Blog

Above Image: Californians for Justice youth leaders and allies gather in a show of support for LCFF during a 2017 rally in Sacramento. In the decade since it’s passing, the Local Control Funding Formula continues to be our path forward to full and equitable funding for CA’s students and families. 

Governor Newsom just unveiled his May budget revise plan this past Friday, and we appreciate his commitment to transforming public education in the state. This budget revision comes as we mark the 10 year anniversary of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), a fight that Californians for Justice and many of our partners and allies led the way on for a decade leading up to its historic win. In the years since it’s passing, we’ve continued the campaign – pushing for full funding and investment in CA’s schools and students of color – especially our Black students and families. 

Key Budget Takeaways

We are happy to see the highest per pupil total spending proposed at $23,723 this year, along with the 8.22% LCFF cost-of-living-adjustment increase. We also support the sustained $4 billion funding in the California Community Schools Partnership Program, which Californians for Justice, and allies at the California Partnership for the Future of Learning helped organize and advocate to win. And though we are glad to see the ongoing $4 billion to support the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, we also want to see that program expanded to support high school students.

We know that to realize California’s dream of an education system built for us all, our state needs to invest in communities who have historically and disproportionately been underserved. Though the $300 million investment in the Equity Multiplier has shone a light on the issue, we know Black Californians deserve more. This begins with addressing certain laws that prevent us from investing in students and families that have historically been harmed and denied support and resources.  We want to see Black students and families named for specific funds in the state budget, LCFF, and LCAP for targeted investments and support.

Much like the continued fight for LCFF and LCAP, Californians are in this fight for the long haul. We know the process for equitable school transformation needs to center and follow the lead of our most impacted students and families. We look forward to working with our state leaders and decision-makers on this and future budgets to realize that vision of racially-just schools.