The state’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and accompanying Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) represent a monumental change in how funding arrives at school districts and how it is to be spent.  Schools in the Newhall School District are holding a series of meetings to hear stakeholder opinions about student programs that should be funded at the school and district level.

The underlying premise of the new funding system is the need to provide equal educational opportunity for English language learners, students who live in poverty, and foster youth, based on the fact that these students generally have a lower achievement level than students who are not members of these categories.  Yet the funding law also allows local control and flexibility in how funds are spent.

The LCAP will define programs and goals for academics, learning environment, and student engagement/school climate.  The LCAP is a three year document and it will be changed every year as districts gather input from stakeholders and address all of its requirements.

NSD receives “base grants” per student for all the normal operations of the district.   The district will also receive “supplemental grant” funding based on the unduplicated count of English language learners, students on free/reduced lunch, and foster care youth.  In Newhall, about 45% of all the students in the district fall into these groups .  An allocation of 20% of the base grant is received for each unduplicated student.  It is this supplemental money that is the focus of the stakeholder input meetings across the district.

NSD is not eligible to receive “concentration grant” funding under LCFF.  Concentration grants are designated for districts with 55% or more of qualifying students.

The public is invited to attend stakeholder meetings and can contact school principals for more information.