Come to DJUSD Community input meeting for the Local Control Accountability Plan

Davis School District asking for community input into plan

Local Control Accountability Plan meeting set for April 23 at King High School  

Residents interested in offering their perspectives for consideration in the new Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) are encouraged to attend a District-sponsored community discussion at 6 pm, Wednesday night, April 23 at the Martin Luther King High School, 635 B Street.

According to DJUSD Superintendent Winfred Roberson, “Some important planning decisions will be made soon and we are very interested in hearing from our community.”

Starting with the FY 2014/1015 budget, California will no longer dictate how the DJUSD, and other local school districts, spend their State-allocated funds.  This means local school districts will now make budget decisions, fund programs, services, and employee positions according to what best serves the needs of their specific student population. 

There will be some State oversight however.  Beginning July 1, as part of California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), school districts, county office of educations, and charter schools must develop and annually update a three-year LCAP.

Noted Roberson, “The State provides approximately $55 million, or roughly 75 percent of our budget.  We now have the responsibility for establishing local metrics and ensuring the dollars are strategically allocated to the categories most beneficial for all our students.”

Topics for discussion on April 23rd include:

·      LCAPs relationship to the new Strategic Plan;

·      Student Outcomes (with particular emphasis on Low Income, English Learners and Special Education students);

·      Conditions for Learning; and

·      Parent and Student Engagement.

DJUSD Board President Gina Daleiden emphasized, “The trustees take this new duty very seriously and, through our oversight responsibility, we will make sure the necessary processes and accountabilities are in place to achieve the State’s standards for our plan.”

The District’s LCAP will be submitted to the Yolo County Office of Education for inclusion in a county plan that will in turn be reviewed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The State will have the power to intervene if a school district or charter school fails to show improvement across multiple subgroups in three out of four consecutive years.

Added Roberson, “This new funding system gives us enormous freedom; yet accountability for achieving local and state objectives. Critical within our plan, measurable metrics, and budget allocations will be ensuring our underrepresented and most vulnerable students, including foster youth, low income, and language learners, receive equitable opportunities, conditions for learning, and outcomes.”

The first step for the District is to engage students, parents, the business community, and the area residents in dialogues to help define and build the plan. 

For more information about the Davis Joint Unified School District, the District’s Strategic Plan, and the Local Accountability Plan go to www.djusd.net.