Addressing LGBTQ Student Needs in California’s Education Landscape: A Document Analysis of Local Control Accountability Plans

Abstract

The education finance system in California was replaced in 2013 by the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The new formula provides districts with greater flexibility and accountability at the local level in making fiscal decisions. As part of this process, districts must work with stakeholders to develop a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), a three-year plan outlining district goals for improving student outcomes. Drawing upon Queer Theory, with its emphasis on hetero-cis-normativity and intersectionality, this study examines how school district LCAPs address, or fail to address, the unique experiences and needs of LGBTQ students. Despite extensive state legal protections in California, decades of research continue to reveal that LGBTQ students experience disproportionately hostile school climates compared to their non-LGBTQ peers. In this study, we analyzed LCAPs from the 25 largest school districts in California from the 2022–2023 academic year to determine whether plans included school climate data pertaining to the experiences of LGBTQ students and whether they established queer-specific goals and actions to improve outcomes for this student population. Findings from this document analysis revealed that none of the districts in our sample included disaggregated school climate data reflecting the experiences of LGBTQ students. Furthermore, only 56% established at least one LGBTQ-targeted goal or action related to improving their outcomes, which we categorized into five themes for analysis. Due to a number of barriers, we argue that without additional state guidelines and resources, school districts may continue to inadequately address school climate concerns for this population within their accountability plans.