The Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) is a crucial tool that guides schools towards academic excellence and student success. As the deadline for the adopted 2024/2025 LCAP approaches on June 30, 2024, educators and administrators must work strategically to create a robust plan that addresses academic needs and engages stakeholders effectively.
This guide is designed to empower educators to understand important actions that they can take now in order to meet regulatory deadlines while strategically enhancing student success through informed decision-making for their present 2023/2024 LCAP as well as for their upcoming 2024/2025 LCAP writing and planning.
1. Review your CA Dashboard performance.
Begin your LCAP preparation by delving into your school’s California Dashboard performance. Identify academic strengths and areas of need, distinguishing them through color-coded indicators (red/orange for areas in need, blue/green for strengths).
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2. Prioritize Top 3 Areas of Need.
Narrow your focus by selecting the three most critical areas of need. Propose two impactful changes for immediate implementation, targeting students requiring additional support, intervention, and tutoring. As a result of a preliminary analysis of your data, ask yourself “Are we on track to meet all of your academic benchmarks prior to the end of the school year?”
By identifying areas of need now, you can focus on and improve the academic performance of your students before the end of the year reporting cycle occurs
3. Schedule Your Educational Partner Meeting Early!
By scheduling your meeting early on, you can start fostering ongoing collaboration between key stakeholders. This will allow time for meaningful review of feedback to give you time to write about it in the LCAP “Education Partner Engagement” section. Ask insightful questions such as “What is important to you in the upcoming year?” or “What do you want to see in the new year’s plan?”
According to the U.S. Department of Education, “Years of research in school improvement have documented numerous benefits of engaging local community members such as access to more comprehensive input to inform the identification of needs, planning, and program implementation”. This means that when developing your LCAP, it’s important to consult with key education partners and understand their priorities and expectations. Their insights can then be incorporated into the plan for the new academic year.
Some education partners include:
- Families
- School Site Council
- Parent Advisory Committee
- English Learner Advisory Committee
- Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) Administrators
- Community Advisory Committee (CAC)
- English Learner (EL) Coordinator(s)/Administrators
- Foster Youth/Homeless Coordinators/Administrators
- Federal Program Administrators
- Other locally determined organizations or groups
4. Analyze Feedback from your Education Partners.
After meeting with your Education Partners, conduct a comprehensive analysis of their feedback. Identifying recurring themes and areas of consensus can extract some valuable insights. Utilize this nuanced input to craft targeted and informed strategies that align seamlessly with the objectives outlined in the LCAP.
5. Reach out to your accounting / fiscal team to request a Year-to-Date LCAP Spend Report
A critical aspect of the LCAP development involves a detailed financial assessment. By reaching out to the accounting and fiscal team, you can ensure an alignment of financial resources with the overarching academic priorities outlined in the LCAP.
Here you can review areas that are underspent and overspent. Ask yourself “Where are you in terms of spending?” or “Are there academic areas of needs that need additional spending?” and make any necessary adjustments. For example, if math is an area of need, you can try increasing spending on math intervention or tutoring hours before and after school.
Conclusion:
By diligently assessing academic performance, prioritizing areas of need, engaging with educational partners, and leveraging stakeholder feedback, you can become ready to craft a robust and impactful LCAP. The emphasis on timely adjustments in spending and a proactive approach to meeting academic benchmarks ensures a well-rounded plan that will drive positive outcomes for student success. Stay committed to this systematic approach, and you’ll be well-prepared to submit a thorough and effective LCAP by the deadline on June 30, 2024.
Sources:
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About the author:
Marlin is a credentialed CA teacher with a Masters Degree in Education and a distinguished school improvement expert specializing in guiding educational institutions to optimize their academic performance. With a focus on compliance and strategic goal alignment, Marlin empowers schools to enhance their effectiveness and ensure the success of every student.
