CREATION OF A NEW SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IS IN MOTION

Between now and September the State Board of Education will take important steps toward reinventing California’s accountability system for K-12 schools. With the state’s $54 billion investment in K-12 schools it is imperative we get this right.

The first issue the State Board must address is finalizing the Local Control Funding Formula’s (LCFF) evaluation rubric, which will lay a foundation for how we gauge student, school, and district success. Signed into law in 2013, LCFF created a more streamlined and equitable California’s school funding system that provides additional funding to schools with concentrated populations of high-needs students and requires every school district to create a Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) to help ensure student outcomes drive funding decisions.

The Board also is beginning to develop some guiding principles for the overall state accountability system, including the replacement of the Academic Performance Index (API). California’s recent adoption of several major reforms – including LCFF and Common Core – demands a new approach to accountability that connects these reforms effectively to ensure student success.

The Bay Area Council works to inform the work of the State Board of Education. Our focus is to advocate strongly for accountability and transparency that lead to better student outcomes and efficiencies. Dramatic changes are in motion that, if successfully implemented, will move California’s education system to strong improvements. Bay Area Council continues to push for those key changes. To engage in our education policy work, contact Vice President Linda Galliher.