Differentiated Assistance

California’s system of support includes three levels of supports to LEAs and schools. Level 1 assistance is support that is provided for all. Level 2 is differentiated assistance. Level 3 is intensive intervention for LEAs with persistent performance issues and a lack of improvement over a specified time period. County offices of education (COEs) must offer differentiated assistance (Level 2) to a school district if any student group does not meet performance standards for two or more LCFF priority areas (EC § 52071(c)). Charter authorizers must provide differentiated assistance to a charter school if three or more student groups (or all student groups if the charter school has less than three student groups) does not meet the performance standard for any LCFF priority area in three out of four consecutive school years (EC § 47607.3). For county offices of education, the CDE must offer differentiated assistance if any student group does not meet the performance standard for two or more LCFF priorities (EC § 52071.5(b)). The goal for support at all levels is to assist LEAs and their schools to meet the needs of each student served, with a focus on building capacity to sustain improvement and effectively address inequities in student opportunities and outcomes.