Learning Communities for School Success Program (LCSSP)

Applicant agencies are limited to LEAs within the State of California that serve students in K–12, inclusive. This includes school districts, all charter schools, and county offices of education (COEs) in their role as providers of direct student services in COE-operated schools.

All applicants and consortium members must have a CDE-assigned County/District/School (CDS) identification code and must be classified as an active LEA by the CDE.

Funding Priorities - Priority will be given to an LEA that meets any of the following criteria:

- Has a high rate (i.e. exceeding the state average) of chronic absenteeism, out-of-school suspension, or school dropout for (1) the general pupil population or (2) for a numerically significant pupil subgroup as identified in the LEAS's LCAP.
- Is in a community with a crime rate that exceeds the state average.
- Has a significant representation (i.e. 15 or more enrolled students) of foster youth among its pupil enrollment.

Multiple LEAs may choose to form a consortium submitting a single application. LEAs are encouraged to form a program consortium when the resulting program efficiencies facilitate program success for each consortium member. If multiple LEAs choose to apply as a consortium, each consortium member must be identified as a priority LEA according to the criteria stated above. For more information about consortium applications, see page 6 of the RFA in the Supporting Documents section below.

Individual schools are not eligible to apply. Only the LEA may apply on behalf of a school or schools within the LEA’s jurisdiction.

Community agencies, private schools, individual public schools, and state special schools are not eligible to apply for a LCSSP grant. They may, however, participate as a grant partner.

Grant funds are intended to complement and enhance existing programs and must not be used to supplant other local or state funds now being used for existing staff or activities. Funds cannot be transferred to any other program account.

Funds may not be used for:

- Law enforcement activities, including personnel or equipment.
- Expenditures for land, buildings, or other intangible capital assets, including items acquired through leases with option to purchase and capitalized equipment costs in excess of $5,000. Applicants are encouraged to review Procedure 770, Distinguishing between Supplies and Equipment, in the California School Accounting Manual (CSAM) for further discussion regarding capitalized equipment, noncapitalized equipment, and supplies. This manual can be downloaded from Supporting Documents below.
- Telephone systems, fax machines, and telephones, including cell phones and landlines.
- Purchase of vehicles.
- Out-of-state travel to Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, and Idaho. Before planning out-of-state travel, please email the Career and College Transition Division to ensure the proposed state conference is allowable.
- Childcare—possible exceptions are allowed, with evidence that the provision of childcare is necessary to implement a programmatic intervention strategy or training event conducted beyond normal school hours or off site for students, staff, or parents.
- Clothing.
- Food—possible exceptions are allowed, with evidence that the provision of food is necessary to implement a programmatic intervention strategy or training event conducted beyond normal school hours or off site for students, staff, or parents.
- Preparation, delivery, and travel costs associated with the application.
- Other more specific prohibitions included in the grant terms found in the General Assurances in Section V (Assurances).

A webinar for prospective applicants is scheduled to be held on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Any LEA interested in applying may participate. The webinar will provide information regarding the application and the application process. It will point out items that have disqualified applicants in previous cohorts and will address as many questions as possible submitted during the webinar.

To sign up for the webinar and receive the required login information, send an email with “Webinar” in the subject line.

Timetable of Due Dates:

- February 10, 2021: RFA released and posted on the CDE website.
- March 4, 2021: Webinar for prospective applicants.
- March 12, 2021: Intent to Submit form must be emailed.
- March 26, 2021: A signed original application packet must be mailed and postmarked to HSIIO no later than March 26, 2021, and a scanned copy must be emailed.
- April 30, 2021: Grantees Announced
- May 14, 2021: Grant appeals are due by email and hard copy due to CDE must be received by May 14, 2021.

LEAs may submit only one application per funding cycle.

There is a match requirement for this grant program. Each LEA grant recipient must provide a local contribution of matching expenditures or services equal to at least 20 percent of the total grant award. The local contribution can be from cash expenditures or in-kind contributions. The matching funds or services must be identified in the application and constitute at least a 20 percent match in each year of the grant. An LEA is encouraged to exceed the 20 percent match requirement to enable the LEA to sustain the activities or programs supported by the grant beyond the three-year grant period.

Additional Information: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/se/schoolsuccess.asp
Request for Applications and List of Documents: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r17/lcsspcohort5.asp
FAQs: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/pf/c8/documents/prop47faqs.asp
Program Description: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r8/documents/lcsspprojdes.asp