With many area schools preparing to start their 2013-14 year, Assemblywoman Dr. Shirley Weber recently hosted a forum on the newly passed Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The LCFF changes the formulas governing how K-12 public schools are funded and seeks to substantially improve student learning among California’s most disadvantaged populations.
Weber, representing the 79th Assembly District, which includes La Mesa, part of Spring Valley, and large portions of San Diego and Chula Vista, is a member of the Assembly Education Committee and a former board member for the San Diego Unified School District.
The forum included an overview of both how the LCFF will increase base funding for schools over the next several years and the newly created supplemental grants and concentration grants to boost funding for English language learners, low income students, and those living in high concentration areas for these demographic groups. Weber noted that she came from a low income background and that many people are unaware of the extra challenges of improving educational results out of concentrated poverty.
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Weber also explained that California is facing an increasing education and skills gap for our workforce. Based on forecasts, California will need two million more degrees in coming years to remain economically strong. She stated; “The future of California lies with our ability to educate all children, especially those on the margins. We need to educate our own scientists, doctors, and innovators rather than bringing them in from other countries.”
The forum included representatives from the San Diego County Office of Education, local school districts, and Education Trust West, a policy and advocacy group. Brian Marshall, Superintendent of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District spoke about the importance of parent engagement and how the new formula better targets spending based on grade rather than the old model which relied on an outdated district type calculation.
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The audience included school administrators and employees, community service representatives, and some parent groups, such as PTA (Parent Teacher Association) and Educate Our State. Answering a question from one San Diego school parent, Assemblywoman Weber noted that while the base education amount can be used for salary increases for teachers, the supplemental and concentration grants cannot as the intent of those funds is for targeted programs to boost learning in those groups.
A key component of the LCFF changes is a requirement that districts engage their parent communities for input and suggestions on how to better target spending and ensure there is proper oversight and analysis for results. Parent representation on district committees and/or parent forums and round-table meetings were two of the suggestions offered for how to meet this obligation.
In her summary, Weber noted that while there are many challenges and she believes that LCFF can be further improved over time; she is very excited by the real potential to make lasting and meaningful improvements to California’s public educational system.
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