Alternative Model Applications

Pursuant to 701 KAR 5:100, school councils can add additional voting members, such as students and classified staff, to their membership through an alternative SBDM application. Schools interested in adding voting student members are encouraged to consult their local board attorney prior to doing so.

Beginning Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, a school may submit an application for an alternative model for its school-based decision making council. An application is not required for schools that wish to add non-voting members or changes that maintain the parent, teacher and administrator voting membership ratio as established in KRS 160.345.

The application and KDE guidance can be found at the bottom of the SBDM Technical Documents webpage.

During Phase Three of the comprehensive improvement planning process, schools are required to complete and submit the comprehensive school improvement plan (CSIP) in the Cognia Continuous Improvement Platform (CIP).  

A CSIP is a plan developed by the school council with the input of parents, faculty and staff based on a review of relevant data that includes targets, strategies, activities, a time schedule to support student achievement and student growth, and to eliminate achievement gaps among groups of students. The template has been updated and through this link you can download the new CSIP template. 

Phase Three diagnostics encourage thoughtful reflection focused on priority needs, funding and closing achievement gaps between identified subgroups of students. Schools must address critical needs specified in the Needs Assessment and align strategies and activities to those needs. The deadline for submitting the diagnostic is Jan. 1. 

This year’s updates to the goal building template provide streamlined goal requirements and give the opportunity for optional goals. The required goal areas on the CSIP goal building template are state assessment results in reading and mathematics and achievement gap. The optional goal areas include state assessment results in science, social studies and writing, English learner progress, quality of school climate and safety, postsecondary readiness and graduation rate.

You can find information on the different components of the CSIP within the Continuous Improvement Planning webinar.

SBDM Implications for Schools Identified for Comprehensive and Targeted Support 

While SBDM councils will continue to operate in schools that are identified for targeted support and improvement (TSI), including additional targeted support and improvement (ATSI), school council authority in schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement (CSI) are suspended and transferred to the superintendent following the delivery of the Diagnostic Review Report. The SBDM Implications for CSI and TSI document provides some additional information for consideration for identified schools and their councils. 

Monthly webinars occur on the second Tuesday of the month, with the next webinar scheduled for Dec. 9 at 10 a.m. ET. A link to join will be emailed out closer to the webinar date.

SBDM coordinators are encouraged to reserve the second Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m. ET. SBDM coordinators are encouraged to attend at least eight webinars a year.