Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)

Product or Programme · All products and programmes
Evidence · 4 claims (3 for, 1 mixed) · 2 studies (1 causal, 1 review), q2 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description

California's statewide K–12 school-finance framework, administered through state education authorities, that distributes base, supplemental, and concentration funding to support more equitable funding based on student need.

Components

• LCFF three-grant funding structure: base, supplemental, and concentration grants: The LCFF is California's K–12 finance framework, distributing "roughly $4 out of every $5 that K–12 schools receive from the state budget and local property tax revenue" through three per-pupil grants. The base grant follows average daily attendance adjusted by grade level and accounts for approximately 80% of LCFF dollars. The supplemental grant provides 20% of the base grant per unduplicated student from low-income families, an English learner, or foster youth. The concentration grant provides 65% of the base grant (initially 50%) for districts enrolling more than 55% such students. (Kaplan (2025))
• California Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF): The LCFF is California's school funding formula, enacted in 2013, which allocates state funding "by the proportion of unduplicated 'high-need' students in the district" rather than by district property wealth. It has three components: a base grant varying by grade span, a supplemental grant equal to 20% of the adjusted base grant per high-need student, and a concentration grant equal to 50% of the adjusted base grant per high-need student in districts with more than 55% high-need students. It rolled out from 2013 through 2019 with guaranteed multiyear distributions and minimal restrictions on district use of funds. (Johnson (2023))

Claims

• LCFF-induced per-pupil spending increases caused improvements in math and reading achievement in districts receiving concentration grants [+M]
• Achievement gains lag in districts just below the 55% concentration-grant threshold, especially those enrolling 40–55% high-need students [~M]
• LCFF-induced spending increases significantly improved math and reading achievement in every grade assessed, with the largest gains in districts receiving concentration grants [+M]
• LCFF-induced spending increases of $1,000 per pupil for 3 consecutive years produced roughly a full grade-level increase in math and reading achievement in grades 3–8 [+M]

Related Products and Programmes

• Maryland Concentration of Poverty (CoP) entitlement grant program

Key Sources

• Kaplan, J. (2025). California's Local Control Funding Formula: Next steps toward equity. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/820.131
• Johnson, R. C. (2023). School funding effectiveness: Evidence from California's Local Control Funding Formula. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/529.194

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	product
id	local-control-funding-formula-lcff
title	Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)
description	California's statewide K–12 school-finance framework, administered through state education authorities, that distributes base, supplemental, and concentration funding to support more equitable funding based on student need.
status	review
product_kind	framework
generated	by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-10
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content

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