MVLA board approves 2026–27 LCAP after data review and calls for clearer communication

The Mountain View–Los Altos Union High School District Board of Trustees approved the district’s 2026–27 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) following a presentation and extended discussion of data, survey feedback and planned actions.

Terry, the district presenter, said the plan continues two broad goals — equitable access to high‑quality instruction and expanded supports outside the classroom — and flagged measurable improvements on the California Dashboard. He told the board the district’s English Learner reclassification rate “increased from 9 to 27%,” and that the district is planning “a little over 10% of our dollars next year” to support its three targeted student groups, exceeding the 3% LCFF floor required by the state.

Trustees spent significant time on survey data and outreach. Staff described outreach to 11 partner groups and multiple surveys; trustees raised concerns about response rates and differences in perception between students and staff. Terry reported about 215 student responses and roughly 53 parent responses in the recent survey cycle, and noted staff participation was proportionally higher. Board members highlighted a persistent discrepancy: staff report substantially higher levels of course-team alignment and consistent grading than students report, and trustees asked for clearer definitions and guardrails to prevent declines among other student groups.

To address themes from stakeholders, the LCAP embeds SMART goals for individual actions and proposes several operational changes: deeper implementation and fidelity checks for the district’s 'constructing meaning' instructional approach; caps on co-taught classroom ratios and annual training for co-teaching teams; specific monitoring of newly reclassified English learners; expanded counselor interventions and tracking for tier‑2 supports; and a requirement that Career Technical Education courses include at least one work‑based learning experience per year, with internships and summer opportunities being expanded.

Trustees also requested better communication of program dollars and easier public access to the district’s AI handbook and related resources. One trustee asked staff to provide clearer dollar amounts tied to LCAP actions so families can see how funding links to programs.

After discussion and clarifications, Trustee Katherine moved to approve the LCAP and Trustee Alex seconded. The board approved the plan by voice vote (5‑0). The plan document and underlying data remain available on the district website; staff said final implementation details and progress monitoring will be reported in upcoming board updates.