Letter from Ed Voice Expresses Concerns Over School Districts Local Control Accountability Plans

The Office of Administrative Law will look into concerns that the State Board of Education acted beyond its statutory authority by giving individual districts flexibility without accountability in spending new Local Control Funding Formula money.

The "new" Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) legislation is designed to address funding inequities, and give school districts more flexibility in spending decisions. 

The new law changes the way the State funds school districts providing a universal base grant of $6,500 per student then giving those Districts with a higher population of disadvantaged students more funding.

Base Grant: $ 6,500 per student. 

Supplemental Grant: Additional funding based on the percentage of students in the District that are English Language Learners, receiving Free and Reduced Lunch, or are in Foster Care.

Concentration Grant: Additional money for Districts that have targeted students exceeding 55% of the student population. Targeted students are: English Language Learners, receiving Free and Reduced Lunch, or are in Foster Care.

On January 16, 2014 the State Board of Education determined that Districts can spend money that was suppose to be dedicated for disadvantaged children on districtwide needs that may also benefit more affluent children.

In a letter to the State Board of Education Bill Lucia, President of Ed Voice expressed concern that:

"An LEA could, for example, choose to use supplemental and  concentration grants to increase district wide salaries, not changing or improving services for underserved pupils at all. This would deny California's neediest children the promise of a more equitable opportunity and would simply make adult failure more expensive." 

The entire letter can be read at the following link: http://edvoice.org/sites/default/files/EdVoice%20State%20Board%20Letter%20-%20LCFF%20Regulations_011...

Under the new law, each District is required to adopt a LCAP- Local Control Accountability Plan. To comply with the spirit of the law, the plan must include all stake-holders. Parents, students and taxpayers are suppose to be included in decisions about how the District should spend its funds. 

Districts are currently working on their LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plans).

At the November 6th, 2013 Board of Trustees meeting, District staff presented CUSD's plan for adopting and up-dating the LCAP. According to the Districts plan, parent and taxpayer in-put will be limited to a written letter to the Superintendent, and the Superintendent will be required to respond to each letter in writing. 

In addition to what seems to be an intentional effort to exclude parants and the public from open communication with their elected representatives (Trustees), parents and taxpayers should be aware that the District has already received $8.24 million in "New" Local Control Funding Formula money; and without any public in-put, the District used $5.622 million of the new funds to restore salaries. This is an example of what the Local Control Accountability Plan is trying to prevent. The new law includes parents and the public in oder to prevent Districts from using money solely for increased salaries and benefits for Staff.

$5.622 million would have gone a long way towards restoring CUSD's school year to 180 days. 

See: http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/file/1343191429797/5667737573387975994.pdf  (See chart on page 3)