Parents Get Involved – Local Control Funding Formula

EdSource Highlighting Student Success
New EdSource Survey: Parent Engagement in California
A new EdSource statewide survey of more than 1,000 Californians with children in public schools provides the first detailed  look at how connected and involved parents are with their children’s schools.

It comes at a time when the state Legislature has given parents a greater role in providing input on how education funds are spent through California’s new Local Control Funding Formula now being implemented in schools across the state.

Pie chart showing parent awareness of Local Control Funding Formula

The survey revealed that while parents knew little about the new school funding law, they were overwhelmingly willing to participate in decisions about school budgets — if they feel they would be heard. The survey also found distinct differences among high-income and low-income parents when it comes to evaluation of schools and levels of engagement.
In addition to providing an important baseline for parent engagement in California, we hope this information can help educators and other stakeholders better understand the obstacles to parent participation and improve their outreach as the state implements its new funding system.

In responding to the survey, California State PTA President Colleen You said that the finding that 57 percent of parents are not yet aware of the Local Control Funding Formula is a call to action. “Clearly, this finding means we have our work cut out for us in the upcoming months as we all to try to achieve widespread awareness about the new LCFF and the opportunities and necessity for parents to be engaged,” she said.

 Visit the EdSource website for the full report of findings, a ready-to-use PowerPoint presentation, and more survey data >  

Join the discussion:

If the survey results surprised you — or just reconfirmed what you already knew about parent engagement — we’d like to hear your thoughts and ideas for increasing parent participation. Join the discussion by posting your views in the comments section of thisEdSource Today article about the survey.

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