New Goals, Tough Choices: What’s Next for FUSD?
Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you never miss an update!
Click here to read this blog in Spanish!
Local Control Accountability (LCAP) and Budget Recap
What happened?
On June 12, the district presented the 2024-2025 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and on June 20 the FUSD Board voted to approve it. The LCAP for 2024-2025 marks the beginning of a new three-year cycle that concludes in the 2026-2027 academic year. The plan introduces new goals, metrics, and actions for this period. Key updates include changes in how the state requires districts to address low-performing student groups, the introduction of “equity multiplier” funds to support these students, and a focus on long-term English learners.
Additionally, the FUSD Board approved the 2024-2025 budget. The budget process aligned with LCAP goals, but due to a reduced cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) from over 3% to 1.07%, the district is entering a reductionary cycle. This means that the district will need to make adjustments to address the decreased funding. FUSD’s approach is intended to manage the budget constraints while still maintaining support for key areas that impact students and staff. Specifically, it involves:
- Reassigned Funds: Redirecting existing resources to prioritize essential areas.
- Reductions in Certain Areas: Cutting back on expenditures in non-essential services or programs.
- Focus on Critical Services: Prioritizing essential services such as health, school safety, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility continue to receive adequate support despite budget constraints.
Why is this important?
The new LCAP cycle brings significant changes, including the introduction of funds from the “equity multiplier” to target additional support to schools with particularly high needs, and requirements to create specific actions to support the lowest performing schools and student groups, based on California School Dashboard results. The LCAP also introduces a requirement to address the needs of long-term English learners, aiming to boost their academic success.
These changes represent a significant shift in how schools will address educational disparities. FUSD will be required to identify and support the lowest-performing student groups within individual schools, rather than just at the district level. This change is intended to close achievement gaps more effectively by focusing resources where they are most needed.
The state has also added new accountability measures into the LCAP. Districts must now set specific goals, commit to actions, and measure the effectiveness of their strategies over three years. If strategies do no work, districts are required to adjust their approaches. The heightened focus on accountability and targeted intervention is crucial for improving outcomes for vulnerable student populations.
The budget’s alignment with the LCAP goals ensures that the necessary resources are allocated to support these initiatives. However, the financial challenges posed by the reduced COLA and declining enrollment could impact the district’s ability to fully implement these plans, making strategic resource allocation even more critical.
What’s next?
The 2024-2025 school year marks the start of this new LCAP cycle, and it will be essential to monitor how well the district is meeting its three-year goals. Special attention will need to be paid to the effectiveness of the equity multiplier in improving outcomes for the lowest-performing student groups.
The district will also need to manage the financial challenges posed by the reduced COLA and declining enrollment. This may involve making difficult decisions about resource allocation and ensuring that critical areas such as health services, school safety, and support for long-term English learners are adequately funded.
As the state rolls out the new California Dashboard this winter with updated color ratings, the district’s performance will be closely watched, especially in how it supports high-needs schools and student groups.
What can you do?
- Stay Informed and Provide Feedback: Follow the district’s progress on LCAP goals, especially the implementation of the equity multiplier. Attend public meetings, review updates, and engage with the district’s efforts to address the needs of the lowest-performing student groups and participate in feedback opportunities as the district implements the new LCAP. Share your thoughts on how well the district is meeting its goals and addressing the needs of all students.
- Join the Family Leaders Program: Take your advocacy to the next level by joining our upcoming Family Leaders Program. This program offers a fantastic opportunity to deepen your understanding of school governance and budgets, strengthen your advocacy skills, and connect with fellow advocates across the state. Whether you’re new to advocacy or have some experience, this program is designed to empower you to create meaningful change within your community. The virtual sessions will run from September 16th through October 21st, every Monday from 5-7PM. RSVP now and join us in shaping the future of education together!
- GO’s School Finance Library: Learn more about the LCAP with GO’s School Finance Resource Library! Look out for our School Finance Resource Library launching next month which will break down complex topics like School District Funding, Interim Budgets, Annual Budget Cycle, and more, empowering you with the knowledge to better understand and engage with the district’s planning and budgeting processes.
Additional Highlights:
The “Every Child is a Reader” initiative, launched in the 2023-24 school year, is a five-year plan aimed at improving literacy among FUSD students. On June 20th, the board reviewed and approved the selection of vendors who will provide curriculum, instruction, and professional learning services to support this initiative. Essentially, this approval determines which partners each school can work with to achieve the primary goal: ensuring that all students are reading proficiently by the end of first grade and have the necessary skills and experience for future success.
Each of FUSD’s seven regions has its own plan and strategies. Some regions focus on structured literacy approaches, while others use different methods, like guided reading training. A key aspect of the initiative is the inclusion of literacy plans from various departments, including African American Academic Acceleration (A4), Dual Language Instruction (DLI), English Learner Services, Special Education, and Early Learning. Initially, there were concerns about the lack of engagement with these departments, so it’s a positive step that they are now fully integrated into the plan.
The initiative is supported by a $100 million budget over five years, with most funds directed to the seven regions. The budget focused on three areas: curriculum development, professional learning, and direct and indirect services. For example, one approved vendor, Success Together Inc., will organize quarterly literacy nights for parents.
If you and your family need additional resources on literacy, check out our Family Literacy Resources!