HOW CALIFORNIA DISTRICTS ARE MAXIMIZING THEIR LOCAL CONTROL AND ACCOUNTABILITY PLANS TO MEET THE EDUCATIONAL DEMANDS OF THEIR TARGETED STUDENTS
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2017-12
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Abstract
In 2013, Governor Jerry Brown and the State Board of Education signed into law the
Local Control Funding Formula in a bold attempt to provide equitable educational opportunities for all. This study sought to analyze the effects of districts’ LCAPs to determine what staffing changes have been made at the district level, which programs and services have helped to close the achievement gap, and which methods of stakeholder engagement have supported continuous student improvement.
The author of this study invited 197 randomly selected district superintendents throughout California to participate in an electronic survey. Thirty-four participants provided answers to questions about staffing and district office responsibilities pertaining to the development of the district’s LCAP. Additionally, questions were posed around stakeholder engagement opportunities and program models that have been implemented. Five personal interviews were conducted with superintendents from various regions in California for a more indepth look at LCAP implementation. The LCAPs of the five districts were also reviewed. Overall findings indicate that not all districts have hired personnel to support LCAP development. Moreover, all of the survey respondents and superintendents interviewed use a combination of surveys and meetings to gather stakeholder input. Larger districts provided more opportunities for stakeholder engagement than their smaller counterparts. There has been some success in improved stakeholder engagement through electronic surveys that are delivered directly to personal cell phones. Finally, it is too early to tell which programs or services are proven to be the most effective in meeting the academic needs of California’s targeted students.
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Keywords
Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), school finance, continuous improvement, school reform