Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Overview

The California 2013-2014 Budget Act and related legislation (Assembly Bill 97, Senate Bill 97, and Senate Bill 91) made significant changes to the state public school funding system. The legislation introduced the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) which simplifies the funding process and strengthens local accountability. Through the LCFF, local educational agencies (LEAs) receive funds based on local student demographics. The Legislative Analyst’s Office Overview of LCFF from 2013 includes an explanation of a new school funding system.

An important component of the LCFF is the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). LEAs must use the state-approved LCAP template to develop a plan that includes annual goals and actions that will be implemented to meet state priority related resources and describe the related budget. The LCFF requires county offices of education to approve the LCAPs and budgets for districts within their county. Contact the Riverside County Office of Education with questions about LCFF and/or LCAP.

The Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) communicates local educational agencies’ (LEAs) actions and expenditures to support student outcomes and overall performance. The LCAP is a three-year plan, which is reviewed and updated annually, as required. Charter schools may complete the LCAP to align with the term of the charter school’s budget, typically one year, which is submitted to the school’s authorizer.

EC52071 indicates that if a county superintendent of schools does not approve an LCAP adopted by a governing board of a school district, the county superintendent of schools shall provide technical assistance focused on revising the LCAP or annual update so that it can be approved.

For any school district for which one or more pupil subgroups meets the criteria for technical assistance, the county superintendent of schools shall provide technical assistance for a minimum of two years following the identification that shall be focused on building the school district’s capacity to develop and implement actions and services responsive to pupil and community needs, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

1. Assisting the school district to identify its strengths and weaknesses. This shall include working collaboratively with the school district to review performance data on the state and local indicators included in the California School Dashboard, including educator qualifications data and relevant local data to identify effective, evidence-based programs or practices that address any areas of weakness. Identify pupil subgroups that are low performing or experiencing significant disparities from other pupil subgroups as identified on the California School Dashboard. 
2. Working collaboratively with the school district to secure assistance from an academic, programmatic, or fiscal expert or team of experts to identify and implement effective programs and practices that are designed to improve performance in any areas of weakness identified by the school district. The county superintendent of schools, in consultation with the school district, may solicit another service provider, which may include, but is not limited to, a school district, county office of education, or charter school, to act as a partner to the school district in need of technical assistance.
3. Obtaining from the school district timely documentation demonstrating that it has completed the activities described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), or substantially similar activities, or has selected another service provider pursuant to subdivision (f) to work with the school district to complete the activities described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), or substantially similar activities, and ongoing communication with the school district to assess the school district’s progress in improving pupil outcomes.
4. Requesting that the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence provide advice and assistance to the school district, pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 52074.
5. A review of the school district’s local control and accountability plan to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses in the identified goals, actions, and services, with a particular focus on those areas considered to be contributing toward meeting the increased or improved services requirement and all required goals.

• Quick Links
• RCOE LCAP Support for Districts and Charter Schools

 Riverside County Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs)

• District LCAPs
• Charter School LCAPs

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LCAP Live! Video Series

Highlighting best practices from Riverside County school districts.

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AACI LCAP Newsletters

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LCAP Development Resources