Event
Tomorrow night,
Monday, April 8, 7PM:
Ward 3-Wilson Feeder Educator Network
Tenley-Friendship Public Library
Join the W3/Wilson Feeder Education Network for a discussion of our public schools. No special speakers this time, just all of us comparing notes, talking budgets, space, and the needs of schools in this ward and across the city.
Hope to see you!
__________________________________
Invitation:
Students: Apply to be SBOE student representatives:
Do you know of a student who would like to be on the SBOE Student Advisory Committee? The application period is now open! To qualify, you must be a DC resident and a rising sophomore, junior, or senior in either a traditional public or public charter high school. You can complete the application online or ask your school counselor or principal for a paper application. The application period will close on Sunday April 28, 2019 at 11:59 pm. You can find more details and see reflections from current student reps on the SBOE's website.
_________________________
News:
School Budgets: Mayor's proposed general increase inadequate, says Mendelson
The Mayor proposes (an education budget that leaves schools with less)
As our civics texts taught us, the Executive proposes a budget, but…. The legislature gets the last word. And, that’s where the education budget stands today. The Mayor proposed her city budget on March 21,including a proposed increase in per pupil funding of 2.2%. But unfortunately, as noted in this . This --prepared by long-time DC education analysts, Matthew Frumin, Mary Levy, and Cathy Reilly-- that increase is beneath the annual increase in local schools’ cost of doing business, less than both inflation and salary increases It is also below the per student cost to offer educational “adequacy,” calculated to be $11,892 per student, $1000 above this year’s proposed level. In addition, DC Public Schools has moved the security costs that were previously carried by the central DCPS budget to the schools. This means school level funding increases are much less than meets the eye. (For more see this report from the DC Fiscal Policy Institute.)
The result is that across the city, many schools have to tighten their belts. Because budgets are partially based on enrollment, where schools are projected to have stable or larger enrollments, they are somewhat insulated from the tightening. But even in Ward 3, where enrollments have been crashing through the ceiling in recent years, several schools are losing one or more staff. Complaints about growing class size are also increasing, and were among the complaints raised with Chancellor Ferebee when he visited Tenley Library for Ferebee Friday. But by far, the budget’s harshest impact is on our highest-poverty schools.
When Ward 3 schools get a cold, schools elsewhere suff from flu or pneumonia
As I often say about our city’s schools: If Ward 3 schools get a cold, and with this budget, many did (including at least one with a very bad cold), you can bet schools in other parts of the city are suffering from flu or pneumonia. And that’s the case with this budget. In schools with enrollment declines, large or small, the cuts are extreme. Here are a few examples:
-
According to WUSA channel 9’s calculation, “6 out of 10 DC public schools getting the largest budget cuts are in Ward 8. Those schools are losing a combined $10.4 million.” Here’s Channel 4, with an interview with Markus Batchelor, Ward 8 State Board of Ed rep and VP of the State Board.
-
The three DCPS high schools in Ward 7 and 8--Anacostia, Ballou, and Woodson— appear to be losing respectively, roughly 13, 12, and 7 staff, representing 8-11% of their staff.
-
According to DC Fiscal Policy Institute, “out of the 20 DC public schools facing budget cuts next year, 17 of them are in Wards 7-8.
-
(For more info on school budgets around the city, see this Washington Post story following the release of the mayor’s budget and this budget tool http://dcpsbudget.ourdcschools.org, painstakingly prepared by C4DC (the Coalition for DC Schools and Communities), which shows the per student changes in budget and enrollment on a school by school basis. )
A 3-part plan to strengthen the DCPS neighborhood school system
There are many underlying causes of these terrible cuts--including an inadequate rise in per student funding; a set of DC laws and practices that lead to under-enrollment, especially in high-poverty schools, making schools more expensive to operate; and a central office staff at DCPS that appears disproportionately large relative to other systems.
The end result is a set of cuts to neighborhood schools-on top of previous cuts over the past years—that are leaving these schools in what’s feared to be a death spiral. Because funding is largely based on enrollment, when a school loses enrollment, it typically loses budget dollars, which require it to cut programming, which leads more families to choose different schools, which causes enrollment and budget dollars to go down, and so on. As a city, we need to decide: are we willing to go down this road where whole neighborhoods are without a neighborhood, “matter-of-right” school? That issue can’t be ignored for much longer.
Several folks who testified at last week’s DCPS budget hearing called for a “stimulus,” tied to a serious planning effort, aimed at bolstering the city’s neighborhood DCPS schools and feeder systems. Among them were Ward 3 and citywide public education advocate Matthew Frumin, who proposed a multi-part effort, including:
-
a multi-year “stimulus” funding, focused on “DCPS schools serving low income communities,” to strengthen schools' programming and build their enrollments;
-
a commitment to keep the Old Hardy school from being privatized (see below) “so that it can be used to address overcrowding in the Wilson feeder system”;
-
“ensuring that Shaw Junior High School building is renovated to serve as a neighborhood middle school to give life to the feeder system in that part of the city."
