LCAP Survey Report
Cover image for the June 2025 LCAP (Local Control and Accountability Plan) Survey Report by Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco, showing a collage of photos related to community engagement, families, and public-school advocacy. The report was prepared in collaboration with San Francisco Unified.
Strategy Alignment
PPS-SF works to make complex educational policies and information more understandable for parents and families in San Francisco. The program aims to equip parents with the knowledge and skills they need to become effective advocates for their children's education and to participate meaningfully in school governance. This is achieved through: Policy clarification, Information dissemination, Skill-building workshops, Facilitating engagement, Community building
By providing this comprehensive support, PPS-SF helps parents become informed, empowered advocates, ensuring that their voices are heard and that their children receive the best possible education.
Method
Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco conducted our annual LCAP (Local Control and Accountability Plan) survey to actively seek input from parents and community members regarding family engagement and the district’s efforts to implement and improve the LCAP. We recognize that the LCAP is a vital planning and accountability tool that districts use to establish clear goals, develop targeted strategies, and allocate resources effectively. By gathering community insights, we aim to better understand how these efforts are impacting families, identify areas for improvement, and ensure that the district’s actions are aligned with the needs and priorities of our diverse student and family populations. This feedback is essential for fostering transparent, inclusive, and effective district practices that support student success and equitable outcomes for all.
Analysis
The respondents represent a broad and diverse perspective within the educational community, engaging as a parent, community member, and district stakeholder across multiple levels and regions. They identify with multiple racial and ethnic groups, highlighting a multicultural outlook that recognizes the strengths and challenges of diverse communities. While a smaller share of respondents has children in special education or as English Language Learners, their experiences and insights remain valuable for informing inclusive practices and policies district wide. Overall, their broad involvement and demographic diversity suggest a comprehensive understanding of the district’s needs and priorities.
1. Role within the Educational Community
· Response: Parent, community, and district stakeholders.
· Analysis: The respondent represents a broad perspective, likely bringing insights from multiple levels of involvement within the educational system, which can be valuable for understanding diverse needs and concerns.
2. School Association
· Response: Associated with both west and east side schools; represented across elementary, middle, and high school levels.
· Analysis: The respondent has a broad geographical and developmental range of experience, suggesting a comprehensive understanding of district-wide issues rather than localized concerns.
3. Race & Ethnicity
· Selected: Multi-Racial, Black or African American, Latino/a/x, American Indian or Alaska Native, Chinese.
· Analysis: The respondent identifies multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds, indicating a highly diverse and multicultural perspective. This suggests an awareness of, or connection to, multiple communities and their unique challenges and strengths.
4. Child in Special Education
· Response: A smaller percentage has a child in Special Education.
· Analysis: While not all respondents are directly impacted by special education services, which can influence their perspectives on inclusivity and support for diverse learners.
5. Child as an English Language Learner
· Response: A smaller percentage has an EL child.
· Analysis: Like the SPED response, only some respondents have direct experience with EL services, which can inform views on language access and support.
General Trends
· Overall Assessment: Most responses hover around "2.5" (Somewhat - Moderately), indicating that while some progress is perceived, much improvement is needed across various domains.
· Consistency: The consistent "2.5" scores suggest that participants feel SFUSD efforts are noticeable but not sufficiently impactful or transformative.
Specific Observations
The survey indicates moderate satisfaction with the district’s efforts to build trusting relationships and welcoming environments for families, though there is significant room for growth. Family engagement, support for understanding cultural backgrounds, and accessible communication are identified as key areas needing enhancement. Support for staff in partnering with families shows some effectiveness but requires strengthening. While helping families understand and exercise their rights is relatively better, ongoing efforts to involve students and families in leadership roles need development. Core operational and instructional strategies show progress, yet clearer communication and tailored approaches are essential. Lastly, academic strategies for math and literacy require further refinement to better serve diverse learners. Overall, the district has made some progress but must focus on strengthening family relationships, communication, and inclusive academic practices.
1. Relationships with Families:
a. Items related to building relationships and creating welcoming environments show moderate satisfaction but highlight room for growth in trust and respect.
