The Rise of Student Voice.
When the historic new school funding law, Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), passed in 2013 Californians for Justice (CFJ) stood ready to close the chapter on its decade-long campaign for a more equitable funding system. CFJ recognized a major flaw in LCFF as it rolled out at the local-level. LCFF required school districts to consult parents, teachers, and administrators in decision-making about LCFF funds, but the law didn’t give students a clear role in deciding how the millions of dollars should be spent. CFJ staff and student leaders knew that for LCFF to be a successful education reform, students needed to be involved in every stage of the planning process. LCFF represented an opportunity to increase equity in school funding, and to increase student engagement in schools.