Volume 23-24, Issue 2

December 2023

Greetings,

In September, we provided our community with information on the state budget, district enrollment, student attendance, and how these factors impact school funding. At that time, we were awaiting the October 16 tax filing deadline to see if the state’s estimated $31.5 billion budget shortfall for 2023/24 would materialize. 

In October, the tax filing deadline was further postponed until November 16. Approximately 40 percent of the total tax revenues were delayed because of the extension. While the exact figures are still being calculated, the Legislative Analyst’s Office confirms state revenues are significantly below projections. To put this information in perspective, school funding declines by roughly 40 cents for each $1 drop in the state’s general fund. As a result, a budget deficit of $32 billion could have a sizeable impact on schools. We expect to learn more about how the state will respond to this shortfall on January 10 when the Governor’s 2024/25 Budget Proposal will be released. As always, we will continue to keep our community informed.

In the meantime, this second issue of the district’s Dollars & Sense newsletter focuses on the 2023/24 Local Control and Accountability Plan and the district’s Budget Advisory Committee. We hope you’ll take just a few minutes to learn more.



Sincerely,

Anne Silavs

Superintendent  

2023/24 Local Control and Accountability Plan

The difference between LCFF and LCAP

In the September issue of Dollars & Sense, information was provided about the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and how it provides approximately 95% of all unrestricted revenues to Cypress School District. In total, the district expects to receive approximately $40.2 million this school year from the LCFF. Included within these monies are supplemental base grant funds. 

Supplemental base grant funds are allocated based on the district’s unduplicated count of English learners, low-income students, and foster youth. The district’s unduplicated count percentage this year is 49.56%, and we expect to receive approximately $3.4 million in supplemental base grant funds. These monies are intended to support the district’s neediest students. The Cypress School District does not qualify for concentration grant funds, which are additional dollars provided to districts with 55% or more of these three student populations.

The Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) is how a district accounts for the spending of its supplemental and concentration grant funding. The LCAP is required to identify annual goals, specify the actions that will help achieve these goals, and measure progress. LCAP goals and spending must align with the state’s LCFF priorities to support the whole child, which include things like student achievement, student engagement, parent involvement, and school climate.

The LCAP requires districts to include teachers and staff, students and parents, and other members of the school community in the LCAP planning process each year. One way input can be provided is by completing the 2023/24 LCAP Educational Partners Input Survey. Both the 2023/24 LCAP and the 2024/25 LCAP survey are available on the district website. The survey is open through December 22, 2023.

2023/24 Budget Advisory Committee

In order to provide guidance in the development of the budget, Cypress School District has established a Budget Advisory Committee. The purpose of this committee is to help ensure fiscal solvency. Though the committee is not a decision-making body, it does make budget recommendations, particularly during times when there is a reduction in state funding for schools.

Committee participation is voluntary and includes teacher/staff representation from each school. Typically, the committee meets 3-4 times a year, and committee members have the responsibility to communicate to their respective bargaining group’s leadership. Following are this year’s Budget Advisory Committee members.

QUICK FACTS

2023/24 Student-to-Teacher Ratios