By Pat Doody
What is LCAP?
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Over the last year, the Tehachapi Unified School District joined other districts statewide in developing their Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). The plan, which is tied to state funding, was mandated by the state of California in July of 2014. School districts, county offices of education and charter schools were required to develop, adopt and annually update a three year plan that addresses eight areas that have been identified as state education priorities.
During the last half of the 2015-2016 school year, TUSD engaged parents, educators, employees and the community in a series of workshops to hammer out Tehachapi Unified School District’s LCAP. The resulting plan which was sent to the state for approval contained five major goals for the district which addressed the state requirements. School Superintendent Susan Andreas-Berval told the school board at their August 9 meeting that she had received state approval for the district’s LCAP.
The eight state priority areas that were required to be part of the plan were:
1. Providing all students access to fully certificated teacher, instructional materials that align with state standards and safe facilities.
2. Implementation of California’s academic standards, including the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and math, Next Generation Science Standards, English language development, history social science, visual and performing arts, health education and physical education standards.
3. Parent involvement and participation, so that the local community is engaged in the decision-making process and the educational programs of the students.
4. Improving student achievement and outcomes using measures like test scores, English proficiency and college and career preparedness.
5. Supporting student engagement including those who are chronically absent.
6. Highlight school climate and correctness through such factors as suspension and expulsion rates and other locally identified means.
7. Ensure that all students have access to classes that prepare them for college and careers, regardless of what school they attend or where they live.
8. Measuring important student outcomes related to required areas of study, including physical education and the arts.
In addition, districts were also allowed to incorporate plan goals related to their own priorities.
The five goals that make up the approved 2016-2017 LCAP for Tehachapi Unified were outlined by Regina Green, Director of Instructional Services at the August 9 Board meeting:
1. All students will make progress in meeting or exceeding standards in all core areas by increasing at least one performance level on relevant assessments.
2. All English learners will show progress towards attaining English language proficiency in the four domains of reading, writing, speaking and listening across all content areas.
3. Upon graduation, all students will be career, college, or military ready by providing all students the opportunities to participate in wide-ranging articulated educational programs.
4. Utilizing healthy kids, parent and staff surveys to assess the school climate, all students will be educated in a safe and positive learning environment.
5. Provide supportive opportunities for parents to meaningfully participate in the education of all students.
Included in the plan are detailed means for achieving each of the goals. The complete LCAP is available on the district’s website.
