Norwalk-La Mirada Unified is continuing to seek input from parents, staff, community members and students to conduct the first annual update to its Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), a requirement under the state’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) that lays out the District’s overall vision for students over three years, sets annual goals and lists specific actions it will take to achieve those goals.

An online survey is available through April 24 so that all stakeholder groups can provide feedback on funding priorities for the coming year and how well the District met the goals outlined for 2014-15.

“We want to ensure all parties have the opportunity to take part in this important process because it truly shapes the educational goals and priorities for our school district,” Board of Education President Jesse Urquidi said. “The more feedback we have, the more we are able to respond to the specific needs of our students.”

Meetings with stakeholders, including District staff and department directors, site administrators, teachers, staff, school site councils, students and parent groups, have been underway since from Each will provide input as the District refines its comprehensive approach to supporting students, with a focus on academic and emotional needs.

“Some of our the key components of our LCAP is to allocate funding to programs and priorities that enhance our culture of collaboration and communication, while promoting rigorous instruction, 21st century learning tools, highly qualified teachers and well-maintained, safe schools,” Interim Superintendent Ginger Shattuck said.

The Board of Education will be briefed May 4 on the feedback the District has received from parents and community members as efforts continue to prepare a draft 2015-18 LCAP for public review and comment in June. Board of Education members will hold a public hearing on the document June 8 and will consider adoption on June 29.

The LCAP addresses needs at each school and across the District aligned to eight areas established by the state:

  1. Provide student access to fully credentialed teachers, instructional materials that align with state standards and safe facilities.
  2. Implement state academic standards
  3. Involve parents in decision making
  4. Improve student achievement and outcomes along multiple measures
  5. Support student engagement
  6. Highlight school climate and connectedness
  7. Ensure all students have access to classes that prepare them for college and careers
  8. Measure other important student outcomes related to required areas of study, including physical education and the arts.

The survey includes a series of guiding questions for public feedback:

  • How effectively is our current three-year plan supporting our goals? How might it more effectively support our goals?
  • How have the actions/services addressed the needs of all students and the needs of our subgroups? (English Learners, students with Supplemental Education Services, and Foster Youth)
  • How does the current plan support the tenets of the ideal NLMUSD graduate and focus areas?
  • Which aspects of our current plan do we need to prioritize in the future?
  • Are there challenges we anticipate in implementing our current three-year plan?
  • What changes to current goals, actions, services, and expenditures need to be considered in revising the LCAP?
  • Are there compelling needs that we have not yet identified in our plan that need to be addressed in the future?
  • How might we utilize resources differently to improve instruction and raise student achievement?

The online survey can be accessed at www.nlmusd.k12.ca.us/ and will remain open until midnight on Friday, April 24.