LCFF Grants AUSD Thousands of Dollars

JACQUELYN LOI
Staff Writer

California budget cuts are an ongoing issue that have resulted in increased class sizes and cut courses. However, after years of budget cuts, the Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD) is qualified to obtain thousands of dollars per student in the 2013-2014 school year.

Governor Jerry Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) will distribute $7,341 per student in the school district. The goal of the LCFF is to change California’s current way of funding schools into a simpler education funding formula for students. According to the Alhambra Source, these funds will continue to grow, eventually reaching $11,602 per student by the 2020-2021 school year. The grant will include additional funding for serving high-need students. It is also intended to restore K-12 funding to pre-recession levels over time.

“I believe the funding would most likely help with getting better equipment and supplies for student to use and perhaps it will allow us to restore some programs we have previously lost,” junior Kristy Li said.

In order to receive full funding, the school district must meet liability requirements. This includes following the Local Control Accountability Plan which, according to the California Department of Education, requires districts to list, in order of importance, eight priorities set by the state. The priorities include student achievement, engagement, outside test scores, parental involvement, course access, school climate, use of technology and implementation of the new Common Core standards.

“The funding is going to be used for general income to pay teachers, custodians and administration. […] A different amount will be given to each grade level. […] I believe that the funding will provide quality education and give additional services for the student who may need it,” Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Denise Jaramillo said.