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School Plan Guidance for Districts and Charters

Guidance for Single School Districts and Charter schools that use the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) as the Schoolwide Program (SWP) Plan.

Schoolwide Program Plan Requirement | Educational Partner Engagement Requirements | LCAP Guidance | School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) LCAP Planning Summary | Flexibilities for School Improvement Planning Requirements | Statutes and Regulations | Additional Resources

Schoolwide Program Plan Requirement

As a condition of receiving Title I, Part A funding, a local educational agency (LEA) must ensure that each school within the LEA that operates a Schoolwide Program (SWP) develops and implements a comprehensive SWP plan, also known as the School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). (California Education Code [EC] Section 64001[a]; Every Student Succeeds Act [ESSA] Section 1114[b]).

Effective January 1, 2019, single school districts and charter schools may use the LCAP, with the inclusion of Title I, Part A funded expenditures, to serve as the SPSA, provided that the LCAP meets the ESSA school planning requirements and the educational partner requirements in EC Section 52062[a]. (EC Section 64001[j]).

Educational Partner Engagement Requirements

Typically, a school that operates a categorical program funded through the Consolidated Application (ConApp) is required to establish a Schoolsite council (SSC) if such program requires a SPSA (EC Section 65000[b]).

The exception to the requirement is that EC Section 64001(j) allows a single school district or charter school to use its LCAP, with the inclusion of Title I, Part A funded expenditures, and the educational partner requirements in EC Section 52062(a) to meet federal school planning and educational partner requirements.

Therefore, if a single school district or charter school is using the LCAP to meet federal schoolwide planning requirements, it is not required to establish an SSC. Instead, the local governing board or body of the LEA must establish a Parent Advisory Committee and English Learner Parent Advisory Committee, as applicable, consistent with EC Section 52063. Additionally, prior to the local governing board or body’s adoption of the LCAP, the school must:

  1. Present the LCAP to the Parent Advisory Committee and English Learner Parent Advisory Committee, as applicable, for review and comment.
  2. Provide opportunity for the public to submit written comments about the actions and expenditures in the LCAP and/or the annual update to the LCAP.
  3. Consult with the special education local plan area (SELPA) to ensure there are specific actions for students with disabilities in the LCAP consistent with strategies included in the annual assurances support plan for the education of individuals with exceptional needs.
  4. Present a midyear update to the local governing board or body of the LEA.

It is important to note: If a single school district or charter school is not using the LCAP to meet federal schoolwide plan requirements and instead is completing a SPSA in addition to the LCAP, the single school district or charter school is required to establish an SSC.

LCAP Guidance

If single school districts and/or charter schools elect to use the LCAP to serve as the SPSA, the LEA must demonstrate that the combined plan meets legal requirements of each plan.

LCAP planning requirements are available in the LCAP Instructions. The latest LCAP template and instructions may be found on the CDE’s LCAP webpage.

The SPSA planning requirements are available in the CDE’s SPSA template. The latest SPSA template and instructions may also be found on the CDE’s LCAP webpage.

As a convenience, the CDE has broken out the Plan Requirements for Title I Schoolwide Program (DOCX) into a separate document. This document breaks down the ESSA, Title I Schoolwide Program requirements for planning reference.

SPSA/LCAP Planning Summary

The CDE has developed a resource to assist single school districts and charter schools in meeting the SPSA planning requirements in the LCAP.

The SPSA/LCAP Planning Summary webpage explains how to utilize the LCAP to meet SPSA planning requirements.

Flexibilities for School Improvement Planning Requirements

Assembly Bill 716 (California Legislative Information) External link opens in new window or tab. , streamlines and aligns state and federal planning processes. This statute includes allowing the SPSA to meet ESSA requirements for comprehensive support and improvement (CSI) or targeted support and improvement (TSI) planning requirements.

Single school districts and charter schools may use the LCAP, with the inclusion of all federal planning requirements, to meet the CSI or additional targeted support and improvement (ATSI) planning requirements, provided the combined plan demonstrates all applicable state and federal planning requirements are met.

If single school districts and charter schools choose to exercise this option, the following web pages outlines the LCAP requirements to support LEA school planning efforts:

For additional information on CSI, please visit the CSI webpage.

For additional information on ATSI, please visit the TSI/ATSI webpage.

Statutes and Regulations

Additional Resources

Contact Information:

For questions related to the LCAP and SPSA, contact the Local Agency Systems Support Office at LCFF@cde.ca.gov.

For questions related to the CSI and ATSI, contact the School Improvement Support Office at SISO@cde.ca.gov.

For any questions related to Federal Program Monitoring, please contact the Title I Monitoring and Support Office at TIMSO@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Local Agency Systems Support Office | LCFF@cde.ca.gov
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, April 9, 2024
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