Local School Improvement Council (LSIC)

Local School Improvement Councils (LSIC) are required per W.Va. Code § 18-5A-2. These councils exist at each public school in West Virginia. Membership of the LSIC is comprised of teachers, service personnel, bus drivers, parents, business and community representatives. An election occurs annually for membership. The LSIC is directly involved with the operation of the local school in many ways.

The LSIC reviews discipline data and procedures yearly and submits written recommendations to the local school board. They encourage involvement of the school community with the school operation through regular LSIC meetings and collaboration. They support local initiatives for school improvement by being directly involved with strategic planning and innovative ideas. A direct link with the local school board occurs through an annual meeting to engage all stakeholders in a positive and interactive dialogue regarding the school's academic performance and standing determined by the measures adopted by the WVBE. The dialogue shall include an opportunity for attendees to make specific suggestions on how to address issues which are seen to affect the school's academic performance which may include but are not limited to: parent and community involvement, the learning environment, student engagement, attendance, behaviors, supports for at-risk students, curricular offerings, resources, and the capacity for school improvement.

Sections on this page

• Tips For Effective Council Operation
• Parent and Community Leaders’ Roles in LSICs
• Guidance for LSICs Bylaws and Meeting Procedures
• Principal’s LSIC Toolkit
• Additional Resources

Tips For Effective Council Operation

Best Practices

• Participate and attend meetings regularly.
• Create a positive and productive agenda.
• Council members should have the opportunity to suggest agenda items at each meeting. The Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) Chair should clarify what is expected of the council foreach item on the meeting’s agenda.
• Keep detailed minutes of each council meeting and make them available to the public on the school’s website.
• Council members need background information concerning laws, policies, and regulations and access to the expertise and experience of central office personnel.
• Council members should recognize their responsibility to propose suggestions for improving the operation of the school.
• Councils should set both long-term and short-term goals, both of which are necessary to bring about substantial school improvement.
• Monitoring progress continuously is necessary for councils to evaluate their efforts and progress toward attainment of goals.

Meeting Participation

• Each council member is responsible for doing his/her part to make meetings productive.
• Between meetings, council members should study the issues and generate practical solutions to problems.
• During meetings, council members should represent their constituents, yet set aside self or constituent-group interests that interfere with council goals.
• Council members need to listen with open minds and make thoughtful, well-informed decisions.
• Attend to others while they are voicing their opinions, sampling interest, or exploring commitments to proposals. Avoid engaging in side conversations, using cell phones, or shuffling papers while someone is speaking. Nonverbal expressions can give away how you really feel abouta person or an idea. Encourage other members to participate and seek the viewpoints of others.
• All council members need to stick to the meeting agenda. Members should present their viewpoints briefly and allow the meeting to move from one agenda item to the next. Avoid discussing irrelevant issues. Setting time limits for the discussion of each item may be helpful.

Meeting Plans

• Agendas ‒ Most councils make written agendas available to council members and other attendees for each meeting.
• Minutes ‒ Minutes are taken at every meeting to serve as an official record of discussions and decisions. Minutes from previous meetings may be distributed to council members at or before the next meeting. All minutes shall be made available to the public on the school’s website and upon written request made to the school’s principal or council chair.
• Correspondence/Announcements ‒ Most councils place correspondence as an agenda item at the beginning of the meeting. Correspondence may include information such as announcements from the central office, reports from foundations, and requests for proposals.
• Reports ‒ Reports are a way to present information. A principal’s report offers information about school programs and activities. The LSIC shall ensure that a report of concerns, suggestions, and points raised is produced from the Stakeholder Meeting, made available on the school’s website, and forwarded to both the county board and the Office of Accountability at the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE). The county board shall also post the report on its website.
• Committees ‒ Committees are a means of getting work done efficiently. Committee members meet outside of regular council meeting times. They investigate issues, read research, compile their findings, and report recommendations at the regular council meeting. Committees may include members who are not on the council.
• Seating Patterns and Meeting Places ‒ Generally, council members sit together at tables that permit them to see and hear each other. Many councils arrange their seats so that audience members can see and hear them. The room should be comfortable and accommodate the size of the audience.
• Public Participation ‒ Most councils have an official place on the agenda to hear the concerns of the people and may invite presentations from non-members.

