Contract 2023 FAQ: School-based options

Are we able to create our own SBO or are we limited to pre-approved SBOs?

Yes, you can create SBOs for compensatory time positions, schedule/program changes, modifications to parent-teacher conference dates, professional activity periods and creating an early dismissal day for students in multi-session schools. For session time workday modifications using the pre-approved pilot workday SBO proposals (workday and faculty/grade conferences), the pre-approved ballot templates have been created for you. See sample SBO ballots. 

Do we use Election Buddy for SBO votes?

Yes, SBO votes must be conducted using Election Buddy. Any other format is not valid and is considered a survey.

Can we still do SBOs to create comp time positions?

Yes, you can.

If you pass a pre-approved session-time SBO, will there still be four parent-teacher conferences?

Yes, for all but one pre-approved session-time SBOs for single-session schools, there are four parent-teacher conferences. The exception is the SBO to convert to a 6-hour and 45-minute day, Monday through Friday. That pre-approved SBO does not include the September and May evening conferences. Schools that pass that SBO have faculty and grade conferences instead.

Are schools still allowed to pass SBOs to move the schedule for OPW?

Yes, there are pre-approved SBOs that allow OPW to be changed to a Wednesday afternoon. There is another pre-approved SBO that enables schools to move OPW time from Tuesday afternoons to another weekday afternoon or a weekday morning.

Can we continue with one of the pre-approved SBOs that we had in place this school year?

Many pre-approved SBOs from previous years are no longer available. Please review the new list of pre-approved SBOs for your current pre-approved options.

Are PROSE schools limited to the pre-approved SBO options?

No, PROSE schools can use other models.

By when did we have to conduct our school chapter vote on SBOs concerning session time? What was the last day to conduct other SBO votes this school year?

The DOE extended the session time deadline to the close of business on June 26, 2023. The last day to conduct an SBO vote not related to session time was Tuesday, June 27, 2023.