“Our students are our clients, they are who we are here to serve primarily, so we want to hear their voice, their input, and what suggestions they have for us.”
– Lizette Diaz, EL, Plan Development, & Instructional Supports Director, Ontario-Montclair School District
Student engagement is a vital part of the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) process, and Ontario-Montclair School District (OMSD) has embraced youth outreach and gained important feedback. In February, OMSD gathered over 80 students, plus teachers and staff, at their Middle School Congress to provide input on their LCAP. These 6th, 7th & 8th grade students were nominated by teachers and then hand-selected by principals to represent their school and communicate their input to the District.
Ontario-Montclair’s Director, Lizette Diaz, walked students through the process and explained how the District collaborates with the community to create their plan. “At the Middle School Congress students are able to learn about the LCAP using the student-friendly Infographic, and it allows them to process lots of information in an engaging format”, said Diaz.
Students performed a variety of LCAP-related activities, including a treasure hunt to find facts about OMSD and its plan to improve student outcomes. They also worked together in small groups to answer three questions: Which LCAP item is most important for your school? What does your school do best? and Where does your school need improvement? These questions, which are included on Gobo’s Student Stakeholder LCAP Infographic used during the gathering, provided feedback and focus for deeper understanding of the LCAP document.
When asked what she learned, student Belen Regalado said, “I learned that they really do listen to our voice,” and commented that, “…the facts in the Infographic helped us get an image of what the District is doing”.
At the end of the session, students were thanked for their participation and awarded certificates. Hats off to OMSD for modeling effective and meaningful LCAP engagement!
