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The Piedmont Highlander

The Piedmont Highlander

Gov. Brown suggests new funding formula

Governor Jerry Brown proposed a new public school funding plan, named the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), that gives local control to school boards to decide how best to spend their money.

“As the name implies the new funding formula is as much about giving districts the ability [control] to use funds that support their community as it is about the actual funds,” Superintendent Constance Hubbard said.

Hubbard said one of the programs that will be included as part of the LCFF is class size reduction to support grades K-3 and high school ninth grade math and language arts classes.

Under the current model, these programs have separate applications, forms and rules that are prescribed for all districts in the State. With this new concept though, there would be no application to the state and the Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) gets to decide the parameters for how it applies the funds.

“I see the concept of local control as good,” Hubbard said. “I have concerns that it still does not address the fundamental issue that education for all students is not adequately funded by the state.”

Under this new plan Piedmont would receive the same amount of funds for the 2013-14 school year as it did in the 2012-2013, when they combine the various programs into one. It does not increase funding for some districts like Piedmont as it does for other districts like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland.

Currently, approximately 55% of our total funding is from the state or approximately $6,000 per student of the $11,500 per student that we spend, Hubbard said.

According to the California Department of Finance, with the implementation of the LCFF, the estimated projections for PUSD is approximately $6,208 for 2013-14 per average daily attendance (ADA), and will be $6,407 for 2014-15 per ADA. In five years with the full implementation of the LCFF, PUSD would receive $8,237 per ADA.

For the 2011-12 revenues from formula derived sources it was $6,086 per ADA.

Hubbard said, “Big urban districts that have [a] greater percent of students with higher needs than our District [will] receive more funds.”

Hubbard said school districts like Oakland will see an increase in funding that is proportionately higher. San Ramon Valley will continue to be funded at a significantly lower rate than Piedmont.

“I think there is support for changing the funding model to give districts more control,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard said also there are significant issues that are not addressed such as transportation. Big and rural districts depend on buses to get kids to school. One of the arguments against this particular version of the formula is how districts with significant transportation costs will deal with getting kids to and from schools.

“I think that the Governor is set on getting a change,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard said there is also a push to have this issue dealt with via policy, not budget committees in the legislature which could delay the implementation.

“I also agree that students have needs that require additional support that should be considered,” Hubbard said. “California still will rank in the 44-48th in the nation in funding for schools. We need to be at least at the national average in funding for all students.”

The final version of the LCFF will be set after May 15 when the Governor announces the May Revise that sets the stage for what will be approved as part of the state’s final budget.

 

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