🗳️ School teams and committees
Places where families help make school decisions: shared decisionmaking teams, board committees, budget meetings, and family meetings required by law.
General information only. Goal100 is not connected to these groups. Names, dates, dues and officers change every school year. Always check the group's or district's official page. Everything here was checked on Nov 9, 2026.
Shared decisionmaking teams (8 NYCRR 100.11)
New York requires each school district board of education and each BOCES to have a plan for parents and teachers to take part in school-based planning and shared decisionmaking. The plan is made with a committee that includes the superintendent, administrators, teachers chosen by the teachers' union, and parents chosen by school-related parent organizations. The board may also include students, support staff and community members. The board reviews the plan every two years (biennially).
Districts use names like site-based team, SBM or SBMT (school-based management team). Commack's PTA council posts an "SBMT Packet for Units."
How to take part: ask your school's parent group how parents are chosen for the team. Ask the district office for its shared decisionmaking plan.
Board of Education committees and advisory groups
Many boards have committees that study one topic and report back. Some invite community members.
Deer Park example: four Board committees: Facilities & Grounds, Wellness, Cultural Belonging & Respect, and Technology. The Wellness committee "consists of teachers, administrators, safety professionals and community members," and the Cultural Belonging & Respect committee includes "members of the greater Deer Park community." The Committees page has a sign-up form. Tentative 2026-27 dates: Mondays Oct 5, Nov 9, Jan 4, Feb 8 and Tuesdays Oct 6, Nov 10, Jan 5, Feb 9.
Budget advisory and budget meetings
School budgets are discussed at public board meetings before the yearly budget vote. Deer Park's budget page says proposed budgets are analyzed line by line by the Board and discussed at public meetings. Some districts also form a citizens' budget advisory committee; ask your district if it has one and how members are picked.
Title I family engagement (ESSA §1116)
- A district with a Title I, Part A allocation over $500,000 must reserve at least 1% for parent and family engagement, and send at least 90% of that to its Title I schools.
- Parents help decide how that money is used.
- Each Title I school holds an annual meeting for parents at a convenient time.
- Each Title I school has a school-parent compact: what families, staff and students will each do.
- A district may set up a district-wide parent advisory council.
Families of English language learners (8 NYCRR 154-2.3)
New York districts must meet individually with the parents of each English language learner at least once a year, in addition to parent-teacher conferences and other regular meetings. The meeting covers the program's goals, the child's language development progress, English proficiency test results and language needs in all subjects, and it must have a qualified interpreter or translator in the language the parent understands best (8 NYCRR 154-2.3(f)(5)).
How to speak at a board meeting
- Find the meeting calendar and agenda on the district website.
- Check the board's public comment rules (sign-in, time limit).
- Keep it short: who you are, one point, one ask.
- Send a short written note to the district clerk if the board asks.
Sources
- 8 NYCRR 100.11 (school-based planning and shared decisionmaking), Justia copy · checked Nov 9, 2026
- Commack UFSD: PTA Council · checked Nov 9, 2026
- Deer Park UFSD: Committees · checked Nov 9, 2026
- Deer Park UFSD: Budget/Election & Term and Voter Info · checked Nov 9, 2026
- U.S. Department of Education: Parent and Family Engagement guidance (Jan 2025, PDF) · checked Nov 9, 2026
- NYSED: School-Parent Compact template (PDF) · checked Nov 9, 2026
- 8 NYCRR 154-2.3, Cornell LII copy · checked Nov 9, 2026