;
• (b) Not more than half of the members shall be parents of students attending that school;
• (c) At least one member shall be a classified employee; and
• (d) One member shall be the principal of the building or the principal’s designee.

(3) In addition, other members may be as the school district shall designate, including but not limited to business leaders, students and members of the community at large.