July 30, 2020 Senator Anthony Portantino Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee State Capitol, Room 2206 Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: AB 1835 (Weber and Quirk-Silva) as introduced - SUPPORT Dear Senator Portantino, On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we write to you to urge you to support AB 1835 (Weber and Quirk-Silva) in order to ensure funding provided under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) for our highest need, most vulnerable students is directed to support them. Aligned with the recommendations made by the State Auditor in November 2019, AB 1835 requires each local educational agency (LEA) to expend unspent supplemental and concentration LCFF grant funds toward services for unduplicated pupils in future years. This bill merely clarifies existing law. The process of reconciling and reporting any unspent supplemental and concentration grants is consistent with accounting procedures LEAs must already do for most federal and state funds and should not represent any additional burden. Now more than ever, California needs to close the supplemental and concentration carryover loophole. The immediate and long-term consequences of shuttered schools, uneven distance learning opportunities and a severe economic crisis is falling disproportionately on California’s most vulnerable student populations. High need students are likely to have more barriers to engage in remote learning, including less access to technology, home support and resources that will exacerbate existing achievement gaps. In addition, funding reductions hit high need students the hardest as districts cut supplemental programs and lay off staff, just as these same students will need more services and support to catch up. In addition, because of the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic there will be no Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) for the 2020-21 school year. The loss of key financial data will be at a time when districts will be facing competing pressures and difficult decisions that will have lasting implications for students, especially for those that are furthest behind. The state has an essential role to play - making it clear that supplemental and concentration dollars are always to be used to support targeted students will help safeguard resources to meet their unique needs, assist efforts to address the learning loss that has occurred and ensure the promise of LCFF in times of increases and reductions. For these reasons we encourage your aye vote on AB 1835. Sincerely, Sandra Gutierrez, Founder and National Director Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors Liza Chu, California Policy Manager Asian Americans Advancing Justice – CA Kathy Sher, Legislative Attorney ACLU of California Vanessa Aramayo, Executive Director Alliance for a Better Community Jill C. Rowland, Esq., Education Program Director Alliance for Children’s Rights Jan Gustafson Corea, Chief Executive Officer California Association for Bilingual Education Jay Artis-Wright, Interim, Senior Vice President, Organizing California Charter Schools Association Laura J. McGowan-Robinson, EdD, CEO Diversity in Leadership Institute Martha Hernandez, Executive Director Californians Together Cecilia Castro, Education Policy Director Dolores Huerta Foundation Megan StantonTrehan, Clinic Director Jeimee Estrada Vivian Wong, Staff Attorney Educators for Excellence Los Angeles Youth Justice Education Clinic, Center for Juvenile Law and Policy, Loyola Law School Alicia Montgomery, Ed.D., Executive Director Center for Powerful Public Schools Ted Lempert, President Children Now Bill Lucia, President & CEO EdVoice Sandy Mendoza, Director of Advocacy Families in Schools Steve Barr, Founder & CEO Future Is Now Schools Shimica Gaskins, Executive Director Children’s Defense Fund-California Mary Jane Stevenson, Executive Director CityYear Los Angeles Mónica García Board Member, Los Angeles Unified School District Jonathan Klein, Chief Executive Officer GO Public Schools Elmer G. Roldan, Executive Director Communities In Schools of Los Angeles Ana Ponce, Executive Director Great Public Schools Now Jake Ferreira, California State Director Council for a Strong America Dr. Cristina de Jesus, Chief Executive Officer and President Green Dot Public Schools California Hannah Gravette, Regional Vice President, LA Innovate Public Schools Anya Hurwitz, Ed.D., Executive Director SEAL Angelica Solis-Montero, Executive Director L.A. Coalition for Excellent Public Schools Sara Garcia, Director, Education & Workforce Development Silicon Valley Leadership Group Keri Rodriguez, President National Parents Union Katie Braude, Founder and CEO Speak Up Desiree Martinez, Manager of Organizing - Los Angeles Our Turn Araceli Simeón, Project Director Parent Organization Network Seth Litt, Executive Director Parent Revolution Ryan Smith, Chief External Officer Partnership for Los Angeles Public Schools Azucena 'Susy' Hernandez, Co-Director of Community Transformation Promesa Boyle Heights Erin Apte, Legislative Counsel Public Advocates Stella Connell Levy, J.D., Founder/President Restorative Schools Visions Project CC: Members, Senate Appropriations Committee Assemblymember Shirley Weber Sarah Lillis, Executive Director Teach Plus California Dr. Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Executive Director The Education Trust – West Daniel Weisberg, Chief Executive Officer TNTP Larry Fondation, Executive Director United Parents and Students Ray Lopez Chang, Education Officer, Policy & Advocacy United Way of Greater Los Angeles