2. Family Engagement and Support:
a. Engagement with families, and support for understanding family strengths, cultures, and goals, are areas needing enhancement. Progress is seen, but it's moderate.
b. Opportunities for listening to and communicating with families also require attention to improve clarity and accessibility.
3. Professional Development:
a. Support for teachers and principals in partnering with families and engaging them in decision-making is seen as somewhat effective but could benefit from strengthened initiatives.
4. Advocacy and Rights:
a. Helping families understand and exercise their rights is relatively stronger, with a "3" (Moderately-Very much), suggesting somewhat better satisfaction in this area.
5. Student and Family Participation:
a. Engaging students in leadership and family members in advisory roles is moderately effective, but further capacity-building efforts are needed.
6. Operational Support:
a. Core operations and teaching strategies show that some progress is acknowledged. However, communication and support for families need clearer, more strategic improvements.
7. Academic Strategies:
a. Math and literacy teaching strategies are seen as needing further refinement to adequately meet the needs of diverse learners.
Survey Data
Section 1
1. What is your role within our educational community?
Parent, community and district
2. What school does you student attend or are you associated with? (Select all that apply)
Representative of both west and set schools
ES, MS, HS represented
3. Race & Ethnicity: please select all that apply
Multi-Racial, Black or African American, Latino/a/x, American Indian or Alaska Native, Chinese
4. Do you have a child in Special Education?
A smaller percentage was SPED
5. Is your child an English Language Learner?
A smaller percentage was EL
Section 2
For the next 17 questions use this rating scale where 1 is the lowest and 4 is the highest.
(1-Not very much, 2-Somewhat, 3-Moderately, 4-Very much)
6. I see that SFUSD staff (i.e., administrators, teachers, and classified staff) are better at building trusting and respectful relationships with families.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
7. I see SFUSD's progress in creating welcoming environments for all families in the community.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
8. I see SFUSD's progress in supporting staff to learn about each family’s strengths, cultures, languages, and goals for their children.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
9. I see SFUSD's progress in developing multiple opportunities and ways for the district and school sites to listen to families and communicate by using language that is understandable and accessible to families.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
10. I see SFUSD's progress in providing professional learning and support to teachers and principals to improve a school’s capacity to partner with families.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
11. I see SFUSD's progress in providing families with information and resources to support student learning and development in the home.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
12. I see SFUSD's progress in implementing policies or programs for teachers to meet with families and students to discuss student progress and ways to work together to support improved student outcomes.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
13. I see SFUSD's progress in supporting families to understand and exercise their legal rights and advocate for their own students and all students.
3 Moderately -Very much
14. I see SFUSD's progress in building the capacity of and supporting principals and staff to effectively engage families in advisory groups and with decision-making.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
15. I see SFUSD's progress in building the capacity of and supporting family members to effectively engage in advisory groups and decision-making.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
16. I see SFUSD's progress in providing opportunities to have families, teachers, principals, and district administrators work together to plan, design, implement and evaluate family engagement activities at school and district levels.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
17. I see SFUSD actively engaging students in leadership opportunities that allow them to voice concerns and priorities, as well as participate in site planning in a meaningful way.
3 Moderately
18. I see SFUSD supporting core operations (e.g., providing stable financial operations, maintaining strong core HR and business systems, and managing/preventing risk and liability).
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
19. I see SFUSD teachers incorporating learning from assessment data into lessons plan so that students are engaged, and instructional practice meet their learning needs.
3.5 Moderately -Very much
20. I see SFUSD clearly communicating enrollment decisions and offering explicit strategies to help families identify the best programs for their students.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
21. I see SFUSD’s literacy teaching and learning strategies, supports, and services addressing the needs of diverse learners.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
22. I see SFUSD’s math teaching and learning strategies, supports, and services addressing the needs of diverse learners.
2.5 Somewhat - Moderately
Implications
The insights from these respondents highlight the importance of developing tailored outreach and support strategies that reflect diverse experiences within the community. Because they are well-positioned to advocate for inclusivity and equity, their perspectives can help the district design policies and programs that effectively address the varied needs of students with special education and English Learner backgrounds. Recognizing and leveraging these varying levels of experience will be crucial for fostering a more inclusive, responsive, and equitable educational environment.
Summary
· The respondent’s broad involvement across districts, levels, and communities provides a diverse and holistic perspective.
