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Parents urge Natomas Unified to shift LCAP spending away from IB, consultants toward basic literacy and interventions
Summary
During the LCAP public hearing parents and community groups urged the board to reallocate funds from IB and outside consultants to evidence-based reading instruction, targeted tutoring and inclusive classroom supports; several speakers cited disproportionately low proficiency rates for Black and Hispanic students.
Parents, advocacy groups and district staff discussed the draft 2025-26 Local Control and Accountability Plan at length, with several speakers arguing the district should prioritize basic literacy and direct student supports over expensive programs and consultants.
"$2,000,000 on IB could provide many aids for her son to be able to engage in the classroom," said Jen Souza, who criticized a planned districtwide investment in the International Baccalaureate program and highlighted duplicative software spending on I-Ready and IXL. The Natomas Black Families United Coalition told trustees the district lacked consistent, high-quality interventions for grades 3–12 and cited the state dashboard showing large cohorts of students not at grade level.
Other public commenters urged the district to pause expansion of IB until the program's impact is verified and recommended scaling up evidence-based reading instruction and tutoring. Michelle Jackson asked the board to "pause IB district wide" and evaluate whether the program benefits a small subset of students while the majority lack foundational reading and math supports.
District staff and trustees responded that the LCAP is a three-year, iterative plan and pointed to existing investments in curriculum, math and literacy interventions and the online district progress report. Executive Director Steven Fong noted the LCAP includes expenditure tables and that the district will continue to refine targets and actions ahead of formal adoption. No LCAP approval vote was taken tonight; the LCAP hearing was closed for board consideration and staff will return to the board with final adoption items in upcoming meetings.
