For Immediate Release

Contact: Elisa Rivera

(209) 726-5495 Elisa.Rivera@sen.ca.gov

Senator Anna M. Caballero Announces Legislation to Allow Parents and Community Members to Know How Schools are Spending Money to Help Disadvantaged Students 

Sacramento- Senator Anna M. Caballero (D-Merced) announced Senate Bill 609 today; legislation to increase transparency in the use of supplemental and concentration funds intended for specific student groups. Currently, the Superintendent of a school district is required to post their Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) on the internet website of the County Office of Education. Unfortunately, information can be difficult to find, and in some instances, buried deep within the COE’s website. Difficulty in accessing this critical information leaves no way for parents, community members or children’s advocate groups to determine if the supplemental concentration funds are used in a meaningful way to address California’s student achievement gap.

SB 609  will ensure parents and communities have access to information to  understand where multibillion dollar investments dedicated to improve the learning experience of students are made by streamlining access to the information. Specifically, this bill would require the California Department of Education (CDE) to post links to all County Office of Education local control and accountability plans (LCAP) on the California School Dashboard, which is easily accessible. The LCAP plans will also have a link or access to information on the local priorities for use of the supplemental and concentration funds.

“The enactment of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) was intended to address educational inequities and provide schools, parents, and communities with the local control necessary to meet their unique needs. However, to have true local control, we must guarantee that parents and communities are well informed of the decisions made by local education agencies. SB 609 would ensure transparency in the use of multibillion-dollar investments dedicated to serving students. Furthermore, it will help ensure that supplemental and concentration funds are utilized to serve the most vulnerable students as it was intended.” – Senator Anna M. Caballero

 

For interviews or inquiries, please contact Elisa Rivera at (209) 726-5495

Senator Anna M. Caballero represents the 14^th Senate District, composed of majority portions of Merced, Fresno and Madera Counties.

* Senator Anna M. Caballero serves as the Interim Representative for the Salinas Valley and San Benito County until 2024 when a newly elected Senator will become the representative