The A+ Education Reform Act of 2000 established school councils in Georgia to “bring communities and schools closer together in a spirit of cooperation to achieve the following:

• solve difficult education problems
• improve academic achievement
• provide support for teachers and administrators
• bring parents into the school-based decision-making process

School councils provide advice, recommendations, and assistance to principals and local boards of education. The law details the composition of the council, its responsibilities, and procedures for conducting business.

The 2004 General Assembly in HB 1190 provided flexibility in membership, chairmanship, meetings, elections and trainings for school councils. The changes also provided clarity that school councils are to focus on student achievement and school improvement.

The 2007 General Assembly changed the composition of school councils, requiring that a majority of members be parents (or guardians) and that at least two parents be businesspersons. At a minimum, a School Council is composed of seven members, indcluding the following:

• The Principal
• Two certificated teachers elected by the teachers
• Four parents (or guardians) elected by the parents (please list as “Parent”); two of the parents must be businesspersons
• The school council may, within its bylaws, increase the number of members, as long as the parents remain the majority.

Future Meetings

The 2023-2024 GIVE Center East School Council meetings dates are as follows:

• September 15, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at GIVE Center East
• October 25, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom
• February 13, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom
• March 12, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom

Minutes from the meetings will be available in the front office within 20 days following the meeting. All parents are welcome to attend the monthly meetings.