BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Two students in the Bakersfield City School District have settled their lawsuit challenging the District’s cancellation of summer school last year.
In the lawsuit, the students argued that BCSD’s summer school cancellation violated the Local Control Funding Formula/Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCFF/LCAP)—California’s school funding framework—because the District made its summer school decision without seeking the required input from parents or other stakeholders and without accounting for $1.6 million in restricted funding that was originally earmarked for summer school.
“Because of this lawsuit and settlement, students and families in BCSD will have greater protections for their right to participate in school funding decisions during the next school funding LCAP cycle,” said Valentin Narvaez, the students’ attorney with Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance.
In the settlement, the District agreed to solicit required stakeholder input before it makes substantial changes to its LCAP in the future. Also, the District committed to greater transparency in the LCFF/LCAP information it shares with parents and other stakeholder groups, including posting additional LCFF/LCAP information on the District’s website.
The District also agreed to provide all LCAP information in both English and Spanish and to have a trained Spanish language interpreter at all public Board meetings related to the LCAP.
The District has also committed to using state funding intended to benefit lowincome, English Learner, and foster students to increase or improve educational services for those students.
