Major Legislative Attack to Derail SBDM in 2026

SB 152 was filed to drastically diminish school council authority. This bill makes school councils merely “advisory” and removes the school council’s ability to create school-based policy. Instead, all school-based policies will be established by the principal with the “advisory council” merely consulting on the policy. Additionally, all school-based policies must be approved by the local school board prior to implementation and can be repealed by the principal or the school board at any time.
  
SB 152 will remove the local teacher and parent voices from a school and replace with decisions by the principal, superintendent and school board. Schools are unique and show different strengths and specific challenges; the SBDM process allows school-level decisions to be made by all the people who know the students best---the teachers, principal, parents and students. There is ample evidence that in the past 35 years, since we have instituted SBDM, our student achievement has greatly improved. Our SBDM system is working, and it will not benefit our schools to revert to a system where school decisions are politicized and made from the top down. 

SB 152 provides that school-based policies can be disapproved by the local board for any reason; thus, school boards will dictate what policies govern individual schools and second guess school councils. SBDM has been successful because it recognizes that all schools and students are not the same, and that one-size-fits-all bureaucratic processes do not lead to higher levels of student achievement.  School-based policies are already reviewed for legality, health, and safety, which is an appropriate and legitimate safeguard. However, SB 152 goes the extra step and gives the local board absolute control and discretion of any policy decision made by the local school.   

ACTION NEEDED on SB 152
 
1) Call the LRC Message Line and say you would like to leave a message for every member of the Senate. The Message Line can be reached at (800) 372-7181 between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday EST 
Some options for messages include:
 
•    SB 152 will hurt schools and students. Say “no” to SB 152
•    I oppose SB 152, because it removes the voice of parents in school decisions.
•    SBDM councils and the constituents who serve on them deserve respect. Stop SB 152.
•    I’m against SB 152. School councils give everyone a voice.
•    Stop SB 152. There is no evidence to support giving more authority to the school district. Over the past 35 years, with SBDM councils, our student achievement has greatly improved.
 
2) Contact Senate Education Committee Members through email and social media.