Local School Council
Responsibilities of the Local School Council
By law, Local School Councils (LSCs) play a role in decision-making at the local school level. The Local School Council is elected to represent parents, students, teachers, staff and community members by:
- Approving school fund and resource allocation.
- Developing and monitoring the annual Continuous Improvement Work Plan (CIWP).
- Selecting and evaluating performance of the school's principal.
You can learn more about the history and purpose of the Local School Council by visiting the Chicago Public Schools LSC page. The Office of Local School Council Relations can be reached by phone on (773) 553-1400.
Qualifications of the Local School Council
Your Local School Council members must meet certain eligibility requirements and maintain their status as teachers, parents, community members, or non-teaching staff members throughout their tenure on the Council. Local School Council members complete eligibility forms, are fingerprinted, and registered with the Board of Education. Further, LSC members must complete a series of nine courses which comprise specialized training in budgets, work plan development, evaluation and more. For access to available training schedules you may visit http://cps.edu/pages/localschoolcouncils.aspx.
Your Role as a member of the Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center community
Because the Local School Council is a representative body, it is important that you communicate with your LSC members regarding any concerns or questions about school funding, resource allocation, the Continuous Improvement Work Plan, and the performance of the school's administrators.
You may connect with the Local School Council by:
- attending meetings and providing public comment
- contacting one or more members of the LSC with your concerns
- participating in LSC committees or events
- email the LSC Chair
Please note that during the public comment session of a regular LSC meeting, members of the public are permitted to speak directly to the LSC. However, unless the item of concern is on the LSC agenda, the LSC may not immediately address questions or issues until such time as it has had the opportunity to review and put the item on a meeting agenda. The LSC seeks and values public comment in order to inform its guidance on the important issues our school faces. To have an item placed on a regular meeting agenda you may contact the LSC Chair with a minimum 72 hours notice and every effort to accommodate the request will be made. If a requested item does not fall within the purview of the LSC, your inquiry will be directed to the appropriate member of the administration for further attention.
Your LSC is glad for the opportunity to represent you and looks forward to an outstanding school year!