Leadership magazine Sept/Oct 2014 V 44 No 1 | Page 36

School finance primer
Continued from page 10
It is important to establish LCAP goals
that are measurable and achievable for all
students and required subgroups. LCAP
goals may be measured qualitatively or
quantitatively. Carefully consider the number of LCAP goals that your LEA identifies,
how they will be measured, and whether or
not they will show an increase in student
achievement and/or services both annually
and at the end of the three-year LCAP.
School districts receiving supplemental
and concentration grant funds must create
additional LCAP goals for the three target
student groups: English learners, and low
income and foster youth. These goals must
be measured annually in order to prove that
the required minimum proportionality percentage demonstrates how services provided
in the LCAP for these pupils increased or
improved services in proportion to the increase in funding provided.

Interestingly, the SBE has recently established a Plan Alignment Committee that
will spend the next few years analyzing all
of the various plans school districts are required to create and determine if it is feasible
to align them to one another.
School districts are familiar with establishing a wide variety of California Department of Education and U.S. Department of
Education plans that are tied to either specific funding sources or programs, such as
a district strategic plan, LEA plan, English
language learner plan, Single Plan for Student Achievement, Technology Integration
Plan, and District Long Range Master Facilities Plan.
Governing boards were expected to adopt
a three-year LCAP spanning from fall 2014
to June 2017 by July 1, 2014. A school district’s 2014-15 budget had to be adopted at
the same board meeting that the 2014-17
LCAP plan is adopted.
The SBE presented a revised and renumbered LCAP and Annual Update template
for public comment at its July 10 meeting.

The revision encompasses more detailed reporting regarding budgeted and actual expenditures for actions and services noted in
the original LCAP.

LCAP county superintendent oversight
Just as the county offices of education and
California Department of Education have
fiduciary oversight of LEA budgets under
the Assembly Bill 1200 process, they will
also now have regulatory authority regarding the LCAPs. The county superintendent
of schools is responsible for oversight and
approval of district LCAPs. The governing
board of a school district must file the LCAP
or annual update with the county superintendent of schools no later than five days
after adoption.
The three criteria that will be reviewed to
determine if an LCAP is eligible for approval
are:
• LCAP adheres to the SBE-approved template.
• Budget includes expenditures sufficient
to implement the actions and strategies in
the LCAP.
• LCAP adheres to expenditure requirements pursuant to the Ed Code – funds apportioned for unduplicated pupils.
CDE and SBE reminded school districts
and COEs to pay special attention to the
eight LCAP state priority areas and the metrics linked to these areas.
Upon adoption of the rubric, the COE can
approve an LCAP or it can: identify strengths
and weaknesses of the LCAP, assign an academic expert/team, or request that the state
superintendent of public instruction assign
the California Collaborative for Educational
Excellence to provide assistance.
The state superintendent of public instruction may intervene if an LCAP fails to
improve outcomes at an LEA for three or
more subgroups for three out of four consecutive years. If the latter occurs, the SPI
may appoint an academic trustee, stay and
rescind board action, impose budget revisions or make changes to the LCAP. n

Gina Potter is assistant superintendent, business
services, Lemon Grove School District and
president of ACSA’s Business Services Council.
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