2023 LCAP Approval Timeline

Each year, our District updates its current Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) to show progress on LCAP goals and any modifications or adjustments to LCAP expenditures. Below is our 2023 LCAP Update that will be presented to the Board of Education at the June 13, 2023 Board Meeting for discussion, and then presented for approval by the Board at the June 20, 2023 Board Meeting. 

The 2023 Local Control Accountability Plan has been developed after months of input from all groups in our district, including staff, students, parents and community members. We invited the public to comment on the 2023 LCAP Draft Plan from May 26 through June 5, 2023 and are sharing responses to those comments and questions below.  

Questions and Comments Related to Goal 1- Academic Success

• How to enable best advanced courses for kids and coaching to get them into a good school?

Our LCAP funds a college and career counselor at each high school to assist students in navigating the path from high school to college. We also support Livermore Learns, which is a parent education service. Information and details on college readiness are shared on this platform as well.

• Based on my view from the LCAP, it appears that a lot of time, energy and focus is on Tier 2 and Tier 3 academic supports. I am wondering how much time and discussion was put forth to evaluate current tier one instruction effectiveness as a starting point. Does Livermore have a vision of strong tier one instruction and/or what instructional coherence across the day in the life of a student looks like? I am also wondering what conclusions are being drawn around the increase in graduation rate, number of honor roll students (visible on local school billboards) with nationally normed data like SBAC that shows on 4/10 students in math meeting grade level expectations and the districts plan to ensure all students have access to a strong tier one instruction as the starting point.

Our Tier I instruction is definitely our first focus, and is primarily funded through our General Fund. Our LCAP focuses more intentionally on increased and/or improved services which specifically address the needs of English Learners, Low Income Students, and Foster Youth to provide additional supports and services beyond what is offered through our Tier I efforts. 

• Why aren't libraries and library staff written into the LCAP?

The LCAP is a small percentage of our District's budget focusing on increased and improved services for our unduplicated student populations. Our libraries are supported funds directly allocated to school sites.

• How are you addressing the needs of academically gifted students? I know of three families that have transferred to private schools already because of the lack of support and differentiation provided to high-achieving students. The district needs to address these students' needs or you are going to continue to lose students, many of whom contribute to the district's high state test scores. I don't want to pull my kids. I believe in public education, but my kids' needs need to be met, too.

Our elementary schools utilize various strategies to challenge students who are academically advanced. Here are some examples:

• • Universal Access (UA): Students who are already achieving academic standards can receive academic extensions at UA time, which is a block during the instructional day, 4 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time.
  • Differentiated Instruction: Teachers differentiate instruction by providing advanced learners with more challenging content, tasks, or projects. This can include assigning more complex problems or allowing students to explore topics in greater depth.
  • Enrichment Activities: Our elementary schools provide enrichment activities, such as special projects, research assignments, or creative tasks to engage advanced learners. These activities go beyond the standard curriculum and encourage students to explore their interests and extend their knowledge. Acceleration: Our schools can consider subject-specific acceleration for academically advanced students. This means that students may be moved ahead to a higher grade level in a specific subject (e.g. Math).
  • Contests: Students who are academically advanced can challenge themselves in our district contests: Spelling Bee and Science Odyssey. These events provide an additional outlet for students to showcase their knowledge and develop problem-solving skills.

Our High schools employ various strategies to address the needs of academically gifted students. Here are some examples:

• • Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) Courses: Our High schools offer honors or advanced courses in various subjects to challenge academically gifted students. These courses provide a more rigorous curriculum, faster pacing, and greater depth of content.
  • Dual Enrollment or College Credit Programs: Our High schools provide academically gifted students with the opportunity to take college-level courses through dual enrollment programs or earn college credit through Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. This allows students to challenge themselves academically and earn college credits while still in high school.
  • Mentorships and Research Opportunities: Our High schools facilitate mentorship programs or provide research opportunities for academically gifted students. These experiences allow students to work closely with professionals in their fields of interest, engage in advanced research projects, and explore their passions.
  • Competitions and Olympiads: Our High schools encourage academically gifted students to participate in academic competitions, Olympiads, or science fairs. These events provide challenges, recognition, and opportunities to showcase their talents.
    

Ultimately, we want all of our students to grow and learn. For our students who have already achieved the standard, we want to extend their learning beyond and we are happy to collaborate with families in meeting our students’ needs.  

• Pages 11 and 32 refer to high school IB as a a tool for equity. You recently announced cutting IB. You claim it doesn't support all students.
• During the IB presentation in the past years, the district presented IB diploma having definite benefits over AP courses and also highlighted the benefits of IB diploma. How is the school district now going to address the academic requirements of students who can take up academically challenging and holistic coursework like the one that was offered by now suspended IB Diploma program ? How is the cost for IB program not justifiable if more than double of that amount is spent on CTE? The LCAP plan shows both as non-contributing.
• I am sensitive to all three goals addressed in the drafted LCAP; that is part of the reason I transferred my kids to Joe Michell/GHS IB program years ago. IB offers much more opportunity for academic success for a much broader community (especially when it reaches 11/12th grade IB vs. AP, which only creates "Advance Placement" opportunities). IB creates life-long learners through critical thinking, problem solving and being open-minded. They LEARN how to except that their opinion may not always be the absolute right and to collaborate with others to understand various perspectives and viewpoints. This organically contributes to a safe and healthy learning environment (LCAP Goal #2). As for parent involvement & community involvement (LCAP Goal #3), I would highly recommend the district work harder to collaborate with the community before making huge, rash decisions such as cutting accredited programs that the district has invested many years and dollars into. The IB program brings a lot of value when fostered and supported effectively. It would be an absolute detriment to eliminate this program for the district, the community, as well as for the revenue it brings into the district. Furthermore, it concerns me that the district leaders may not understand or appreciate having IB within LVJUSD; being able to offer this globally recognized program that, not only contributes to the academic success of our students, but also the ability it has to contribute to the molding of self-sufficient, self-motivated, open-minded, curious, respectful and insightful future leaders. On another topic, although I understand not one program can financially be cut to always save another (also why cutting IB does not make sense), but if the district wants to save money, I would highly encourage a deep dive into this “free” breakfast and lunch program. While I understand it may be necessary to some underserved in our community, it is certainly not needed or even wanted by the entire community of students. Perhaps encourage the students to sign up when they register (no pre-reqs required – so it is available to everyone, but dollars, food and resources can be better managed).

