Governor Jerry Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula Initiative (LCFF) is California’s recent funding law that puts the most comprehensive emphasis yet on the importance of family and other stakeholders in the educational progress of school children in grades K-12. Through the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), a vital component of the initiative, school districts are tasked with meeting eight specific priorities set forth by the initiative for each school year, with an eye on bringing parents, teachers, and school personnel together in one concerted effort to help every student succeed.

Each district’s LCAP sets a clear and determined vision for student achievement by establishing goals and a course of action for meeting the standards set within those goals on an annual basis. These outcomes are formulated as per the strict guidelines laid out in eight priority areas developed by the California Board of Education.

Every LCAP reflects the importance of stakeholder engagement by making it the first concern of each school district’s action protocol. By placing such importance on the role of parents in the academic development of the child, the LCFF and LCAP is laying the groundwork with family stakeholders to foster a meaningful and sophisticated learning community that encourages students to excel by working to understand and respond to their educational needs. The LCAP encompasses an extensive engagement process that puts the students first and welcomes input from parents to assist in the development of annual plans for maximum efficacy and positive, goal-oriented outcomes. Parents who are fully invested in their children’s futures play an essential part in the implementation of academic standards and driving positive educational outcomes for students with respect to English proficiency, test scores, and preparation for college by becoming more present and active in the learning community.

Districts can seek to encourage effective school-family communications by adopting a parent center at a majority of schools within the district, engaging in parent surveys, and offering workshops for staff to help parents become more involved in supporting their students’ achievements.

Lectura Books publishes quality bilingual books that are perfect for building diverse libraries at parent centers and school classrooms. Teachers benefit greatly from attending a workshop to better understand the Latino immigrant population and our curriculum with concrete lesson plans for a proven, successful Parent Involvement Program.