Accountability

Colorado law requires every public school to have an accountability committee, in statute these committees are referred to as School Advisory Councils (SACs). Most everyone still refers to these committees as "accountability committees" however, because the new term hasn't really caught on.

The accountability law was created long before charter schools came around. I say that charter schools are the legislative intent of an accountability committee: meaningful parent involvement. I've been to several accountability committees at neighborhood, district-operated schools and think they're a complete waste of time. Either there is an illusion of involving parents or else it's simply a venue to communicate information about the school. Either way, parents really have no say in their neighborhood school. In fact, sometimes principals use the accountability committee as a place to express all the excuses for why the school is or isn't doing something.

I live in a school district that shuns meaningful parental involvement. In fact, on more than one occasion I've been told as much by either a principal or district administrator. They feel threatened by parents. Especially parents that disagree or ask questions.

What's so threatening about a parent wanting to be involved in his or her child's education? I don't believe that, as a parent, I drop my child off at school and then don't have any further responsibility for his/her education. Why should the neighborhood school believe that? Some schools believe parents should be relegated to candy sales or a book drive. For some parents, this is OK. Others often seek out charter schools where meaningful parent involvement is required!