American journalist Christopher Morley once shared, “April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks, ‘Go!’” As you well know, spring is go time for our Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs), too.
Local educational agencies (LEAs) are gathering and organizing educational partners and state and local data to complete their equity-centered plans. LEAs are also updating and creating focused actions to support continual growth for all students. Our team at the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) continues to focus on and prepare for upcoming professional learning sessions and informational workshops.
The County Office is committed to supporting LEAs in developing and maximizing the impact of their plans. We hope the resources in this this newsletter and on the SDCOE LCAP website keep you up-to-date with recent legislation and deadlines as well as provide technical support.
Director
858-295-8827
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LCAP Implementation and Development
This edition of LCAP Connections will walk through the criteria used by county offices of education (COEs) to review and approve LCAPs and the LCAP assembly. We’ve highlighted important information to consider as you navigate through the 2023-24 LCAP template.
LCAP Approval and Clarification
There are four criteria for COEs to use when reviewing and approving the LEA LCAPs:
- Adherence to template and following instructions for completing the template
- Sufficient expenditures in the budget to implement the LCAP actions
- Adherence to expenditure requirements
- Adherence to required calculations
Criteria 1: Adherence to the LCAP Template — Section 52070 (d)(1)
It is important to note that the LCAP instructions are part of the template. They are not suggestions. Template prompts are for those reading the LCAP. Reminders:
- Use parent-friendly language
- Avoid educational jargon
- Follow instructions
Criteria 2: Sufficient Expenditures in Budget to Implement LCAP — Section 42127 (d)(1)
The second criteria is about sufficiency of the LCAP budget. Annually, on or before Sept. 15, the county superintendent of schools shall approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the adopted budget for each school district.
- There is a check to ensure the budget adopted by the governing board of the school district includes expenditures sufficient to implement the specific actions and strategies included in the LCAP and based on the projections of the costs included in the plan.
- The requirement is to ensure there are sufficient expenditures in the adopted budget to implement the actions and services described in the adopted LCAP.
Criteria 3: Adherence to Expenditure Regulations — Section 52070 (d)(3)
Title V regulations are the basis for the third LCAP approval criteria, which requires adherence to the expenditure regulations. 5 CCR 15496 provides the requirement for LEAs to demonstrate increased or improved services for unduplicated pupils in proportion to the additional funding the LEA receives for these students in the LCAP year.
- LEAs are required to provide evidence in the LCAP to demonstrate how funding apportioned on the basis of the number and concentration of unduplicated pupils is used to support these pupils in the LCAP year.
Criteria 4: Required Carryover Calculations — Section 52070 (d)(4)
The required calculations are embedded within the action tables and the required descriptions are provided within the action descriptions and increased or improved services section.
- This includes a description of the planned uses of the specified funds, and a description of how the planned uses of those funds satisfy the requirements for specific actions to be considered as contributing toward meeting the increased or improved services requirement pursuant to regulations adopted by the state board per Education Code Section 42238.07.
Other Reminders
Currently, LEAs are in the process of collecting feedback from all of the required educational partners called out in Education Code 54060(g) and collecting the required metrics per Education Code 53060(d).
- In addition to the required educational partners, there are two new groups to be aware of:
- The LCAP Parent Advisory Committee must include a parent of a currently enrolled student with disabilities; and
- Include two students (middle and high school only). The LEA may utilize a student advisory committee to meet this requirement.
- LEAs must notify members of the public of the opportunity to submit written comments regarding the specific actions proposed in the LCAP.
- LEAs must take their LCAP to two separate board meetings.
- First, a governing board of a school district shall hold at least one public hearing to solicit input.
- A subsequent board meeting must be held where the LCAP is adopted. At the same board meeting that the LCAP is adopted, the LEA shall present the local indicators, and the LEA shall adopt the budget.
- Within five days of an LEA’s governing board adoption of the 2023-24 LCAP, the LEA must submit it to the county office of education for review and approval.
Local Indicators
- LEAs are to report the local indicator results as part of a non-consent item at the same public meeting of the local governing board/body at which the 2023-24 LCAP is adopted.
- An LEA should be using the SBE-adopted self-reflection tools to prepare the performance report.
LCAP Assembly
The components of the LCAP for the 2023-24 year must be posted as one document assembled in the following order:
- LCFF Budget Overview for Parents
- LCAP Template
- Plan Summary
- Engaging Educational Partners
- Goals and Actions
- Increased or Improved Services for Foster Youth, English Learners, and Low-Income Students
- Action Tables (five tables total)
- Instructions
It is important to ensure the 2023-24 LCAP that a COE receives is in the above noted order and is one document. It is recommended that LEAs submit the LCAP as one PDF in order to ensure the required Section 508 Compliance for persons with disabilities.
