Winning racially just and equitable public schools is a key promise of the Local Control Funding Formula. This week, we're sharing stories and tools from communities around the state who are using LCFF to win greater supports for historically marginalized students and shutting down the school-to-prison pipeline to build schools of belonging and inclusion with investments in restorative justice and social-emotional supports.
This is all part of the #WeMakeLCFFWorkcampaign hosted by Public Advocates and Families In Schools. Click here to see all of last week's content.
Use these social media posts all week using our toolkits!
Under LCFF, school districts must focus on foster youth like never before. Hear from foster youth parent leader RocQuel Johnson about how to support the unique needs of foster youth and check out this Q&A with the Director of Alameda County Office of Education’s Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program, Elizabeth Tarango on best practices. This handy checklist from National Center for Youth Law gives tips to districts and foster youth advocates engaged in the LCAP.
For even more resources to support foster youth, check out this reportandtoolkitfrom the Alliance for Children's Rights and California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.
Community Partnership to Support Students in Del Norte Unified & Tribal Lands
Authentic community engagement took creativity and trust building in this rural community. This blog post shows how True North Organizing Network, the Yurok Education Department, and Del Norte and Tribal Lands’ Building Healthy Communities have been working with Del Norte Unified School District to model a better way to engage in this rural school district’s LCAP process and invest in social-emotional counseling!
Pomona students win more counselors by divesting S&C funds from cops and security
You have to watch this storyabout how Pomona Students Union used the LCAP process to win counselors and other student supports by divesting $2 million in supplemental and concentration funds from cops and security. And listen to Gente Organizada founder Jesus Sanchez, PSU student leader Iris Villalpando, and Public Advocates’ Nicole Gon Ochi break down the win in this EdSource podcast.
Expanding Access to Restorative Justice
Parents and students with Alianza Coachella Valley engaged through the LCAP to lead a successful #restorativejustice campaign. At Bobby Duke Middle School, suspensions fell by 33% after a restorative justice program was implemented.
Watch this 3- minute videoabout their school’s transformation. Restorative justice programs are now going into effect at all CVUSD middle schools and high schools. Alianza supports training with high school teachers who want to implement the Restorative Justice Program in their classrooms. Photo credit: Alianza Coachella Valley
Resources from 'Fix School Discipline'
Find out how LCFF can promote alternatives to harsh school discipline and improve student outcomes with this series of webinarsand community toolkit with specific tips for LCAP advocacy by 'Fix School Discipline' - a project of Public Counsel. (Mini-toolkit available in Spanish.)
African-American suspension rates declining after years of reforms, including LCFF
After nearly a decade of school discipline reform in California, the suspension rate for African-American students continued to decline last year. This EdSource article highlights how, along with other state policy reforms, the LCAP’s attention to measuring suspensions, expulsions and chronic absenteeism has prompted school districts to focus on positive school climate with promising results.
Did you miss last week’s Centering Student Voice webinar with Californians for Justice and San Jose student leaders? You can view the full webinar on our Facebook page here and download a copy of the case study here.
Be part of the campaign!
Sign up to support the campaign throughout the month of February here. And follow along on Twitter and Facebook with #WeMakeLCFFWork
Have questions about how LCFF works? Call the #WeMakeLCFFWork Resource Helpline at 323-352-9096
