School Council: Goals and Responsibilities

It is important that your School Council establishes priorities and set goals, and sticks to them. Determining priorities will allow members to focus on areas of need within your school. Setting goals will give members a clear sense of what to do to address those needs. A comprehensive guide to goals, priorities, roles, and responsibilities as well as effective practices for school councils can be found in School Councils: A Guide for Members.

School Council Goals and Priorities

  • The purpose of a School Council is to advise the Principal regarding educational priorities and student achievement including areas of need. 
  • A priority of the Councils is to communicate and consult with parents about matters under consideration by the School Council and encourage participation of parents in the education system. Recommendations made to the Principal (and school board) should reflect the general consensus of the parent community and the well-being of all students.
  • Help the Principal and staff develop the School Improvement Plan (SIP). A comprehensive guide to school improvement planning from the Ministry can be found in School Improvement Planning: A Handbook for Principals, Teachers, and School Councils.
  • Foster mutual respect and collaboration amongst members including Parent Members and School Staff. 

School Council Responsibilities

  • Communicate and consult with parents regarding matters under consideration by the School Council.
  • A School Council must hold at least four (4) publicly accessible meetings per school year. The minutes of these meetings must be recorded and accessible.
  • School Councils have regular reporting duties including reports to the school board and reports to the parent community. To help you get organized please refer to our SC Monthly Checklist.
  • Develop and update the School Statement of Need (SSON) annually. In the event of an upcoming Principal vacancy the TDSB (your Superintendent) will use the SSON to help find a new Principal who best fits the school's needs. A guide to developing an SSON can be found here and a template for the SSON can be found here.
  • A School Council must produce an Annual Report of its activities that is distributed to all parents by the Principal. Templates for annual reports can be found in Section 10.1 of School Councils: A Guide for Members.
  • School Councils must keep records of all financial transactions (for 4 years), and complete the TDSB School Council Financial Plan, Semi-Annual Report, and annual PSAB paperwork. Financial reporting must be included in the Council's Annual Report.
  • School Council members must be given opportunities to become acquainted with their roles and responsibilities so that they are aware of the importance of the commitment they are making, understand their duties as council members, and become effective participants. Each member should be familiar with the following materials:

Principal's Roles and Responsibilities:

  • ​The Principal’s involvement and interaction with the school council are important for the council’s success. As a non-voting member of the school council and a leader of the school community, the principal can provide guidance and support to help the council achieve its goals and be an effective voice for parents.
  • Principals and school boards must consult with school councils on a variety of matters that affect student learning. They must also consider recommendations made by school councils and report back to the councils on how they plan to act on school council advice.
  • The Principal (or designated Vice Principal) must attend all school council meetings.
  • The Principal acts as a resource to the council on laws, regulations, and board policies.
  • The Principal may participate on any committees established by the school council.
  • The Principal must notify the school community of
    • dates, times, and locations of school council meetings, committee meetings, and school council elections.
    • the annual school council report, including a report of fund-raising activities and financial statements, if applicable. 
  • The Principal must ensure the school has a school council and support school council elections by:
    • working with the elections committee or the previous year's school council chair to schedule elections.
    • posting the date, time, and location of the school council elections for the parent community, at least fourteen days before the election date. 
    • posting the results of the school council election (the names of the members elected to the school council), no later than thirty days following the school council election. 
  • Ontario Regulations 613/00 and Regulation 298 (Operation of Schools, General) set out the duties of principals regarding school councils. 
  • The Principal does NOT run school council meetings or set meeting agendas, appoint council members, or spend or approve spending of school council funds without the approval of the voting members of school council.
  • The Principal must also help a school council:

School Committee Participation

The TDSB recommends or requires parent membership on a number of school committees.
  • Eco Schools (optional)
  • School Budget (recommended)