The legislation left it up to the State Board of Education (SBE) to develop spending regulations to guide districts through the process of creating a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). The Berryessa Union School District is sending out surveys and holding constituent meetings to gather input as we develop the LCAP for the 2014-15 school year. As the SBE develops the regulations, they are under lots of pressure to put restrictions on the ways districts can spend their money. This may end up taking much of the local control back from school boards.
Next week, SBE is holding a hearing to gather input on the spending regulations. Since I am unable to be in Sacramento on Thursday, I sent the following letter to SBE today in place of providing personal testimony.
January 9, 2014
President Michael Kirst and Members
California State Board of Education
1430 N. Steet, #5111
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: January Meeting Agenda Items 20 & 21: Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP)
Dear President Kirst and Members of the State Board of Education:
As a member of the Berryessa School Board, I am very excited about the promise of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The flexibility afforded districts to spend resources as they see fit allows local priorities to be met and makes the board more accountable to local stakeholders. Our district takes very seriously the requirements that LCFF planning needs requires a focus on equity and transparency. We held a discussion at our December Board meeting to discuss plans for developing a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) that meets the needs of our very diverse district.
The process is beginning right away, with meetings being held at school sites and with other stakeholder groups in the district, to make sure that the plan reflects the needs of our students and families. We will be surveying parents and members of the community and involving all constituents in the process.
One of the best parts of the spending regulations as proposed is that they allow districts to decide how best to serve their own students. Districts will be held accountable for results without being proscribed on how to spend added resources. In addition, LCFF allows for the development of both district- and school-wide programs and services. Both are important in promoting student achievement and success. There are many different educational models that can achieve good educational outcomes, and it should be left to local districts to decide the best way to allocate the money to achieve those outcomes.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to share my comments with you and for your thoughtful approach to developing the spending regulations that govern the implementation of LCFF.
Sincerely,
David Cohen
Trustee, Berryessa Union School District
California State Board of Education
1430 N. Steet, #5111
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: January Meeting Agenda Items 20 & 21: Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP)
Dear President Kirst and Members of the State Board of Education:
As a member of the Berryessa School Board, I am very excited about the promise of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The flexibility afforded districts to spend resources as they see fit allows local priorities to be met and makes the board more accountable to local stakeholders. Our district takes very seriously the requirements that LCFF planning needs requires a focus on equity and transparency. We held a discussion at our December Board meeting to discuss plans for developing a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) that meets the needs of our very diverse district.
The process is beginning right away, with meetings being held at school sites and with other stakeholder groups in the district, to make sure that the plan reflects the needs of our students and families. We will be surveying parents and members of the community and involving all constituents in the process.
One of the best parts of the spending regulations as proposed is that they allow districts to decide how best to serve their own students. Districts will be held accountable for results without being proscribed on how to spend added resources. In addition, LCFF allows for the development of both district- and school-wide programs and services. Both are important in promoting student achievement and success. There are many different educational models that can achieve good educational outcomes, and it should be left to local districts to decide the best way to allocate the money to achieve those outcomes.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to share my comments with you and for your thoughtful approach to developing the spending regulations that govern the implementation of LCFF.
Sincerely,
David Cohen
Trustee, Berryessa Union School District
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