Along with the added budgetary freedom that comes with the state’s new Local Control Funding Formula comes the requirement that school districts work with parents and the community to put together annual accountability plans.

This Local Control and Accountability Plan, also known as an LCAP, is part of the annual budget planning process. It’s intended to better align academic plans with spending plans.

The LCAP will identify goals, measure student progress, and describe how the district or county office of education intends to meet annual goals for all students. The document will be updated annually but include a three-year plan.

The plan must include annual goals in eight areas specified by state officials: student achievement, student engagement, other student outcomes, school climate, parental involvement, basic services, implementation of Common Core State Standards, and course access.

Beginning this year, California’s complicated education funding model will be replaced by the simplified Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF.

The new model eliminates most “categorical” programs, which limited the way school districts could spend money based on what state lawmakers decided were priorities.

Now, most of the funding will be based on a per-pupil dollar amount that varies slightly for different grade levels. Additional money will be available based on the number of students within a district that need extra support. These include English language learners, students from low-income families and foster youth.

The new funding formula presents a historic opportunity to focus on improving student outcomes, closing achievement gaps, and increasing the level of communication between our schools and our community.

To learn more about The LCFF or LCAP, visit the San Diego County Office of Education's LCAP page or the California Department of Education webpage.