What is Campus Governance?
Did you know that more than half of all schools in New York City share campuses with other schools and programs? These schools need structures and guidance to use their shared campus effectively. The Office of Campus Governance (OCG) supports the management of the more than 700 co-located school buildings across the City of New York. The OCG works directly with building councils to establish safe, productive learning environments for students. Campus governance is the name for the rules and methods these campuses rely on to work together.
Effective Governing
Characteristics of strong leadership include:
- Shared vision and goals
- Consensus decision-making
- Collaborative partnerships
- Coordinated financial and space-planning decisions
- Flexible & creative usage of shared spaces
Building Councils
Chancellor’s Regulation A-190 establishes Building Councils in all public school buildings that house two or more co-located schools. The Building Council is an administrative body composed of NYCPS principals, District 75 leaders, and charter school leaders, working together as equal partners. Its purpose is to support democratic decision-making on issues that affect all schools within the building, including facilities, space allocation, scheduling, and safety. Each council operates under a set of guiding premises developed collaboratively by its members.
All Building Councils are required to have 12 Building Council meetings between August and July of the following year. They are required to upload minutes from these meetings into the Principal Annual Space Survey (PASS system). Additionally, all principals on a single campus complete the Annual Facilities Survey together.
In the event that a Building Council cannot reach resolution on an issue, the dispute resolution procedures set forth in the Campus Policy Memo and Procedures(Open external link) shall be applicable.
Co-location Handbook
Sharing space has become common in New York City Public Schools and is aligned to the NYCPS’s mission to build a system of excellent schools based on research that shows that strong schools and strong communities will lift up the entire system to support all students. NYCPS is committed to working collaboratively with parents, educators, school communities, and external stakeholders to improve academic outcomes and ensure that students graduate from high school prepared for college and/or a career and a future as a productive, critically thinking adult.
Read the Co-location Handbook (Open external link) to learn more about the policies and practices that support school communities.
Co-Location Teams
Building Response Team (BRT) - is a school-based team that is activated to manage health and safety incidents or emergencies. In a campus setting, each school must have one representative on the BRT appointed by the Principal(s). The BRT will consist of five core members plus the BRT Leader
School Leadership Teams (SLT) - parents, teachers, and principals help to evaluate a school’s educational programs. In campuses with multiple schools, these teams should meet at least twice a year. Chancellor’s Regulation A-655 describes how School Leadership Teams should work.
Shared Space Committee (SSC) - All campuses that include charter schools must have a Shared Space Committee (SSC). On a Shared Space Committee (SSC), parents, teachers, and principals review the building utilization plan. This is the document that defines co-located space and how it should be used. Chancellor’s Regulation A-190 describes how Shared Space Committees should work. Four SSC meetings must be held each year. After each meeting. The committee must upload meeting minutes to the Principal Annual Space Survey (PASS) system.
If you have questions about campus governance, please email campus@schools.nyc.gov.