Sweetwater staff outline $71 million Local Control and Accountability Plan, emphasize equity and learning-recovery spending

District staff presented the Sweetwater Union High School District’s proposed Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) during the board’s June 9 meeting, describing goals, stakeholder engagement and funding allocations.

Dr. Alvarez, who led the presentation, told the board the LCAP is “a 3 year plan,” and outlined six goal areas that will guide the district’s actions: teaching and learning (college/ career readiness), school culture and safety, parent and community engagement, operational systems, site-specific equity multiplier work (Alta Vista Academy and Palomar), and a new learning-recovery goal tied to the state’s learning recovery block grant. “We have about $71,000,000 for this year’s LCAP,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez said the district’s LCAP process included year-long engagement with parents, students, site councils, advisory committees and a student committee representing each trustee area. He described the LCAP as detailed (the district’s plan document is about 276 pages) and said the LCAP ties actions to metrics such as A–G completion rates, graduation, SBAC performance, English-learner progress, chronic absenteeism, suspension and survey results.

Key actions described for academic goals include class-size reduction, counselors, ELD supports, career-technical education expansions, instructional coaches (TOSAs and APEX coaches), additional tutors and targeted programs such as AVID and International Baccalaureate at selected sites. For equity work at Alta Vista Academy and Palomar, Alvarez said site-specific actions aim to raise graduation rates and reduce chronic absenteeism.

The new learning-recovery goal incorporates supplemental activities funded by the state learning recovery block grant, including teachers on special assignment, tutoring, and mental-health supports; Alvarez and staff noted the grant currently is scheduled to sunset and that legislative action could extend it through 2027. He said last year the district added a goal associated with the equity multiplier and that this year’s plan adds the learning-recovery focus to allow easier tracking of associated funds.

Board members asked for additional detail on engagement counts; Alvarez said the district received roughly 20,000 responses across the LCAP and community-schools surveys. Alvarez said the county’s review on a draft LCAP provided “positive” feedback with minimal requested changes; staff plan to return to the board for adoption alongside the budget and then submit to the county for approval.

The presentation outlined that actions and expenditures are attributed to metrics and that the LCAP includes a parent-oriented budget overview required by LCFF (Local Control Funding Formula) rules. Staff will return with the final documents at the district’s next meeting for adoption.