State Funding (LCFF) & Accountability (LCAP)
Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)
Complicated Revenue Limits formulas used to calculate school funding prior to 2013-14 resulted in unintended but substantial inequalities. The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) eliminates both revenue limits and most state categorical programs (not including Preschool, Special Education, or Child Nutrition programs), not only to simplify school funding but also to promote greater fairness across districts.
The LCFF is based on each districts' unique demographic profile and gives schools greater flexibility in how they use their funds to best promote the performance outcomes of their students.
The LCFF includes calculations based on three principal components:
- Base grant - determined primarily by a funding floor determined by 2012-13 funding levels, according to grade levels, adjusted to reflect grades K-3 reduced class sizes and grades 9-12 Career Technical Education.
- Supplemental grant - equal to 20% of the base grant multiplied by the combined but unduplicated percent of English Learners, foster youth, and free and reduced lunch eligible students.
- Concentration grant - equal to 50% of the base grant multiplied by the combined, but unduplicated percent of the same students as above, that are over 55% of the total school population.
New, phased-in targets, which integrate cost-of-living adjustments, are expected to result in gradually increasing monies until full funding targets are reached in 2020-21.
Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP)
Under the LCFF, all school districts are required to prepare a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), which must be updated annually. The LCAP describes the educational goals of the district--reflecting both State and local priorities, and how the district plans to meet them. The LCAP must:
- Be consistent with each school's Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA)
- Address goals and their implementation related to academic content and performance standards adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE)
- Address goals and their implementation related specifically to promoting access to Common Core academic content and accomplishment of English Language Development Standards by the district's English Learner population
- Include annual goals related to each of the eight State Priorities (see documents page) to be achieved by each student group, as well as any additional local priorities.
The LCAP, related to State funding, does not replace the Local Educational Agency Plan (LEAP), related to federal funding. All schools must continue to meet the requirements of their current LEAP. However, to avoid duplication of effort, the SBE has integrated the requirements of LCAP with LEAP wherever possible.
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Previous LCFFs
Current Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP)