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District presents LCAP draft: arts pathways, English‑learner focus, assessment pilots and community‑schools bid
Summary
At a study session the Placentia‑Yorba Linda Unified School District reviewed its draft LCAP, presenting enrollment and budget figures, new and revised actions for English learners, performing‑arts pathway options, K–2 screener pilots, math fellows, expanded family‑engagement work and a pending community‑schools grant application.
The Placentia‑Yorba Linda Unified School District used a study session on April 22 to review a draft Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) that lays out 10 district goals and actions tied to the Local Control Funding Formula. Staff flagged areas of progress and concern — a one‑year uptick in enrollment and strong performance on several Dashboard indicators, alongside declines in English‑learner progress and lower elementary writing prompts — and proposed targeted actions and professional development to address gaps.
Dr. Young opened the session with a framing of the LCAP as a three‑year continuous improvement process and invited staff to gather board feedback on revised and new actions before a final draft is returned for approval in June. Joan Velasco presented a budget snapshot tied to LCAP priorities: "We have a total revenue for next year currently budgeted at $367,000,000," she said, and noted second‑interim expenditures were shown at about $400.5 million in the materials.
Key priorities discussed:
- English learners and LTELs: Staff and trustees identified English learners and long‑term English learners as a districtwide focus. The district described an EL master plan, increased LPAC and LPAC‑adjacent work, goal‑setting for EL students, and professional development focused on GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) and cross‑content writing supports. Staff emphasized that EL progress is a moving target because of student mobility and frequent reclassification.
- Writing decline and assessment changes: Trustees asked about a decline in K–5 writing prompts; staff said the district convened teachers three years ago to align rubrics to state metrics and will continue writing professional development this summer. The district is piloting two state‑approved K–2 screeners (Amira and another product) with a teacher group set to recommend a selection by May 1 and a final board decision by June.
- Performing arts pathway vs. districtwide recognition: Trustees discussed whether to designate a single performing‑arts high school or to create a districtwide recognition (a cord or diploma "seal") that allows students at any site to complete a defined sequence, rather than concentrating programs at one campus.
- Career and Technical Education (CTE): Staff reported CTE participation is robust: about 39% of high‑school students take a CTE class. The district plans to disaggregate CTE matriculation and achievement data by subgroup beginning January 1 next year to track access for unduplicated pupils.
- Math fellows and teacher leaders: The district described a three‑year math‑fellows program (about 15 fellows) who receive training and then model lessons, coach peers and record resources for wider teacher use.
- Family and community engagement: The district described family literacy nights, parent workshops and the community engagement initiative that shaped the LCAP. Staff noted a pending community schools grant application targeted Title I schools, with notification expected around May 31; if awarded, those grants would add family‑liaison positions and other supports.
- Student supports and wraparound services: Staff reviewed foster‑youth mentoring, trauma‑informed classroom strategies, attendance interventions (the "Attend to Achieve" campaign aiming for 1% attendance gains), and partnerships for health screenings and mobile clinic pilots through community MOUs.
Trustees raised funding sustainability repeatedly: some programs have been seeded by one‑time grants (Arts & Music block grant, community schools planning funds), and trustees asked how the district will sustain stipends, coaching and expanded services when those grants end.
What's next: The district will collect board feedback, continue targeted community engagement and return a final LCAP draft for board action in June; staff will also finalize the K–2 screener recommendation and continue to map out which actions require ongoing general‑fund support versus one‑time grant funding.
