In order to receive State funding, every local education agency (LEA) must prepare a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) that describes how it intends to meet annual goals for all students and address state and local priorities.

Covering a three-year period, LCAPs are updated annually to reflect progress and changes in district circumstances and/or needs. These plans address student performance in identified areas for growth. LCAPs clarify how districts spend funds received through the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The County Superintendent of Schools must approve each LEA’s LCAP. 

State and Local Priorities

There are three areas of priorities in California public education: conditions of learning, engagement, and pupil outcomes. Each area is broken down into several priorities.

Conditions of Learning

  • Basic Services: Districts should provide all students access to fully credentialed teachers, instructional materials that align with state standards, and facilities that are maintained in good repair.
  • Implementation of State Standards: Districts should implement California’s academic standards, including the Common Core State Standards for English/language arts, mathematics, Next Generation Science, English language development, history-social studies, visual and performing arts, health education, and physical education.
  • Course Access: Districts should ensure that students can enroll in a broad course of study in a variety of subject areas.
  • Expelled Students (County Office of Education Only): County offices must instruct expelled students according to California’s academic standards.
  • Foster Youth (County Office of Education Only): County offices must coordinate services for foster youth and successfully share information, respond to the needs of the juvenile court system, and ensure transfer of health and education records between partners.

Engagement

  • Parental Involvement: Districts must seek parent input in decision-making and promote parent participation in the educational programs of all students.
  • Pupil Engagement: Districts must measure pupil engagement through school attendance rates, chronic absenteeism rates, dropout rates, and high school graduation rates.
  • School Climate: Districts must measure school climate through student suspension and expulsion rates and other locally identified means, such as surveys of pupils, parents, and teachers on school safety and connectedness.

Pupil Outcomes

  • Pupil Achievement: Districts should improve student achievement and outcomes according to multiple measures, including test scores, English proficiency, and college and career preparedness.
  • Other Pupil Outcomes: Districts should measure additional important student outcomes related to required areas of study, including physical education and the arts

Resources

California Department of Education

Joy Dardenelle

Executive Director, Systems for District Improvement

Email: jdardenelle@smcoe.org

Phone: (650) 802-5315