Problem-Solving Process

• Assess Improvement Needs ‒ This step focuses on gathering data to identify areas in need of improvement.
• Establish Priorities ‒ After needs assessment results have been analyzed and reported,the improvement team should set priorities by ranking needs according to what must be accomplished.
• Develop School Improvement Plans ‒ The team should write an improvement plan for each improvement goal or objective. The plan should specify activities and a timeline to accomplish each objective.
• Identify Resources and Support Needs ‒ To implement the improvement plans, support from within and outside the district may be needed.
• Create a Timeline for Improvement Efforts ‒ Timelines provide targets to achieve. However, realistic schedules must be established to avoid frustration and discouragement.
• Implement the Improvement Plan ‒ Preparing to implement improvement plans involves creating awareness, setting expectations, assigning roles and responsibilities, and making logistical arrangements.
• Monitor and Evaluate Progress ‒ This step determines if the plans implemented attained the improvement objectives. Evaluation requires careful collection of implementation data, clearly defined student outcome measures, and a willingness to impartially assess the success of the improvement plans.

For a printable version of this information, download the Tips for Effective Council Operation (PDF)

Parent and Community Leaders’ Roles in LSICs

Parents and community leaders are the voice of the community’s education stakeholders.

Local School Improvement Councils (LSICs) give parents the opportunity to be involved in their child’s educational process and work alongside the principal, teachers, service personnel, and community to improve student and school performance and progress.

LSICs give parents and community leaders the opportunity to be involved in the school’s vision for excellence and the school strategic improvement process.

Parents elect three fellow parents, guardians, or custodians of students enrolled at the school to serve as voting members of the LSIC for a two-year term.

The principal will appoint three at-large members of the community, one of whom resides in the school’s attendance area and at least one of whom represents business or industry, who will serve a
one-year term.

Voting members may be elected as the chair of the LSIC and/or two members to help set the agenda for each meeting. The chair will serve a one-year term. The chair is responsible for notifying each member in writing five business days in advance of any council meeting.

Voting members complete training in the role and governance of LSICs provided by the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE).

All parents, guardians, or custodians of students enrolled in the school and all community members may be non-voting members of the LSIC and attend all meetings.

Parents, guardians, custodians, and community members engage in an annual Stakeholder Meeting regarding the school’s academic performance. This is an opportunity for attendees to make specific suggestions on how to address issues which are seen to affect the school’s academic performance which may include but are not limited to: parent and community involvement, the learning environment, student engagement, attendance, behaviors, supports for at-risk students, curricular offerings, resources, and the capacity for school improvement.

For a printable version of this information, download the Parent and Community Leaders’ Roles in LSICs (PDF)

Guidance for LSICs Bylaws and Meeting Procedures

Per WVBE Policy 2322, Section 10.7e, each Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) may adopt a set of bylaws or meeting procedures that are consistent with state and local policy and W. Va. Code. These are individual to each LSIC and should be designed to support members in conducting effective meetings.

In developing bylaws or meeting procedures, members may consider using the suggested content:

• Statement of Purpose
• Election and Roles of Members and Chair
• Membership Responsibilities
  • Attendance
  • Productive Engagement
• Meeting Guidelines
  • Courtesies and Norms
  • Robert’s Rules of Order
  • Seating Patterns and Meeting Place
• Procedures for Goal Setting and Progress Monitoring
• Agendas
  • Creation
  • Publication and Distribution
• Minutes
  • Recording
  • Publication and Distribution
  • Supports Next Agenda
• Reports
  • Creation
  • Publication and Distribution
• Committees
  • Purpose
  • Membership
• Procedure for Amending Bylaws

For a printable version of this information, download the Guidance for LSICs Bylaws and Meeting Procedures (PDF).

Principal’s LSIC Toolkit

• Operating Procedures
• Agenda
• Minutes
• Election Guide
• Nomination Form
• Parent Ballot
• 2024-2025 LSIC Calendar
• Planning Your LSIC Organizational Meeting
• Stakeholder Meeting Report Template
• Guidance for Stakeholder Meeting Report

Submit the completed LSIC Annual Meeting Report to WVDE by using the LSIC Stakeholder Meeting Submission Form

Additional Resources

• WVBE Policy 2322
• Guidance for LSIC Training and Verification
• LSIC Booklet