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Responsive and Evolving Equity-Centered Tools and Resources
SDCOE’s Equity Blueprint for Action document aims to provide educational leaders and partners with community-informed and research-based guidance to improve equitable outcomes for historically marginalized students, especially for African American, American Indian, and Latinx students.
The companion website provides practical tools and resources for educators to improve outcomes for all students by integrating equity actions and metrics. These two aligned resources offer overlapping and interconnected entry points for educators to take immediate action in their districts, schools, and classrooms. Equity holds the promise of making our educational systems work for every student — and all students are at the center of this important work.
Socially Conscious Leadership and Equity Themes
Socially conscious leaders serve, inspire, and empower through their own examples.
- They explore their own intersecting identities, analyze their mindsets, and hone their skills.
- They seek to create equity-centered, asset-based systems by implementing and sustaining positive changes that benefit those they serve.
- They focus their efforts on creating equitable access with consistently strong outcomes for all students, paying special attention to the needs of historically marginalized populations.
- In order to honor the concerns addressed and lead through the action points listed in the four themes, we believe that socially conscious leadership development is an important marker for this work.
Four equity themes emerged while talking with our educational partners and developing the Equity Blueprint for Action:
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Asset-Based Systems: A model where educators intentionally focus on their mindsets about their students. Educators build on students' languages and cultures, and celebrate the strengths, gifts, and talents students bring to the classroom.
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Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Instruction: Provides a space and structure for teachers to 1) engage in dialogue and dynamic learning with students; 2) explore their own identities, mindsets, and skills (mirror work) as they simultaneously seek to understand and affirm their students’ backgrounds, cultures, and languages (window work); and 3) cultivate restorative, student-centered classroom cultures.
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Family and Community Voice: Students thrive when families and community members participate in and contribute to student learning. When students have positive role models who promote their success, they feel more confident, take more challenging courses, and improve academically.
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Student Agency and Voice: Refers to high-interest, meaningful, student-led learning, including guidance from teachers. Student choice is key to building agency and voice.
We are pleased to announce that Metrics and Resources for Priorities 4-6 will be active and ready for your interaction by May 1. To explore the priorities:
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Scroll down to the bottom of the homepage to the “LCAP TOOL PRIORITIES” section.
- Tap Priority 4, 5, or 6.
- Tap “Explore this Priority.”
- Tap “Equity Actions, Aligned Resources, and Corresponding Metrics.”
- Select District, School, or Classroom level.
- Tap on an aligned resource. Toggle between “Resources” or “Metrics.”
More information about upcoming professional development and resources will be available soon.
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Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) Information
I am pleased to introduce the newest member of our team, Veronica Maxwell, who has joined the SDCOE Accountability, Assessment, and Evaluation (AAE) department. Veronica will be working with all CSI LEAs in reviewing their LCAP CSI Plan Summaries (prompt responses) for the 2023-24 school year.
Veronica is delighted to offer her support in finalizing the CSI prompts outlined in your LCAP. If you are in need of assistance or are uncertain about what needs to be included in the CSI prompts, she is here to help. Veronica’s primary objective is to provide any guidance and support you may need to complete the CSI section of your LCAP successfully. As part of her role, she will be using a review form to ensure that your LEA is on track with all of the necessary components. If you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to reach out to Veronica at any time.
If you would like to schedule a one-on-one meeting to discuss your LCAP CSI prompts in detail, please use this sign-up form to choose a date and time that works best for you.
If you are interested in a thought partner in developing your CSI plans (e.g., needs assessment, continuous improvement, educational partner engagement) please do not hesitate to reach out to our CSI Plan support team, Patricia Karlin and Todd Langager.
Support Information
Helpful links:
We are here to help and look forward to working with you! Thank you for your ongoing commitment to excellence in education.
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Putting It All Together Professional Learning
Save the date! Our Putting it All Together sessions are designed to provide a space and time for participants to interact with others from around the county, learn about LCAP requirements, and explore promising practices. Based on your feedback, these sessions will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and remain virtual until further notice.
Once registration is confirmed, a corresponding link will be sent prior to each session.
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Increased or Improved Services Workshop
LEAs are required to demonstrate how they are increasing or improving services for unduplicated students as compared to the services provided to all students in the LCAP. This two-hour session reviewed the section requirements and provided examples for each Increased or Improved Services prompt. In addition, Amanda Davis reviewed data tables and provided information about determining the proportional percentage by which services must be increased or improved.
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Local Control and Accountability Plan 101
This workshop was developed for anyone new to the LCAP process. The LCAP template and important dates were shared.
