Category Archives: Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)

Brown projects big increase in school spending in next state budget | EdSource Today

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By John Fensterwald and Kathryn Baron

With state revenues surging, Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing to raise K-12 spending in next year’s state budget a healthy $725 per student – 8.5 percent on average – and to use additional new dollars to wipe the last $6 billion of late payment to schools, known as deferrals, off the books.

Brown will highlight increases for education when he releases the 2014-15 budget this morning. Leaks of the document to the news media on Wednesday pushed up the scheduled release a day. (See here and here for reports on the overall General Fund budget.)

Proposition 98 spending in 2014-15 would be $14.3 billion or 30 percent more than three years ago but less than 9 percent above the pre-recession level of $56.6 billion. Source: Governor’s Budget Summary for 2014-15.

via Brown projects big increase in school spending in next state budget | EdSource Today.

Sacramento’s schizophrenic love affair with Career Technical Education | EdSource Today

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By Fred Jones

Californians have never seen more systemic reforms of how schools are financed, assessed and held accountable than in the three years since Governor Brown took office. The State Board of Education, the State Department of Education and the Community College Chancellor’s Office officials are scrambling to implement these sweeping statutory and budgetary changes, with anxious districts and stakeholder groups gearing up to meet the new challenges and opportunities.

Despite all of the hoopla surrounding these dramatic changes, one thing remains constant: Sacramento’s schizophrenic love affair with Career Technical Education.

On the one hand, nearly every elected official in Sacramento has publicly declared their deep and abiding love for CTE. Some have even hailed it as a silver bullet for broader concerns of dropouts and social injustices.

via Sacramento’s schizophrenic love affair with Career Technical Education | EdSource Today.

Vaca school board returns after holidays – Daily Republic

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By Mike Corpos

In its first meeting of the new year, the Vacaville School Board is set to take up a pair of measures dealing with the Local Control Funding Formula and Common Core State Standards.

The meeting is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Educational Services Center, 401 Nut Tree Road.

First up is an agreement with Roebbelen Contractors for computer facility upgrades related to the implementation of the new Local Control Funding Formula.

via Vaca school board returns after holidays Daily Republic.

Some sober words for school boards amid predictions of plenty | EdSource Today

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By John Fensterwald

For the first time since the Great Recession, school districts are getting more money this year from the state; some – big beneficiaries of the new Local Control Funding Formula – are getting a lot. And that increase is expected to be larger next year, in one-time and ongoing money, if the Legislative Analyst’s predictions for a rebounding economy are on target.

School finance experts John Gray and Joel Montero, however, injected a cautionary note during a presentation Friday at the California School Boards Association’s annual convention in San Diego.

via Some sober words for school boards amid predictions of plenty | EdSource Today.

Parents push for more prominent place at the school budget table | EdSource Today

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By Jane Meredith Adams

Four months into the rollout of the new state education funding law, parent leaders across California are trying to ensure that “local control” over school spending truly includes parents.

The law, known as the Local Control Funding Formula, is a landmark shift that gives school districts more control over spending decisions that had previously been mandated by the state, and outlines eight key priorities that districts must consider when allocating their resources. One of those new priorities is parent involvement, and implementation of the law begins with the requirement that districts engage parents in crafting budgets.

via Parents push for more prominent place at the school budget table | EdSource Today.

New funding system requires education leaders to shift their thinking | EdSource Today

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By Ron Bennett

Much attention has been paid to the calculation of revenues and redistribution of funding that occurs as a result of California’s new Local Control Funding Formula. We see the dust settling on that issue and the calculations becoming more routine as they become better understood. But we see a lag in the adoption of new thinking that must accompany implementation of the new formula. Below are just a few of the many areas where we think a refocused approach will be necessary.

via New funding system requires education leaders to shift their thinking | EdSource Today.

Vacaville school board gets staffing, facilities updates – Daily Republic

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By Mike Corpos

Local school officials are beginning an analysis designed to provide smaller class sizes in early grades within the next seven years.

Vacaville school board members received updates Thursday on personnel levels and facilities, both aimed at steering eventual decisions on implementation of new state funding requirements.

via Vacaville school board gets staffing, facilities updates Daily Republic.

New funding formula revives push for smaller class sizes | EdSource Today

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By Lillian Mongeau

Just weeks into the school year, some districts are struggling with a provision in California’s dramatic revision of its school financing system that calls for smaller class sizes in grades K-3.

The new funding formula, signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in July, gives school districts additional funds if they can keep the average class size for kindergarten though 3rd grade to 24 at all of their schools, or work toward achieving that goal. At full funding under the new formula in 2021, districts that meet the target will receive $712, on top of the K-3 per-student base rate of $6,845. (These figures do not account for cost-of-living increases that will be factored annually into the new formula.)

via New funding formula revives push for smaller class sizes | EdSource Today.

Vacaville school board gets update on funding, class size reduction – Daily Republic

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By Mike Corpos

The state’s new method of paying for public education will likely see schools in Vacaville add close to two dozen new teachers in coming years to keep class sizes small in primary grades.

That method, called Local Control Funding Formula, requires reduced class sizes, among other things, to ensure a district receives maximum funding.

via Vacaville school board gets update on funding, class size reduction Daily Republic.

School district board to mull staff budget recommendations – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

Where to divvy up some money will be one of the topics discussed Thursday at the Fairfield-Suisun School District’s governing board meeting.