The Council Disposes…
The budget is now in the hands of the DC Council, which held a 3/29 hearing on the DCPS budget. Over 160 folks were signed up to testify; the hearing ran all day, starting at 10AM. Witnesses included students, parents, teachers, and advocates from schools and organizations all across the city.
Based on comments made by Council Chair Mendelson, both on receipt of the Mayors budget (“Education seems to get scraps")-and at Friday’s hearing on the DC Public Schools budget, saying that the budget seems inadequate—and comments from Education Committee Chair David Grosso--the Council seems inclined to improve upon the mayor’s budget. But by how much? And how? The Council has until the end of May to determine how to reallocate the funds in the Mayor’s budget.
The council will continue to take testimony for two more weeks, so if you want to provide them your views, submit here: astrange@dccouncil.us.
Old Hardy School Update
New estimate projects enrollment in Wilson Feeder schools will rise even more than previously predicted: by 2000 in 5 years, over 3000 in 10 years.
In my last newsletter, I wrote about the new report prepared by DCPS, in cooperation with the Ward 3/Wilson Feeder Education Network, showing that most schools in the feeder pattern were already at capacity and most were projected to grow much more over the next 5 and 10 years. Overall, the student population in the feeder school population was expected to grow by some 2000 students by 2027-28, a number that can’t be met without additional school buildings AND creative planning and programming.
But now the growth estimate is even higher! According to a revised report from the Deputy Mayor’s office, called the Master Facilities Plan, there are now 1587 additional students projected to be enrolled in feeder pattern schools by 2022-23 and 3185 by 2027-28.
Not to sound alarmist or anything, but with an average size of 600 kids per school, that’s 5 schoolsfull of kids! And, keep in mind, most of the existing schools have already maxed out their physical footprint with trailers and/or additions. There is physically no room for them to expand, not to mention, many already have enrollments higher than many would regard as desirable (e.g. elementary schools with over 700students) . (See charts beginning on Appendix page A-24 in the Master Facilities Plan for school by school enrollment projections.)
But Mayor continues support for giving up the area’s only unused public school building via a 50-year lease
Under the best of circumstances, this enrollment surge, which has been underway for over a decade, is going to require creativity—for example, maybe DCPS needs to be in the business, as charter schools are, of leasing space, possibly in one of the many new developments or a private school that’s selling; maybe we can set up early childhood centers, possibly in partnership with existing nursery schools; maybe some students would choose to leave the ward for desired programs not too far away.
We need to be creative. But, even with all our creativity, we need every available building. In Ward 3, there is just one unused DCPS school building: The Old Hardy building. It was leased away a number of years ago on a series of short-term leases, when area schools didn’t need the space. Its current lease, for 5 years ending in 2023, is with the Lab School, a very well-regarded school, offering needed services (for students with learning disabilities) to a number of DC, Maryland, and Virginia families.
Giving away the Old Hardy School for 50 years is monstrously irresponsible
Lab has two campuses; the Old Hardy campus is its lower school, and currently houses roughly 65 students, with most residents of Maryland and Virginia. Lab is a well regarded school providing important services. It should be able, easily, with nearly five years of advance notice, to find an alternative space for its 65 students. It doesn’t face restrictions, as DC schools do, about where it can locate; in fact, it could locate in DC, Maryland or Virginia.
As I wrote in my last newsletter, the Mayor has proposed to give up any DCPS right to the Old Hardy School for 50 years, via a long-term lease to the Lab School. As I also inferred in the last newsletter, this is madness. Only with the new enrollment projection, it’s even crazier. We really, really need that school to be a DCPS elementary school!
Take a look at the attached map (courtesy of Nick Keenan, former president of the Palisades Community Association), which shows each elementary school in the Wilson feeder pattern as a circle along with the increased number of students projected to enroll at that school by school year 2027/28. Based on the revised Master Facilities Plan, keep in mind that about half of that growth will happen within 5 years! It would be monstrously irresponsible to give the Old Hardy School away for 50 years!
As of my last newsletter, the Mayor was asking the Council to accept the lease on an emergency basis, without even a public hearing. Thanks to the hard work of the Keep Old Hardy Public Coalition (see their website, KOHP.org) and the strong advocacy of Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh (who wrote a strong letter to her council colleagues), it appears that there are not enough votes on the Council to pass this as an emergency, without a hearing. That means it will come up at some point for a vote, preceded by a Council hearing, when the public can make its case. We don’t yet know when that hearing or vote will be. (And, in fact, any single Councilmember could force an emergency vote on it at any time, though that seems unlikely.)
For a reminder of some key facts from last newsletter, see bullets at the bottom of this newsletter.
