Board reviews draft LCAP, signals deeper outcome tracking and program shifts
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Summary
District staff presented the draft Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and described program and funding changes that will shift how services for unduplicated students are measured and paid for; the board did not take final action and will consider approval at a later meeting.
Reno, a district staff member, presented the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) to the Western Placer Unified School District Board and described the plan s the district—udget and program blueprint for pupils identified as English learners, socioeconomically disadvantaged, foster or homeless, and students with disabilities.
"The funds, for the most part, are funneled directly at them so we can help them be successful," Reno said, summarizing the LCAP—unding premise.
The LCAP presentation outlined programs currently funded (AVID, counseling and mental health supports, academic interventions, credit recovery, newcomer ELD, dual language immersion at Creekside, technology subscriptions, summer credit recovery, and wellness centers at the three secondary sites) and described proposed changes for 2025 nd 2026. Staff said summer school will move from LCAP to Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) funding; the district plans to add early literacy screening (reading difficulties risk screeners) and expand data tools (Performance Matters, PowerSchool analytics and a new Analytics & Insights product) to better measure outcomes.
District staff said several program reductions or realignments are planned to balance the budget and focus services: a reduction in first-grade instructional aide allocations; elimination of one educational services specialist (reducing the department from three specialists to two) after a staff departure; and a shift of wellness-center operating costs off a Placer County Office of Education (PCOE) grant onto the district budget. Staff estimated the district will absorb roughly $350,000 per year to continue wellness-center services after the PCOE grant ends.
Board members and staff pressed for more outcome data tied to specific LCAP investments. Reno and other staff said the LCAP leadership team asked for stronger, more frequent performance measures so the district can tell whether particular programs are producing the intended gains. Staff described two tiers of data they want to expand: long-term summative results (SBAC and other outcomes) and shorter-cycle evidence (PLC-level common-assessment tracking and program participation data) that could allow midyear adjustments.
Public commenters and parent advisory representatives urged clearer, translated family communications, stronger transition supports between grades (fifth-to-sixth and eighth-to-ninth) and continued support for dual-language and AVID programs. District staff said parent information nights and improved outreach will be added to the LCAP action list.
No formal board action to adopt the LCAP took place; staff said final approval is scheduled for a subsequent board meeting after additional revisions and data requests.
The board asked staff to return with the updated LCAP showing the additional performance metrics and with clarifications about where reduced positions and the shifted wellness costs will appear in the 2025 nd 2026 budgets.
