All About School Improvement Councils

Key Points

• The School Improvement Council (SIC) serves as an advisory committee to a school's principal and faculty.
• Unlike PTA/Os and other voluntary school organizations, councils are mandated by law to exist in every public school in South Carolina.
• SICs play a key role in the education of our state's children, bringing together parents, educators and community stakeholders to work collectively to improve their local schools.
• More than 16,000 people serve on SICs in South Carolina.

Key Functions

• SICs work with the school to develop and implement a five-year school improvement plan (school renewal plan).
• SICs monitor and evaluate success in reaching the plan's goals and objectives.
• SICs write an annual report to parents about the progress of the plan.
• SICs assist the principal in writing the narrative for the School Report Card.
• SICs advise on the use of school incentive awards and provide assistance as requested by the principal.

• SIC elections, by SC state law, must be held by October 15.
• SIC membership, by SC state law, must be reported to the SC-SIC Member Network by November 15.
• The Report to the Parents, by SC state law, is due to be distributed to the community by April 30.

School Improvement Councils do not have any of the powers and duties reserved by the local school board.