· The diversity in racial & ethnic backgrounds signals an awareness of multicultural issues and the importance of culturally responsive practices.
· The relatively small percentage of respondents with children in special education or EL programs indicates that insights may be more focused on general community concerns than on specific inclusive education issues, but their experiences remain relevant for district-wide planning.
Overall, these results suggest that SFUSD has begun addressing key areas but needs to make more substantial efforts to achieve better outcomes and satisfaction across the board.
Next Steps for Engagement and Improvement
Deepen Community Listening and Engagement
Cultivate Relationships: Invest in programs and training to build trusting relationships between families and staff, emphasizing respect and inclusivity.
o Action: Host a series of targeted focus groups, town hall meetings, and listening sessions that include diverse parent, student, and community voices—particularly families of students in special education and English Learner (EL) programs.
o Purpose: Gain a deeper understanding of their experiences, challenges, and suggestions to inform district policies and practices. Ensure these gatherings are accessible in multiple languages and accommodate different schedules to maximize participation.
Enhance Communication Strategies
Enhance Communication: More explicit strategies and clearer communication are necessary to deepen family understanding and participation.
o Action: Develop a tailored and targeted communication plans to communicate with multilingual and multicultural families, that utilize multiple channels, such as multilingual flyers, social media, community meetings, and dedicated outreach events- emphasizing accessible language and culturally responsive messaging.
o Purpose: Improve trust, clarity, engagement, cultural responsiveness, and accessibility of information related to programs, resources, and family engagement opportunities, ensuring that all families feel informed and included.
Tailor Support and Resources
Strengthen Academic Supports: Developing more tailored and versatile teaching strategies can better address the diverse needs of learners.
o Action: Increase resources and support services for families with children in special education and EL programs, ensuring they receive personalized assistance and information.
o Purpose: Address specific needs and reduce barriers for families to participate fully.
Promote Inclusive Policies
Cultivate Relationships: Invest in programs and training to build trusting relationships between families and staff, emphasizing respect and inclusivity.
o Action: Review and strengthen district policies on inclusion, equity, and family engagement, ensuring they reflect the needs of a diverse community.
o Purpose: Foster a district-wide culture of inclusivity and respect for cultural and linguistic diversity.
Refine and Evaluate Academic Strategies
Developing more tailored and versatile teaching strategies can better address the diverse needs of learners.
o Action: Review and adapt instructional practices for math, literacy, and other critical areas to ensure they are effectively meeting the needs of diverse learners, including students with special needs and EL students. Incorporate ongoing data collection and feedback from families and educators.
o Purpose: Continuously improve teaching quality and ensure equitable learning support.
Establish Ongoing Monitoring and Feedback Mechanisms
Use these insights to make iterative improvements.
o Action: Implement regular surveys, feedback forms, and community check-ins to monitor progress on family engagement and inclusion efforts.
o Purpose: Maintain accountability, transparency, and responsiveness to community needs over time.
Build Capacity of Staff
Boost Capacity Building: Focused efforts on empowering both staff and families to participate in advisory and decision-making roles can increase engagement.
o Action: Provide additional resources, workshops, and training staff on culturally responsive engagement, implicit bias, and inclusive instructional practices. Simultaneously, offer family-focused workshops to empower parents in understanding rights, advocating for their children, and participating actively in school decision-making processes.
o Purpose: Build trusting relationships, improve partnerships, and ensure families are equipped to support their children’s success.
Increase Capacity and Leadership Development
Offer training on leadership skills, advocacy, and understanding district policies.
o Action: Establish leadership development programs for parent and family representatives, especially those involved in advisory roles and decision-making committees.
o Purpose: Amplify family voices, build confidence, and foster collaborative decision-making at all levels.
Foster Cross-Departmental Collaboration
Encourage different departments or teams within the school district and educational system to work together more effectively by sharing information, resources, and strategies to achieve common goals—particularly around creating an inclusive and equitable environment for all students and families.
o Action: Encourage collaboration among departments—such as special education, EL, curriculum, and family engagement—to develop integrated programs and policies that support diversity, inclusion, and equity district-wide.
o Purpose: Ensure consistency in messaging, resource sharing, and a unified approach to building an inclusive education ecosystem.