Help Plan How Lake Tahoe Unified School District Funds Are Used

In a world full of acronyms it may be difficult to keep up on what they all mean. Here are two that you may want to learn as they have an impact on students in not only the Lake Tahoe Unified School District, but in the entire state of California.

The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) replaces California's nearly half-century-old, state-controlled school finance system with one that promises more local control as well as greater transparency and fairness. LCFF is designed to provide school districts with flexibility to direct resources to meet student's needs.

Under the old system, school districts received approximately two-thirds of their revenues as general-purpose funding based on complex historical formulas (known as "revenue limit" funds), and about one-third through nearly four dozen highly regulated "categorical programs," such as for summer school, textbooks, staff development, gifted and talented students, and counselors for middle and high schools.

While the system may be a better one it isn't without rules and guidelines. School districts must now:

-Clearly define goals and anticipated outcomes.
-Develop goals responsive to the needs of all students, especially low-income, English learners, and foster youth
-Identify and prioritize activities that are responsive to the achieving the goals.
-Ask the questions:
Will implementing this activity directly address improving student outcome?
Does this activity address the most critical needs of our students?
-Which group of students will this activity impact?”
-Build budgets that support the goals
-Develop a process for monitoring and communicating progress towards the goals

The Lake Tahoe Unified School District accomplishes these steps through the development of a Local Accountability Plan (LCAP).

Parents, students, community members, and staff must be engaged and involved in developing, reviewing, and supporting implementation of the LCAP. English Learner parents and Foster youth stakeholders must also be involved.

LTUSD is reaching out to everyone to get comments on their LCAP which follows the eight state priorities. Everyone will have the opportunity to provide suggestions and comments on each goal.

Everyone is invited to the LCFF/LCAP meeting on Tuesday, May 27th at the LTUSD Board Room at 6 p.m.