State Board of Education News
The SBOE passed a resolution prioritizing work in the following areas:
- a review of the STAR Framework, which rates schools on a 1-5 star basis, and related ESSA issues
- examination of the turnover of teachers and principals in D.C. and respective retention efforts
- use of state standards, with a focus on the provision of a rich education in science, social studies, and the arts
- credit recovery
- a review and appropriate revisions of state standards
- serving as a voice for DC families on key educational issues
SBOE Newsletter and Blog
Here's the March newsletter, where you will find a recap of work in the following areas:
- Teacher retention
- The ESSA task force
- Our updated bylaw resolution
- The new Student Discipline Guide from the Office of the Student Advocate
The March SBOE blog post is written by SBOE policy fellow, Sara Gopalkrishna who shares research on principal turnover. Other posts are by newly elected SBOE members Emily Gasoi, Frazier O’Leary and Jessica Sutter.
Problems resolving concerns at your child's school?
The Office of the Ombudsman helps parents and students who have questions, concerns, and complaints about the DC public schools and DC public charter schools. The Ombudsman is independent and impartial in its approach to solving problems, listening to all parties involved and making recommendations based on the student’s best interests. The Ombudsman helps families solve problems their children are facing in areas that include special education, discipline, school environment, academic progress, and enrollment.
The Office can coach, mediate, or participate in a school meeting with you. They can be reached at 202-741-0886 or ombudsman@dc.gov.
Have Public Education Questions?
The Office of the Student Advocate supports families in navigating the DC public school system, both DC Public Schools and public charter schools. The Office operates a Request for Assistance line LIVE Monday – Friday between 9 am and 5:30 pm as a “311” system for public education. Call them at (202) 741-4692 for resources, referrals, and one-on-one coaching on a variety of public education issues. Also visit us online at https://studentadvocate.dc.gov for additional resources.
In March, the Office of the Student Advocate released the new Student Discipline Guide, A resource that explains new rules under student Fair Access to School Amendment Act of 2018.
|
|
|
|
___________________________________
As a reminder, here are some key facts from my previous newsletter, taken from the DCPS/W3-Wilson Feeder EdNet report:
-
As of last school year, 10 out of 15 Wilson feeder schools were already at or above 100% utilization (p4)--even though full utilization is defined as 95% capacity, since, by that point, all kinds of scheduling options are precluded. (p13)
-
All but two schools in the feeder pattern have grown over the last five years—with “double digit growth across the elementary schools and 18% growth at Deal Middle School.” The only schools that didn't grow were two schools that were in swing space (which typically lowers enrollment) (p5)
-
“Many buildings are already built to their maximum footprint and do not have space to expand on-site.” (p5)
-
By 2025, the high end forecast has Deal’s enrollment increasing some 50% to 2253 (from last year’s 1507), many elementary schools increasing by 20-25% or more, and Hardy up by nearly 20%. (p36)
Additionally, a study by the DC Auditor projects that Wilson's enrollment will rise to over 2300 students by the mid-2020's. That's 700 students over the school's capacity—a number larger than the size of most DC high schools.
No One Solution Solves the Problem
The size of the challenge suggests that it won’t be solved by a single solution: The DCPS report offers general solutions options, including additional capacity to be gained through leasing, purchasing, or constructing buildings; policy changes; and co-location of new school space, perhaps at a college. The report is also clear that “investing in the long-term strategy to improve DCPS school options outside of the Wilson High School feeder patter would help alleviate the growing demand.”
The Ward 3/Wilson Feeder School Education Network letter makes several concrete proposals, including:
-
New schools in the feeder pattern. There are short-term and smaller scale solutions that can help. But any viable solution to thousands of new students entering an already overcrowded system must include new buildings, whether purchased, leased, or constructed.
-
Reopening the Old Hardy School, now leased by a private school.
“The Old Hardy School—the only DCPS building in the boundaries of the feeder pattern not currently in use by DCPS—could be reopened and modernized. The location is ideal as it sits adjacent to the Hardy Recreation Center, providing ample space for play and outdoor recreation. It is also close to Stoddert and Key, two very overcrowded elementary schools.”
-
“Increased capacity in the Wilson feeder pattern must be coupled with strengthening and improving schools across the city.”
-
Improved DC options outside the ward, including language immersion and magnet programs could reduce the demand.
In the words of the letter,
"Not using the Old Hardy School, when the city already owns the space, would be fiscally irresponsible in the extreme. And it would also be an insult to the rest of the city if precious resources that otherwise would not have been needed had to be used to acquire private space and construct additional buildings when many schools in other wards desperately need to be modernized or renovated.)
____________________________________________
Please Circulate...
on your school websites and in other forums...
As always, if you have thoughts on the above or other suggestions, always feel free to email me, ruth4schools@yahoo.com.
(Since January 2019, I have served as the President of the DC State Board of Education. This newsletter is written in my capacity as W3 Board Member and doesn't necessarily reflect the views of the DC State Board.)
|
