TRANSITION YEAR BASICS

2013-2014

October 17, 2013

Brandon Greene & Rigel S. Massaro

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Local Implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula

Copyright 2013, Public Advocates Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contact lguillen@publicadvocates.org for permission prior to use.

Today’s Goals 2

Learn about LCFF implementation at district/ county level: balancing flexibility & equity Increased funding for high needs students

Increased local decision making

Broader definition of school success

Greater role for parents, students, and community

Learn about LCFF decision making at the state level …also balancing flexibility & equity!

Develop talking points for upcoming School Success Express stops statewide

Governor Brown’s Six Principles of LCFF 3

Equity: More money to high needs students

Simplicity: Easy to understand

Funding increases for K-12: Approx. 18 billion over implementation of the formula

Phased in: 2013-14 to 2021-22 (8 years)

Maximum Flexibility: Local communities decide how best to spend resources

District Accountability: Academic/Fiscal Outcomes – “subsidiarity”

Governor’s Budget Summary – 2013-14

Equity principles must drive the use of LCFF funds and limit flexibility.

“Equal treatment for children in unequal situations is not justice.”

Governor Brown

State of the State speech, January 2013

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Major Shifts Made by LCFF 5

No more revenue limits. Before LCFF, Each district had its own unique revenue limit, or source of unrestricted funds, based on historical spending. Revenue limits supported the general costs of school operation.

This method of funding was incredibly complex, and led to great inequities state-wide.

Now, every student receives the same base grant.

$ $

Major Shifts: Most categoricals eliminated 6

Then: The State

Superintendents & Principals

Now: Weighted student funding for districts to spend as they see fit. Some categoricals remain, however, and LCFF does outline constraints on this flexibility.

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Weighted Student Funding

Base Grant

K-3: $6,845

4-6: $6,947

7 & 8: $7,154

9-12: $ 8,289

Supplemental Grant

20% of Base Grant

For each high needs student

Concentration Grant*

50% of Base Grant

Instead of revenue limits and more than 50 categoricals, we now have a simple formula that gives districts local control.

* Districts receive an additional 50% for each high needs student they serve over the 55% threshold.

• “high needs” students: English learners, low-income students, foster youth

• Key term: “unduplicated pupil”

Equity principles must drive expenditures and therefore limit flexibility.

The plain language of the LCFF law requires a school district, county office of education, or charter school to increase or improve services for disadvantaged students in proportion to the increase in funds they generate in the school district, county office of education, or charter school.

This is a constraint on flexibility.

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Funding in Your District 9

Unfortunately, CDE has not reported districts’ LCFF numbers. This data will be available by July 2014.

Districts are also unclear about how to specifically spend LCFF funds because they are waiting for the State Board of Education to adopt spending regulations by January 31, 2014.

Have you asked:

Whether your district has revised its 2013-2014 budget?

What is the projected difference LCFF is making in your district?

How will your district involve community in the budget process?

Local Control and Accountability Plans

LCAPs are 3 year district plans to ensure spending aligns with a broader definition of school success, otherwise known as the LCFF “State Priorities”

LCAPs include fiscal reporting and data reporting consistent with the School Accountability Report Card

The State Board will adopt an LCAP template by March 31, 2014

Districts must adopt their first LCAP by July 1, 2014

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LCAP’s must include “State Priorities” 11

Broader definition of school success. Success = locally determined priorities, PLUS:

1. Basic educational necessities (Williams standards): prepared teachers, access to standards-aligned materials, and facilities in good repair.

2. Implementation of state standards, particularly the Common Core State Standards, and including standards for English learners.

3. Parental involvement including efforts districts will make to seek all parents’ input in making decisions for individual schools and the district as a whole.

State Priorities, Cont’d 12

4. Student achievement measured by API, statewide assessments, % of students completed A-G req’ts or CTE, % reclassified ELs, and more.