We have identified a path forward that will enable Granada to offer a streamlined IB Diploma Programme beyond the 2024-25 school year at significant savings to the current cost. IB courses with high student enrollment (such as History of the Americas and Language and Literature) will continue to be offered, and a limited, but complete course pathway to earn an IB Diploma will be available.  

• We are requesting to give the first priority to home schoolers. What’s the procedure to get our home school which is Sunset Elementary for new admissions?
• We are hearing that Sunset School is getting a greater number of enrollments. Students who have Sunset as their home school are not getting the seat but people from outside the neighborhood are. We are requesting to give the first priority to home schoolers. What’s the procedure to get home school which is Sunset Elementary for new enrollment?

Students who live in the designated boundaries of a school get priority when they register during the open registration period. In March of each year we consider transfer requests, which are granted if there is space available at a school. Though it is possible that students in a neighborhood who register late will not have a spot remaining, they will go to the top of the waiting list. Though we do save some space for those who move into a neighborhood late, we can't always guarantee that there'll be enough.

• In the LCAP, page 32, section 1.4, IB is listed as a program option for all students, including English Learners, Foster Youth, Low Income and at-risk students, but then is incorrectly identified as not contributing to Goal 1. IB programs are designed to do exactly what goal 1 requires - teach the students skills and knowledge to graduate, attend college, or successfully pursue a career. The IB program is well-suited for the groups LVJUSD is targeting. IB teaches students to learn, and its international approach would appeal to English learners, as well as students who are not finding success in traditional educational avenues. LVJUSD should recognize the IB program as addressing the very metrics used to indicate success in goal 1. The success at Joe Michell should be encouraged in the rest of LVJUSD schools. Please mark IB as, "Yes, it does contribute to Goal 1 of the LCAP."
• Why is the IB program (Action #1.4) indicated as not contributing? IB has been shown to not only prepare students for college, but also to improve both college acceptance and graduation rates, especially for unduplicated learners.

The term "not contributing" simply means that we do not consider this program, to be contributing to "increased or improved services" for our unduplicated student population. IB, is a part of our general offerings, not something we offer above and beyond with our unduplicated student population identified as targeted beneficiaries. The term does not in any way attest to the program's value or contribution to positive educational experiences or outcomes for students.

Questions and Comments Related to Goal 2- Safe and Healthy Environment

• Our Jr High and High schools are not as safe as we think. Drugs, fights are occurrences that happen more and more. Kids are scared to even use the bathrooms at school due to being jumped or kids doing drugs. Can we discipline more or why doesn't the District create a new school for those students that take away learning and safety from other students.

We are continually calibrating passing period and break time monitoring of bathrooms at our Middle and High Schools. We encourage students to report issues in our bathrooms in order to address them promptly. The district does take these issues seriously and addresses them immediately in order to address students who disrupt the learning environment or pose a safety concern for those around them.

• En las escuelas cuenta más los alumnos que aportan más dinero ? (In schools, students who contribute more money count more?)

In our schools, every student matters to us. The additional LCAP funding that we receive is targeted toward English Learners, low-income students, and foster youth because data tells us that students in these categories require additional support.

• What can be done more specifically to reduce chronic absenteeism for students with disabilities? My daughter falls into that category, and has had minimal support for missed school due to her medical limitations. She needed home hospital last year (Spring 2022) but there was no one available to teach her. The learning loss was significant.

Thank you for sharing this concern. We certainly recognize the challenges for our medically fragile students and the importance of continued education during times when in-person attendance is not possible due to medical limitations. We will investigate this specific issue to ensure that those who require Home Hospital support receive it.

Questions and Comments Related to Goal 3- Parent & Community Engagement and Communication

• It's drastic confusion on the kids implenting LGBT teaching its traumatic causing big damage.

Thank you for sharing this concern. We appreciate the opportunity to clear up any misinformation. We do not have specific LGBTQ teaching. We do offer comprehensive sexual health education in grades 7 and 9 where issues related to sexuality and identity are taught and discussed. Additionally, Instructional materials used in California public schools must comply with Education Code sections 60040-60045 and 60048 as well as the State Board of Education (SBE) guidelines in Standards for Evaluating Instructional Materials for Social Content, 2013 Edition(DOC). These statutes and Board policies have been enacted so that instructional materials used in California: Portray accurately and equitably the cultural and racial diversity of American society; Demonstrate the contribution of minority groups and males and females to the development of California and the United States; Emphasize people in varied, positive, and contributing roles in order to influence students' school experiences constructively; and Do not contain inappropriate references to commercial brand names, products, and corporate or company logos.

• When surveys are taken they need to be taken broadly. Not pointed at cronies and frightened subordinates.

Our surveys were sent broadly to every parent, employee, and high school student in our school district.