CPACE cheat sheet

Vision states the desired future condition of the school; mission states the present purpose and the work used to reach the vision; a vision is shared only when stakeholders co-construct it.

California districts must adopt a Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) by July 1 each year, aligned to eight state priorities, with a three-year planning horizon.

The School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) is written by the School Site Council and must be aligned with and consistent with the district LCAP.

SMART goals require a specific metric, a baseline, a measurable target, and a monitoring interval; a goal without a data source cannot be monitored.

Implementation rule: each vision goal needs an assigned owner, a timeline, an identified funding source, and a data checkpoint, or it remains aspirational.

LCAP development requires input from parent advisory committees (ELAC, DELAC), students, staff, bargaining units, and community partners; input must be summarized and responded to.

Coherence test: a site initiative that cannot be mapped to a LCAP goal or a state priority either gets modified or discontinued.

The vision cycle is cyclic, not terminal: collect data, analyze, revise actions, report results publicly, then repeat at the next annual LCAP update.

California standards in force: CA CCSS for ELA and mathematics, NGSS for science, CA ELD Standards, and the History-Social Science Framework.

ELA instructional shifts: regular practice with complex text, reading and writing grounded in evidence from text, and building content knowledge through text.

Mathematics instructional shifts: focus on fewer topics, coherence across grades, and rigor balancing conceptual understanding, procedural skill, and application.

Designated ELD is protected daily time taught from the ELD standards; integrated ELD is language scaffolding inside content instruction; both are required for English learners.

MTSS decision rule: universal screening identifies need; Tier 2 serves students not responding to Tier 1; Tier 3 provides intensive, individualized support with frequent progress monitoring.

PLC cycle questions: what should students learn, how will we know they learned it, how do we respond when they have not, and how do we respond when they have.

Observation cycle: pre-conference to set focus, evidence collection during instruction, post-conference for teacher reflection and agreed next steps; feedback is specific and behavioral rather than trait labels.

Formative data adjusts instruction within a unit; summative data judges programs, placement, and year-end outcomes.

California teacher evaluation (Education Code 44662) requires assessment of teaching standards and student progress using locally bargained procedures and instruments.

LCFF supplemental grant equals 20 percent of the base grant multiplied by the unduplicated pupil count; concentration grant equals 50 percent of base for unduplicated pupils above 55 percent of enrollment.

Supplemental and concentration funds must increase or improve services for unduplicated pupils (low income, English learners, foster youth); the LCAP documents proportionality between service increase and funding increase.

Average daily attendance drives district revenue, so attendance and chronic absenteeism are simultaneously fiscal and instructional indicators.

Comprehensive School Safety Plan (Education Code 32282): developed with law enforcement, includes disaster and crisis procedures and bullying prevention, and is reviewed and updated by March 1 each year.

Mandated reporting procedure: report suspected abuse to the appropriate agency by telephone immediately or as soon as practicably possible, then submit a written report within 36 hours.

Williams requirements: sufficient standards-aligned instructional materials, clean and safe facilities, and appropriately assigned teachers; alleged deficiencies are filed through the Uniform Complaint Procedure.

Suspension or expulsion requires an Education Code 48900 ground, documented due process, and consideration of alternatives such as restorative practices and PBIS supports.

Budget rule: one-time funds pay for one-time costs; recurring commitments are made only against identified recurring revenue.

Title I schools must have a written parent and family engagement policy, hold an annual Title I meeting, and adopt a school-parent compact jointly with families.

Epstein's six types of involvement: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community.

English Learner Advisory Committee is required at schools with 21 or more English learners; a District English Learner Advisory Committee is required at districts with 51 or more.

School Site Council composition: principal, teachers, other school staff, parents and community members, and at secondary schools students; parents and community members must constitute the majority.

Communications must be provided in a language parents understand; translated documents and interpretation are legal requirements tied to federal and state obligations, not optional courtesies.

Recurring participation barriers: work schedules, transportation, child care, language access, prior negative school experiences, and differing cultural expectations about family roles.

Involvement is school-directed participation in set activities; engagement is shared authority in decisions, planning, and resource allocation.

Two-way communication rule: each major decision needs multiple outreach channels plus a documented mechanism to receive, record, and respond to family input.

FERPA: parents and eligible students may inspect education records, and the school must comply within 45 days; directory information may be released unless the parent opts out.

Political Reform Act conflict of interest: an official with a financial interest in a decision must disclose the interest, disqualify themselves, and not attempt to influence the decision.

Brown Act: agendas posted at least 72 hours before a regular meeting and 24 hours before a special meeting; closed sessions are limited to enumerated purposes and actions are reported out.

Education Code 44932 grounds for certificated dismissal include immoral conduct, unprofessional conduct, evident unfitness, persistent violation of law or regulations, and refusal to perform duties.

Weingarten rights: a unionized employee may request union representation during an investigatory interview the employee reasonably believes could lead to discipline.

Student data privacy: SOPIPA restricts vendors' use of student data, and AB 1584 requires contracts to specify data handling and prohibit selling student information.

CAASPP test security: staff sign a security affidavit and may not copy, retain, or review secure test items, and may not coach or prompt students during administration.

Ethical decision screen: is it legal, is it consistent with board policy, what is the effect on students, and would it withstand public disclosure.

LCFF components: base grant by grade span, supplemental grant (20 percent of base per unduplicated pupil), and concentration grant (50 percent of base for unduplicated pupils above 55 percent enrollment).

LCAP eight state priorities: basic services, implementation of state standards, parental involvement, pupil achievement, pupil engagement, school climate, course access, and other pupil outcomes.

California School Dashboard state indicators include chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, graduation rate, college and career readiness, ELA and mathematics performance, and English learner progress.

Dashboard reports both status (current performance level) and change (year-over-year difference) across five color levels; local indicators are reported through district self-reflection.

Differentiated assistance is triggered by dashboard results for identified student groups; the district completes root cause analysis and revises LCAP actions and services.

ESSA Comprehensive Support and Improvement identifies the lowest-performing Title I schools; Targeted Support and Improvement addresses specific underperforming student groups.

IDEA requires a free appropriate public education, an individualized education program, least restrictive environment placement, and procedural safeguards; Section 504 provides accommodations when special education eligibility is not met.

Title I schoolwide programs are permitted at schools with 40 percent or more low-income enrollment and require a comprehensive needs assessment and a schoolwide plan.

Proposition 98 sets a minimum annual funding guarantee for California K-12 schools and community colleges; subsequent propositions extended the tax revenues that support it.