LAO: State should revise mission of CDE
(Calif.) Lawmakers should consider revising the mission of the California Department of Education from one of school district regulator to more of a collaborative, service-based organization, the non-partisan Legislative Analyst suggested Thursday.
In a detailed report on the status of CDE’s operations, staffing and finances, the LAO found that the department is increasingly viewed from the field as being both reactive and punitive. Some states have shifted the emphasis of their education departments to support LEAs.
“Such an approach would represent a paradigm shift for CDE and would require more coordination across — and potentially a reorganization of staff within — the department,” the LAO explained. “Yet while we think CDE should explore ways to add value to its federally required compliance activities, we believe COEs and other local entities continue to be better sources for providing most professional development, technical assistance, and other forms of “ground level” support to LEAs.”
With an annual budget of close to $250 million and a staff of about 1,500 workers, the CDE is midsized compared to the rest of the state bureaucracy. Most of its funding comes from federal sources, which provided about 68 percent in 2013-14 with another 19 percent coming from the state general fund and 13 percent that is self-generated from specialized activities.
Although the CDE has seen its work force fall dramatically during the past decade, the LAO observed that its staff is reasonably well-aligned with its responsibilities. The analysts warned the Legislature, however, that any new assignments need to be accompanied by new money to hire staff.
The LAO noted that over the years, the Legislature has required the CDE to prepare formal, public reports on numerous topics. After closely reviewing that workload, the LAO suggests that lawmakers eliminate 54 reporting requirements and maintain 23 of them.
Overall, the LAO said that the CDE should explore ways to “add value to its federally-required compliance activities,” although it also said that the department “should not be the primary entity charged with assisting LEAs in improving student outcomes” – a job the LAO believes should be retained at the county level.
The LAO said that as the state’s public school system transitions into the new Local Control Funding Formula, “opportunity exists to streamline federal and state activities to avoid LAO: State should revise mission of CDE :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet:
