Los Angeles Unified School District

1. Los Angeles Unified School District Quality Education Investment Act Budget Workshop March 7, 2008 Presented by: Jannelle Kubinec, Associate Vice President Lewis Wiley, Jr., Director, Management Consulting Services

2. Good Plans Need Good Budgets 1 • The budget is a necessary ingredient to a good plan • Adequate resources are necessary to implement actions with rigor and fidelity • Thinking through total costs is part of planning, not implementation • Unreasonable to expect a 100% result with a less-than- 100% investment • Improvement plans need “real” budgets • Accurate reflection of costs • Include all available resources • Based on up-to-date budget information

3. Building a Better Budget Process 2 • Building a Better Budget means taking care of all district and site resources • Establish a short list of high-priority needs • Understand what’s available • Create an aligned budget

4. Creating an Aligned Budget 3 Step 1 Understand the Environment “Needs Assessment” Step 2 Determine Priorities “Key Findings” Key Findings Action Steps Step 3 Review and Develop Budget “Action Plan”

5. A Team Effort . . . 4 • Leadership • Direction/Policy • Information Support District Sites • Site level leadership • Service delivery • Direct connection to students and families OtherPartners • Support • Service provider • Program knowledge

6. Based on a Theory of Change 5 • The structure of the Improvement Plan template presumes a connection between planning, action, and results Outcomes Findings Needs Strategy Action Plans Action plans are necessary to advance the strategy

7. Keep in Mind… 6 • This is strategic planning, not operational planning • Both address Who, When, What, and How, but with different point of focus

8. Planning Tips 7 • Start by looking at 2007-08 • Expenditure patterns • Where did the money go? • Achievement patterns • What were the results of our investment • Carryover • What went unspent? Why? • Did the money come too late to plan for? • Were we too reliant on hiring? • Did plans and budgets get updated when revisions were made to the budget?

9. Creating an Aligned Budget 8 • Plan actions drive budgets • In other words, what is needed must be funded • Beware – like most years, plans will be developed based on today’s understanding of student performance and resources • But expect change • Maintaining a strategic linkage between actions and budgets means initial plans are created knowing that things will change

10. Creating an Aligned Budget 9 • There are many forms and templates that are helpful to complete as part of the school plan and budget development process • Some of the forms and templates help with processing information and others serve as repositories • Processing – budget worksheets, data analysis • Repositories – Single Plan template • Aligning resources to needs requires: • Knowing what you need • A system for setting priorities • A structure for allocating resources

11. Establishing Priorities 10 • Since we know the budget will change, be prepared to identify where changes will be made in plans should increases or reductions occur • Decision should be based on priorities

12. Activity 1: Check Plan Priorities 11 • Using the provided worksheet, list actions and determine relative priority

13. Activity 1: Check Plan Priorities 12 • Use priority index to inform decisions • Ensure that highest priorities are funded first • If additional resources become available, move down list • If resources are reduced, consider reducing or eliminating lowest-priority items

14. Verifying Actions 13 • The budget can be used as a test of whether sufficient information is included in the plan • It’s difficult to accurately budget when there is not adequate detail in the plan • Basic questions must be answered, such as: • Will this affect all students/teachers or a targeted group? • How much support/training will be provided? • When will this occur? • Where will this occur? • How much is needed? • What will this cost?

15. Activity 2: Check Action Plan Items 14 • Select three to five actions from different strategy areas in the plan and complete the action plan validation worksheet

16. Less Restrictive SIP EIA Discretionary BG ELAP Title I Title III HPSG Allocate Funding 15 • Effective resource allocation requires spending the bestdollar, not the just the easiest • Remember, allocate funding across priorities • Don’t follow the dollars; lead dollars to address priorities • This is the last step in the process More Restrictive

17. Example of How to Choose the Best Dollar 16 • There is a variety of funding that can be used to support an after-school supplemental instruction program – but what’s the best? • Class of 12 grade-six students • All Basic or below • Four English Learners CELDT Level 3

18. Example of How to Choose the Best Dollar 17 • Fund 1/3 of class with ELAP, Title III, and/or EIA • Fund balance with Title I or other listed resource More Restrictive Less Restrictive

19. Activity 3: Identify and Allocate Resources 18 • The District has prepared a reference table to help sites identify funding options • More than one funding source may be necessary and/or appropriate • Consider whether one-time or ongoing expense • Identify all options and select the most restricted first

20. Final Thoughts 19 • Money is rarely the solution, but often a symptom of the problem • Plans and budgets provide a blueprint, but, along the way, changes may be necessary • Remember – a good budget is not an end in itself, but a means to support improvement • Bottom line – make your budget reflect and support your district and site priorities • And, finally, resources will alwaysbe limited . . . but we decide if theyare limiting

21. Thank you for attending ourworkshop!