The district in August identified budget priorities for the 2013-14 additional money provided under the state’s new funding formula, now designated as the Local Control Funding Formula. One of the recommendations was to beef up the reserves over the next four years to total an additional $2.2 million. Funding for the increase would come from the unappropriated ending fund balance at the end of each fiscal year.

via School district board to mull staff budget recommendations Daily Republic.

Fairfield-Suisun school board sets budget priorities – Daily Republic

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By Mike Corpos

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield-Suisun school board agreed on four main budget priorities Thursday for the 2013-14 school year, with a boost in employee compensation topping the list.

The decisions came after an extensive discussion during a budget workshop.

As each board member listed his or her priorities. Four topics rose to the top of the list. The board handed them off to the district administration to research and come back with dollar figures attached.

via Fairfield-Suisun school board sets budget priorities Daily Republic.

Schools rising from budget depths | EdSource Today

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By John Fensterwald

With the passage of Proposition 30 and implementation of a new funding system channeling more money to most districts this fall, the 2012-13 school year will be the base for measuring how well schools recover from the Great Recession. Yet as EdSource documents in a report issued Thursday, there will be a steep climb out of the trough.

In “Recovering from the Recession: Pressures Ease on California’s Largest Districts, but Stresses Remain,” EdSource found signs that budgets were stabilizing and districts were regaining some ground after five years of damaging budget cuts. But there were also areas of further concern, such as a decline in the number of counselors in schools and a rise in rates of childhood poverty – evidence that districts continued to struggle, as measured by some key indices.

via Schools rising from budget depths, EdSource report finds | EdSource Today.

Welcome back to school! A message from Jay Speck – SCOE | Facebook

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Welcome back to school! A message from Jay Speck, Solano County Superintendent of Schools: As we enter a new school year, I feel invigorated by the positive atmosphere of change that permeates the California public education system during this historic time. The major components of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) were adopted by the Legislature and the Governor in the final days of June.

via Welcome back to school! A message from… – Solano County Office of Education | Facebook.

State Board must find balance between rules and flexibiltiy | EdSource Today

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By John Fensterwald

There was an abundance of thoughtful advice Monday at a public hearing in Sacramento on the state’s new school funding and accountability system. But that good advice also was rife with conflicting views, underscoring the challenge the State Board of Education will face in writing rules for the Local Control Funding Formula that took effect in June.

via State Board must find balance between rules and flexibiltiy | EdSource Today.

FSUSD sees more money from state – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

FAIRFIELD — Suisun City and Fairfield schools stand to benefit from an infusion of state money that helps close a persistent budget gap but will not immediately bring back cuts taken from the district in recent years.

Members of the Fairfield-Suisun School District governing board on Thursday will look at a revised 2013-14 district budget that reduces the general fund deficit by nearly half after Gov. Jerry Brown signed the state budget.

via School district sees more money from state Daily Republic.

Vacaville Unified School District trustees to discuss funding formula – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer/ RBammer@TheReporter.com

An update on the centerpiece of Gov. Jerry Brown’s 2013-14 budget, the Local Control Funding Formula, will be the main topic of discussion when Vacaville Unified School District leaders meet tonight in open session.

New Superintendent Ken Jacopetti will update the governing board and the public on the funding formula, the most comprehensive reform to California public school financing in 40 years, widely regarded as a way to help close the achievement gap for poor and minority students.

via Vacaville Unified School District trustees to discuss funding formula – The Reporter.

Local Control Funding Formula: Is there a new rulebook? | EdSource Today

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By Samantha Tran / commentary

Now that the state’s new system of funding schools has been signed into law, educators and community groups are trying to get their bearings. At an event recently a colleague from a county office of education said that she was being inundated by calls from the field “wanting to know what the new rulebook is” for transitioning to the new system and ensuring successful implementation.

The old rulebook that governed how schools spent their money, which was both stifling and (let’s be honest) comforting at times, has been replaced by the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which now offers an opportunity for communities to take the reins to implement locally tailored approaches, while being held accountable for student outcomes.

via Local Control Funding Formula: Is there a new rulebook? | EdSource Today.

An Overview of the Local Control Funding Formula: Legislative Analyst’s Office

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The LCFF, enacted as part of the 2013-14 budget package, establishes a new uniform funding formula and a new system of academic accountability. The formula replaces revenue limits and most categorical programs with uniform base rates for all pupils and provides significantly more funding for English learner and low-income students. The new system of academic accountability requires school districts and charter schools to publicly report how they will use the funds provided under the formula, as well as establishes a new system of support and intervention support for underperforming school districts and charter schools. While the transition to the LCFF begins in 2013-14, it will take several years before all provisions are fully implemented and districts and charter schools are fully funded to formula targets. Moreover, a number of key decisions have yet to be made regarding the implementation of the new fiscal and academic accountability provisions.

via An Overview of the Local Control Funding Formula.

Advocates: Start spending new money now on high-needs students | EdSource Today

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By John Fensterwald

Two dozen organizations advocating for disadvantaged students wrote county and school district superintendents and charter school administrators Wednesday, reminding them that the new funding formula directing more money to low-income kids and English learners is now the law even though the initial regulations for the system are months away. The message: Start spending money on your high-needs children this year; don’t make commitments that might encroach on future obligations to these students.

via Advocates: Start spending new money now on high-needs students | EdSource Today.