School districts across the Santa Clarita Valley have submitted a required learning continuity and attendance plan, or LCP, to the Los Angeles County Office of Education due to distance learning.

The LCP replaced the traditional local control and accountability plan (LCAP), a three-year plan which outlined district goals, actions to meet goals and measured progress of student growth in eight categories.

“Basically, the LCP is going to replace the LCAP for the 2020-21 school year,” said Laura Arrowsmith, Saugus Union School District board president. “The county put the LCAP on hold while we’re distance learning.”

The LCP is a part of the overall budget package for schools which addresses school district financial budgets and provides the county with information regarding how student learning continuity will be addressed during the COVID-19 crisis in the 2020–21 school year.

As the pandemic continues to impact schools, stakeholder information was gathered in various forms from each school district to address concerns regarding distance learning. Stakeholders consisted of parents, students, district staff and teachers.

Each group had the opportunity to voice opinions and concerns regarding distance-learning and each district outlined these concerns with possible solutions as schools continue to be conducted online.

Districts also outlined safety precautions for students and staff to mitigate risk of virus transmission during in-person instruction, whether it be from small cohorts or if students are able to return to campus in the future.

Safety precautions included mandatory face coverings, classroom arrangements, strategies for recess, physical education, and pick-up/drop-off areas for parents.

Once the board of trustees from each district approved their LCP, the plans were sent to LACOE for reviewing where the county will give feedback to each district’s board of trustees.

Once the final review of each district’s LCP is completed,it will be made available on each school district’s website for parents to view.

Districts are expected to return to the traditional LCAP for the 2021-22 school year.