For Immediate Release July 14, 2014
Contact: Valerie Martinez, Juliette Funes (909) 445-1001

LCFF Provides LUSD with $14 Million in Additional Funding

Lynwood, Calif. –Using a new funding model that provides more resources to address the needs of Lynwood Unified’s students, the Board of Education on June 24 passed a balanced general fund budget and its first Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) for the 2014-15 academic year, ensuring that every student will be adequately prepared for success in college and career.

“This year’s budget is very encouraging and we can do things we didn’t think we could do before without the resources,” said LUSD Chief Business Official Peter Wong. “We are in a very good position to prioritize spending where students need it most, but we must be careful and cautious when making decisions going forward.”

In 2013, California adopted the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which gives local school districts like Lynwood Unified more control over how to use state funds for the benefit of their students. The LCFF requires that districts use the extra funds allocated through special grants to increase and improve services to English-learners, students from low-income families and students in foster care.

The LCFF provided LUSD with $14 million in additional funding for the 2014-15 school year, with full implementation of the targeted funding level by 2021, depending on the state’s economic condition. An LCAP is required to be developed, adopted every three years and revised annually to guide the expenditure of state funds and hold school districts accountable for how programs and services improve proportionate to the increase in funding.

The LCAP identifies goals and measures progress for student subgroups across eight state priority areas (basic services, pupil achievement, Common Core implementation, course access, other student outcomes, pupil engagement, school climate and parental involvement).

After an extensive months-long process that included collaborative and inclusive input from teachers, administrators, other school personnel, local bargaining units, parents and students through a variety of mediums, the LCAP was created to encapsulate the vision and mission of LUSD’s Achieving Greatness Initiative.

“This new funding model is a major change to how we fund public education and puts the decision-making power in the hands of the people who know what the precise needs of our students are and what they need to thrive in a 21st century world,” said Gudiel Crosthwaite, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. “The LCAP provides a blueprint that will support student growth and academic achievement, as well as strengthens our strategic plan to guarantee equity and access to all students as they prepare for life after high school.”

Based upon stakeholder input and community engagement, there are many programs and services being planned through the use of these funds that will significantly assist students, staff and faculty.

College enrollment and dropout prevention services will be provided to close the opportunity gap and ensure that students are on the path toward college and careers and more educational services and support will be provided to schools to impact student achievement. An elementary summer bridge academy will be created and more instructional K-6 coaches will be added to support student learning and the implementation of the Common Core State Standards.

Community-based youth leadership programs for students in grades 6-12 will also be implemented, as well as additional funding for the Black Teen Summit to ensure that students are prepared for college. Additional resources to prepare students for Advanced Placement and college entrance exams will also increase.

English-learners, foster youth and low-income students will receive special support to monitor their progress to ensure they are achieving proficiency in reading, language arts and math, while the District’s preschool/child care program will provide supplemental support services to students to adequately prepare them for school. A leadership team will also be put in place to support high schools as they continually monitor student achievement.

Funding will support a math diagnostic program, a computer network technician to ensure that high schools have effective Internet access for the implementation of Common Core, Wi-Fi support, elementary instructional technology facilitation and library media assistants to support 21st century learning media centers.

The LCAP also includes funding for new campus monitors, four additional full-time custodians, a nurse, four additional school counselors at the high school and middle school levels, a full-time social worker and behavioral intervention programs.

“We are very pleased with our new plan, which will be flexible and adjusted according to the needs of the Lynwood Unified community,” LUSD Superintendent Paul Gothold said. “It has been an exhaustive process, and one that will build on our efforts and successes in offering high-quality instructional programs, improving student achievement and getting more students to graduate high school – key goals that align to our Achieving Greatness Initiative.”

The LCAP must be submitted to the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) for final review and approval. The district may make revisions to the plan based on LACOE’s feedback.

More information on the District’s adopted LCAP and additional documents on its development can be found at: http://www.lynwood.k12.ca.us/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1394709355930