Central Unified adopts 2025–26 LCAP after months of outreach; trustees press for clearer community metrics

Central Unified School District trustees voted 7–0 June 24 to adopt the district’s 2025–26 Local Control and Accountability Plan, the three‑year blueprint the district uses to allocate state and federal funds and to set goals on academics, student wellness and equity.

The plan includes additions the district said were driven by stakeholder input: Madison Elementary was added as an “equity multiplier” school that will receive supplemental state support, the district is adding an instructional support coach targeted at secondary schools and an additional newcomer teacher to support students newly arrived to California, and staffing and counseling hours were increased in targeted actions.

Director of Educational Services Kayla Grigsby said the district collected feedback using a new vendor, Parsec, which she described as easier for families and able to “do automatic translations on the fly and convert it back to a language that the staff here at the district office can utilize.” Grigsby told trustees that 1,237 respondents completed the district’s outreach evaluations and that more than 561 student surveys came from unduplicated or underrepresented student groups.

Trustees and community speakers said they appreciated the outreach but asked for more concrete, trackable evidence of engagement. Trustee Sellers asked that counts of survey responses and town‑hall attendance be included in the plan or accompanying materials so future boards can compare year‑to‑year participation. “If it’s not in writing, it didn’t happen,” Sellers said during discussion, pressing staff to find a place in the template to record response totals and partner engagement.

Trustee Carrillo and others urged the district to strengthen training for family outreach liaisons (FOLs), ELACs and School Site Councils so those groups can meaningfully participate in LCAP discussions. Carrillo noted the district had created the FOL positions and said she expects them to be central to collecting parent feedback. Director Grigsby and Interim Superintendent Dr. O’Brien said staff will convene training and provide more targeted supports at the start of the school year.

Public commenter Elizabeth Grama Luna, speaking as a DELAC member, told the board she had observed inconsistent knowledge of the LCAP at site ELAC meetings and urged that all EL coordinators receive training so parents can engage effectively.

Board members also requested that the district preserve and report the names of community partners who participated in town halls and outreach and consider quarterly check‑ins to show how relationships with community‑based organizations evolve. Grigsby said the district will attempt to include partner lists and evidence of engagement in the LCAP’s “analysis” sections where allowable under the state template and will provide additional reports if the template does not permit detail.

The plan will be submitted to the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools on or before June 30 for county review, as required by state timelines. Grigsby said the district will provide a training session for principals and site leaders at the start of the school year to help them lead LCAP and school site council discussions.

Direction and next steps from the board included: staff will (1) attempt to add response counts and partner lists to the LCAP where the state template allows or include them in the analysis sections, (2) convene FOLs and site leaders before the school year for training on LCAP and parent engagement, and (3) provide a quarterly report or an agreed cadence of check‑ins so trustees can track progress on community partnerships and engagement metrics.

The board approved the LCAP following a motion by Trustee Carrillo, seconded by Trustee Kirk, by a vote of 7–0.

Grigsby said the district will submit the final LCAP and accompanying budget materials to the county by June 30 and will return to the board in early fall with training plans and any technical edits from county review.