CHOOL BUDGETS LCFF, Catagoricals & LCAP- Oh My! In our ongoing effort to share insights about our school and district budgets, we would like to provide information on our revenue sources and how funds are allocated. Revenue We have three primary revenue streams that contribute to our income: Categorical Federal Funding : These funds are allocated based on student populations and enrollment, coming with strict limitations. They must be utilized for Federally prioritized programs and involve numerous compliance and reporting requirements. State Funding : These funds, which represent the majority of our budget, are determined by the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF - see below) and depend on factors such as average daily attendance (ADA), property taxes, and State aid. To access these funds, the District is required to submit a Local Control & Accountability Plan (LCAP - see below). Categoricals: This type of funding comes from the State for use on State-prioritized programs. Similar to federal funds, they carry several restrictions and reporting obligations. Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) - The State began using this funding formula in 2013. It changed how local educational agencies (LEAs) in the State are funded, how they are measured, and the services and supports they receive to allow all students to succeed to their greatest potential. The State has created the formula that our District complies with, which includes creating our LCAP and submitting it to the Placer County Office of Education for review and approval. These include facility funds that can only be used for that purpose, and not general expenditures. (Example - Colfax new turf is paid from facility funds, not general funding.) Grants: This is another type of one-time funding. Grants are used to maintain programs such as CTEIG, Early College, etc. These, too, carry several restrictions and reporting obligations. Local Resources : These funds are sourced from our community donations and are generally unrestricted unless the donor specifies a particular program or use.
Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) - The LCAP is a tool for our District to set goals, plan actions, and prioritize resources to meet the goals of improving student outcomes. The District invites members of our school communities (students, parents, and staff) to meet each Spring to evaluate this Plan to ensure we have a voice from all. All District expenditures are based on this Plan to ensure we are meeting the needs of our students and staff to increase our programs and student outcomes.
As we face our budget constraints, we are hopeful that sharing how school district finances are received and spent will help you understand any actions taken to sustain our necessary programs for our students.
We will continue to keep you apprised of the District’s budget through this recurring article.
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