LCFF and Early LearningACSA Superintendent’s Symposium

LCFF in the Making

Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) was four decades in the making

Substantive research, policy development, and legislative attempts over the last decade

A diverse coalition of education, equity, business, parent and civic leaders, in concert with the Governor’s leadership, made LCFF a reality in 2013

What does LCFF mean for school funding?

Historic investment in high need students: $10 billion once LCFF is fully implemented

LCFF addressed part of the school funding problem:

• Now we know how schools are funded by the state

• Local communities will have greater control over what to invest in

• We still need to invest more in public education: California is 49th in the nation in our investment

Why Early Learning Programs?

• Evidence: There is sound research and the impact data is

compelling

• Resources: There are local and statewide partners that can

support your efforts on multiple fronts

• Locally Driven: Programs can be tailored to your local

context and strategic investments are now more possible

Evidence

Sound research and compelling impact data

2

What student outcomes are driving your local conversation?

Putting kids at the center of planning and budgeting:

• Are there specific student outcomes for all students, and/or subgroups of students, that have become an area of focus for the district and community?

Early learning is a strategic support to schools

ELD research shows proven impact on at least 4 of the state’s priority areas:• Student achievement • Student engagement (e.g. school attendance)• School climate (e.g. suspension/expulsion, school

connectedness)• Parent Involvement

Examples of compelling research

Student Achievement:• Less likely to be placed in special education• Increased on time grade completion• Increased high school graduation rates • Low-income, dual language learners benefit as much

as, and in some cases more than, their native speaker counterparts from quality early learning programs

• Programs for teen parents, like Cal-SAFE, show higher graduation rates (73% vs. 30%)

Examples of compelling researchStudent Engagement/School Climate:• Improved social-emotional competency, such as improved

self-regulation, self-esteem, motivation to solve problems, complete tasks, and improve their own abilities.

Parent Involvement:• Programs with a parenting focus model positive

interactions and provide opportunities to offer feedback.• These approaches augment the effects of early learning

programs on children’s skill development because they translate into more, ongoing support for children at home.

Resources

State and local relationships

Partners throughout the state to support children 0-5

• Existing early learning programs throughout California, but significant unmet need.

• Groups and local stakeholders across California are organizing to engage in LCFF planning efforts.

Locally Driven

Responding to local context and building multi-year plans

Landscape of 0-5 kids in your community

Partners can provide local context data:• Supply of high quality early learning programs

in your community• Impact of these programs on children’s

outcomes• Demand for programs in your community and

unmet need

Multi-year plans: A vision and strategic thinking become more possible

Why a multi-year approach is important:• LCFF changes the culture locally to

encourage long range planning

• The funding is being phased in gradually based on available state funding

• A multi-year plan provides more opportunity to think bigger and invest systematically in new approaches

Multi-year plans: Develop a local ELD vision

Coming together to meet the needs of kids:• What program approaches would most

fit the local need? (e.g. preschool, teen parenting, home visiting)

• How many children would be served? • Which student populations would be

served?• What quality improvement efforts would

be put in place?• What resources would be necessary to

achieve the vision?

Multi-year plans: Identify the first strategic investments

Building toward the vision:• Based on the local context, what strategic

investments could be made this year or next to build toward the vision?

• What strategic investments could be made in year 2 and 3 to align with the Local Control and Accountability Plan?

Examples: If the district isn’t tracking how prepared children are for kindergarten, provide teacher training to implement a kindergarten readiness observation tool.

If there is a demand for full-day preschool but spaces are all half-day, district could invest to expand to full-day in high-need areas.

Additional Resources

Children Now• Website: lcff.childrennow.org

• Samantha Tran: stran@childrennow.org

• Giannina Perez: GPerez@ChildrenNow.org

Thank you!