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Assessment, Accountability, and Evaluation Update Meetings
The Assessment, Accountability, and Evaluation updates provide LEAs with timely information around assessment, funding, LCAP, state and federal programs, and more. They occur once per month from 2:30 to 4 p.m. virtually; most meetings will be held on Wednesdays with the exception of February, March, and May. Please use this OMS link to sign up for the updates.
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Community Engagement Liaison Meeting
The next SDCOE Family and Community Engagement liaison meeting is scheduled for Thurs., April 27 at 4:30 p.m. For more information, or if you haven’t registered, please see the attached flyer or send your email address expressing interest to LaShae Sharp-Collins at LaShae.Collins@sdcoe.net.
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Registration Open for Spring Training: Accessing Summative Assessment Results in CERS
Registration is open for the Accessing Summative Assessment Results in the California Educator Reporting System (CERS) spring training! CERS is a free tool available to all California LEA staff members for accessing student assessment results for both summative and interim assessments, using secure logon information. This training is designed for LEA staff members who are current or potential CERS users. Register to attend any or all of the following 75-minute facilitated modules:
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Module One will focus on the Summative ELPAC, the Summative Alternate ELPAC, and the California Spanish Assessment. This training module will be offered on May 4 from 9 to 10:15 a.m.
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Module Two will focus on the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts/literacy and mathematics, and the California Alternate Assessments for English language arts and mathematics. This training module will be offered on May 11 from 9 to 10:15 a.m.
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Module Three will focus on the California Science Test and the California Alternate Assessment for science. This training module will be offered on May 18 from 9 to 10:15 a.m.
Register here for the Accessing Summative Assessment Results in CERS training. Inquiries about this training can be emailed to the Sacramento County Office of Education at caaspp@scoe.net.
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2023 California Assessment Conference: Save the Date!
Save the date for the in-person 2023 California Assessment Conference on Oct. 9 and 10 in Sacramento. Under the theme of Charting the Course Between Instruction and Assessment, the 2023 conference is a unique opportunity for classroom educators to explore the connections between classroom instruction and assessment, learn how other California educators use assessments as informative tools, and provide strategies to enhance teaching and learning.
Conference registration will open soon.
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New School Climate Webinar
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The Transformative SEL Collective: A Virtual Learning Community
Transformative social and emotional learning is a process whereby young people and adults build strong, respectful, and lasting relationships that facilitate co-learning to develop equitable collaborative solutions that lead to personal, community, and societal well-being.
Leveraging the collective wisdom of our educational community and content expert partners, this collaborative learning series is designed to:
- Deepen our understanding of the science of social and emotional well-being
- Provide opportunities for networking and action planning
- Experience well-being as adult learning in a nurturing community
- Share strategies, evidence-based practices, and ideas for supporting all members of the learning community
- Showcase implementation efforts
Who: School and community mental health professionals, educational leaders, teachers, family engagement staff, and community partners are all invited to attend.
What: This series will support educators in deepening their understanding and implementation of transformative social and emotional learning.
When: All sessions will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
- Feb. 23 — Refilling Depleted Reservoirs
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April 20 — Integrating Transformative Social and Emotional Learning and Academics
- Aug. 10 — Elevating and Embracing Youth Voice
- Oct. 12 — Enlisting and Engaging Families
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Dec. 7 — Social and Emotional Learning Data: Measuring and Meaning Making
This learning series is free. Space is limited, so please RSVP as soon as you can!
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South County Social and Emotional Learning Exchange
The goal of this gathering is to build relationships, alignment, knowledge, and coherence around social and emotional learning in South County schools. With a collaborative world café-style discussion, district/site teams will have the opportunity to share their current work and needs and learn from each other.
Who should attend: District leaders from curriculum, instruction, assessment, and student support services/social and emotional learning; counselors; social workers; school psychologists and school nurses; teacher leaders (site level teacher representatives); and site administrators
Date: April 27
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Venue: Sweetwater Union High School District Professional Development Center
680C L St, Chula Vista, CA 91911
Food: Breakfast and lunch will be provided
Funding: Funding is available for substitutes
Capacity: 25 people per district; registration by invitation only. Please ask your assistant superintendents, as all of them have been contacted.
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Expanded Learning Opportunities Program — Updated FAQ
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program provides funding for afterschool and summer school enrichment programs for transitional kindergarten through 6th grade as described in California Education Code Section 46120. This program funding was established by Assembly Bill 130 in 2021 and has been amended by assembly bills 181 (Chapter 52, Statutes of 2022) and 185 (Chapter 571, Statutes of 2022).
On Feb. 6, the California Department of Education released updates for frequently asked questions for the program. These questions range from addressing hot topics such as program requirements to allowable uses. For additional support related to the program , register for the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program Network below or reach out directly to Liza Flowers or Brittany Mabe.
Expanded Learning Opportunities Program — Fiscal Year 2023-24 Reminder
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Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.
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