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Better D.C. Schools Email Update

October, 2002 - Issue #5

This email update is provided by the 21st Century School Fund, an education nonprofit in Washington, DC, and is designed to provide our community with information about the efforts of 21CSF and other local education advocates to improve the District of Columbia Public Schools. It is sent out the last week of each month. If you know of someone who would like to be added to our mailing list, or if you would like your email address removed from this list, then please email us at newsletter@21csf.org.

DCPS Reaching Closure on FY03 Budget, and Beginning FY04 Budget Process

Over this past month, DCPS has worked very hard to cut approximately $30M from its FY03 budget, resulting from a citywide budget shortfall. A public forum was held on 10/2, and other Board of Education meetings have also occurred, to decide upon the cuts. A final Board vote on the cuts is scheduled for Thursday 10/31 at 4:30, at 825 N. Capitol St (5th flr), and is open to the public.

Meanwhile, the FY04 budget determination process has started. Three community forums were held around the city on 10/28. Public turnout was small, but critical, because the forums were not announced until the day they were held. At these forums, DCPS staff asked for input on the budget, and they also announced plans to expand bilingual programs into more elementary and middle schools in FY04 and to “transform” senior high schools in a similar fashion to the 14 current Transformation Schools. The following schedule for the FY04 budget development was also distributed:

10/31—FY03 budget finalized, which becomes FY04 base budget
11/1-CFO distributes FY04 budget instructions to central offices
11/TBA-Board of Ed. holds public hearings on FY04 budget
11/8-Central office budget requests due to CFO
11/15-Superintendent presents FY04 budget request to Board of Ed.
11/TBA-Board of Ed. votes on budget request to Mayor

Board of Education to Hold Public Hearing on Out-of-Boundary Policy

The Board of Education will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, November 12th from 5:30 to 8:30 to discuss proposed changes to the Out-of-Boundary Policy for DCPS. The hearing will be held at 825 North Capitol St., N.E. 5th Floor Board Room. The Out-of-Boundary Policy defines the process that enables students to enroll in schools other than their neighborhood schools. The Board, in conjunction with the Administration, has been working this past year on a policy recommendation with input from a cross-section of community members. The new policy, expected to be adopted this calendar year in preparation for the upcoming out-of-boundary period in January/February of 2003, will impact the 2003/2004 school year. The current draft policy is available through the Board of Education (442-5190).

Independent Evaluation Conducted of DCPS Transformation Schools

DCPS has reported that an independent evaluation of its Transformation Schools has found the program to be largely positive, especially for the first year of what should take about 3 years to show real progress. Although standardized test results were mixed, parent surveys showed satisfaction with the situation, and people liked the investments in building repairs. DCPS learned not to put so many new teachers in place at any one school, and that a mix of experience and fresh ideas is important. With respect to the redistribution of surplus teachers to other schools, DCPS reported that they also learned not to put too many into the same school. They are committed to continuing the transformation effort next year as a budget priority.

Update on DCPS Capital Improvement Program

The following is a school-by-school update on the DCPS program to modernize or replace all of its public schools buildings. (Source: DCPS/Office of Facilities Management Monthly Report, October 22, 2002.)

School---Current Status---Estimated Completion
Anacostia HS---Education Specifications (90% complete)---To be determined
Barnard ES---Construction (80% complete)---12/02
Bell/Lincoln HS/MS—--Construction (0% done)--—To be determined
Birney ES---Design (35% complete); Construction planned for 7/03---12/04
Brightwood ES---Design (11% complete); Construction planned for 9/03---8/05
Cardozo HS---Education Specifications (90% complete)---To be determined
Cleveland ES---Construction Phase 2 (16% complete)--—8/03
Cooke ES---Design (11% complete); Construction planned for 9/03---12/04
Deal JHS---Education Specifications (90% complete)---To be determined
Hardy MS---Design (?% complete); Construction planned for 9/03—--8/05
Kelly Miller MS---Construction Phase 2(45% complete)---8/03
Key ES---Construction Phase 3(15% complete)---3/03
Kramer MS---Education Specifications (70% complete)---To be determined
Luke C Moore HS---Design (99% complete); Construction planned for 1/03---7/04
MacFarland MS---Education Specifications (90% complete)---To be determined
McKinley Tech HS---Construction Phase 2(40% complete)---5/04
Miner ES---Construction (85% complete)---12/02
Noyes ES---Construction Phase 2(15% complete)---11/03
Patterson ES---Construction Phase 2(7% complete)---12/03
Phelps HS---Feasibility study (99% complete)---To be determined
Randle Highlands ES---Construction Phase 3(?% complete)---To be determined
RH Terrell JHS---Education Specifications (90% complete)---To be determined
Ross ES---Education Specifications (90% complete)---To be determined
Slowe ES---Education Specifications (90% complete)---To be determined
Smothers ES---Education Specifications (90% complete)---To be determined
Sousa MS---Design (10% complete); Construction planned for 10/03---7/05
Thomas ES---Design (85% complete); Construction planned for 2/03---8/04
Thomson ES---Construction Phase 1(50% complete)---5/04
Walker Jones ES---Design (40% complete); Construction planned for 7/03--12/04
Wheatley ES---Design (60% complete); Construction planned for 2/03---7/04
Woodson HS---Design (11% complete); Construction planned for 10/03---12/05

For more information, contact:

Jordan Spooner: (202) 745-3745 x 16 jspooner@21csf.org