Latino Caucus Applauds Signing of Local Control Funding Formula Legislation

SACRAMENTO – Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, commended Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today for the signing of AB 97 and SB 91, the budget trailer bills that revolutionize the distribution of state funding for California schools.  Under the new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) school districts will not only receive more funding on a per pupil basis, but schools with high concentrations of disadvantaged English language learning students will receive substantial grants to meet their needs.

“For too long a student’s zip code and family hardship have dictated the quality of their education. The new formula and additional funds for our students will help mitigate funding disparities in school districts across our state,” said Senator Lara. “Over 52% of the student population (3.2 million) in our public school system is Latino and “minority” students (Latino, African American, Asian and Native American) account for nearly 75%.  As these numbers have increased, so have the inequities in funding.  The LCFF will reverse these downward trends in funding and help undo the damage caused by years of budget cuts.”

In the 2013-14 school years, the LCFF will direct an additional $2.1 billion to our public schools. Districts across the state will receive additional funding on a per pupil basis and those with high numbers of low income, English language learners and foster youth students will generate needed funds through special supplemental and concentration grants.

As the name implies, the LCFF provides local districts with more authority and responsibility.  There will also be greater oversight and transparency of how the funds are utilized and dispersed.  “Ensuring that funds get to those students that need it the most is vital to our state’s long term economic viability.  If we are not properly educating our future workforce, we run the risk of undermining our entire economy,” said Lara.