Funding of Schools: Sacramento City Unified

 On June 10,2021 the Sacramento City Unified School Board will meet on two critical issues; the budget and the Local Control Accountability Plan ( required by state law). 

You may participate via Zoom on the SCUSD Board site.

https://www.scusd.edu/boe060321

The SCUSD presently has  a $206 million dollar surplus.  They will claim a deficit and register for continuing monitoring.

 

On the LCAP plan,  Here is the response from the local chairs of the League of United Latin American Citizens Education Committee. 

Re: Public Hearing: Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) 3-Year . June 10,2021. 

 

From:  Education Co Chairs; LULAC of Sacramento

 

We have substantial concerns with the district LCAP  plan as proposed.

 

1.    Over 17% of the students in the district are English learners.

2.    The district receives supplemental and concentration funds of $ 79.2 million to improve the academic achievement of specific students.  At least $ 6 million is specifically to improve achievement of English learners.

3.    The LCAP proposal for 2021/2022  does not provide any measure of actual improved achievement for English learners resulting from the use of these funds as required by the LCFF legislation.

4.    The major strategy proposed is the  use of Standards Aligned Instruction.  There is no evidence that such instruction improves English acquisition. For example you could improve instruction by lowering class sizes in rooms with a significant number of English learners.  Or, by providing paraprofessional assistants in these classes to assist English learners.

We have consistently recommended using these strategies to improve instruction.

5.    On the state scorecard SCUSD has a reclassification rate of 9.73 %.  This is below acceptable. 

WE have been asking this board for four years to use the funds allocated under LCFF to improve the achievement of English learners.  You have yet to do this.  Our feedback has been ignored. ( Copies of the prior requests are available).

 

We support the alternative budget proposals of the Community Priorities Coalition including to  increase the budget targeted to improving the achievement of English Learners. 

 

We request that the SCUSD board adopt a new policy, consistent with the intent of LCFF. When supplemental and concentration funds are not completely used for their intended purpose in one year, the carry over funds for the next year be restricted so they may only be used for the improvement of achievement of English learners or other designated  supplemental and concentration funds  recipients  as required by the LCFF .

 

We request that this statement of concern be entered into the record as a response to the June 10,2021 hearing on the Local Control and Accountability Plan for Sacramento City Unified. 

 

Dr. Duane E. Campbell,

Professor Dolores Delgado Campbell

Co-chairs Education Committee 

 

League of United Latin American Citizens 2862, 

PO Box 160211, Sacramento, Ca 95816 

 

The League of United Latin American Citizens is the oldest and largest Latino membership organization in the county.  We are a national civil rights and service organization.