5. Pupil engagement measured by attendance, absenteeism, dropout and graduation rates.

6. School climate, as measured by suspension/ expulsion rates and “other local measures, including surveys of pupils, parents, and teachers on the sense of safety and school connectedness”

7. Access to and enrollment in a “broad course of study” including programs/services for unduplicated pupils.

8. Pupil outcomes in all subjects.

LCAP priorities also focus on equitable access to opportunities to learn.

Annual goals for all state priorities must address:

All students, as well as

low-income, English learners and foster youth specifically, both

for the district, and

for each school.

Specific actions by the school district to achieve the annual goals

LCAP is another constraint on flexibility.

California Education Code Section 52060(c)(1)-(2)

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Survey 14

Do any of these priorities align with your organization’s current campaigns/ initiatives?

Basic educational necessities

State standards

Parental involvement

Student achievement

Pupil engagement

School climate

Broad course of study

Pupil outcomes

LCFF/LCAP provides an opportunity for a strong vision for Community Involvement.

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Students, families, and communities are supported as they share responsibility for every student becoming college and career ready.

Participation in learning, leadership, and advocacy is expanded so that high levels of academic achievement are achieved for individual students and the entire school.

Community involvement essential to ensure flexibility works.

HOW:

1. Building capacity of all stakeholders

2. Setting standards and goals for meaningful engagement

3. Through community organizing

4. Don’t wait for the LCAP templates!

LCFF Community Involvement Requirements

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District level committees: Parent Advisory Committee English Learner Advisory Committee

LCFF does not eliminate School Site Councils or

English Learner Advisory Committees

LCAP’s must be consistent with School Site Council plans “Single Plan for Student Achievement”

Community Voice in LCAP, cont’d

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Written comments from community

Public hearing and meeting for LCAP

Publish LCAP online

File complaints

LCFF Implementation Timeline 18

2013-2014: Districts get $ without rules about how to spend it.

Summer/Fall 2013: Regional Input Sessions & School Success Express to inform regulations & LCAP template

January 31st: State Board will adopt spending regulations

Draft regs will be introduced in Nov. 6-7 meeting

March 31st: State Board to approve Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) template

July 1, 2014: Districts adopt LCAPs and submit to County Offices of Education for Approval

School Success Express 19

Open forum for parent and student input

Schedule: (last updated Oct. 17, 2013)

Past: South Kern, Eastern Coachella Valley, South Sacramento

Oct. 22 Richmond

Oct. 24 Southwest Merced/East Merced County

Oct. 28 Los Angeles

Oct. 29 Central Santa Ana

Oct. 30 East Oakland

Nov. 4 East Salinas (Alisal)

Nov. 7 Fresno

Nov. 9 City Heights (San Diego)

Nov. 13 Del Norte & Adjacent Tribal Lands

Talking Points for School Success Express 20

$ goes to high-needs students

$ to follow students to their school site

School Site Councils to have role in decision making

Broader definition of school success

Mention state priorities most important to you and your community, with specific ideas of how to achieve them, if possible

Local control to include parents and students

Training for parents and students

Integrate into preexisting structures (SSC, student governance bodies, ELAC’s)

Resources 21

Public Advocates: http://www.publicadvocates.org/local-control-funding-formula

CQE: http://www.campaign4qualed.org/

School Success Express: http://tcenews.calendow.org/releases/all-aboard-the-school-success-express

LCFF Channel: http://lcff.wested.org/

CDE on LCFF: http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/lc/

State Board of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/

EdSource Today: http://www.edsource.org/today/

Questions? 22

About funding?

About state priorities?

About local decision making?

TCE’s School Success Express?

About CQE’s work around LCFF?

THANK YOU! 23

Please don’t hesitate to contact Public Advocates.

We aim to Make Rights Real!

and

Rigel S. Massaro Policy & Legal Advocate Public Advocates rmassaro@publicadvocates.org (415) 625-8461

Copyright 2013, Public Advocates Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contact lguillen@publicadvocates.org for permission prior to use.

Brandon Greene Legal Fellow Public Advocates bgreene@publicadvocates.org (415) 625-8467