DC Auditor Report on Duke Ellington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the OP (although I'm only the OP because I saw the report and put it here first)

I think the DC Auditors office deserves praise for doing their job and not burying this under a rug, where I'm sure the Council and Administration would like it to go.

What kills me is this: It also states that students who attend the historic performing arts school have schedules atypical of most DCPS students. Consequently, significant amounts of space will go unused for extended periods of time once the building's upgrades are complete. Therefore, the auditor is also suggesting that DCPS increase the school's enrollment or open up its grounds to other educational programs.

+10

(the approximate number of schools we could have modernized with that crazy Ellington budget.

[Anonymous]

..."Much of the cost overruns - $60M - can be attributed to the underground parking."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is on the mayor and the council. They're all culpable in this one.

And we wonder why we're fighting over scraps for the rest of our schools.

DGS. They are the supposed experts. I wonder if any senior people in the department have or had kids in DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Seems very little blame placed at the school - which doesn't surprise me. I think they are victims too.

Victims of a buttload of cash and a glorious palace of a modernization?

Well come and "victimize" my school too.

My point was the Ellington community wasn't the ones who mismanaged this or created the design any more than the students and administrators at Shepherd, Murch or any other school.

So no one on the Ellington board of directors had the political pull to squeeze this through. Well, then it must have just been some honest gosh darned mistakes that led us here. Nope, nothing to see.

I'd be willing to to believe it, but where does it say in the auditor's report that that's what happened here? I didn't see that finding. Did you?

The report doesn't say 2 + 2 = 4.

Now, is it, or is it not?

The report certainly talks about the Ellington board, and their preference for a new building built on Ellington Field, and the local ANC and city politicians vetoing that, which lots of back and forth over what would have cost more or less.

But the mismanagement of the design, contracting, failure to manage to milestones, etc -- is all on DGS and DCPS. That part isn't on the Ellington Board, who may well have messed it up even worse had they been in charge of it, but they weren't.

[Anonymous]

They should have put it at cardozo. Now that it's too late for that, maybe they can do Fillmore stuff there and use that building for other stuff.

[Anonymous]

Have you driven by lately? It's bizarre. The place is still an empty shell and there never seem to be workers there...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you driven by lately? It's bizarre. The place is still an empty shell and there never seem to be workers there...

For all the money, there are students who will graduate from Ellington having been in temporary swing space their entire high school career.

Opening scheduled for fall 2017. Supposedly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems very little blame placed at the school - which doesn't surprise me. I think they are victims too.

Victims of a buttload of cash and a glorious palace of a modernization?

Well come and "victimize" my school too.

My point was the Ellington community wasn't the ones who mismanaged this or created the design any more than the students and administrators at Shepherd, Murch or any other school.

Not true. Someone at the Ellington community/ school must have been moving influences in the back stage for this epic disaster to continue.

+.1 at Murch parents worked their a$$e$$ off and found millions of dollars in savings in the project.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why the Ellington project got no oversight in planning or ongoing implementation, in comparison to elementary school projects that cost beans in comparison and get cut every step of the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why the Ellington project got no oversight in planning or ongoing implementation, in comparison to elementary school projects that cost beans in comparison and get cut every step of the way.

Well the auditor report explains why -- this is part 2 of 2 separate reports.

And part of the reason the later projects are getting more scrutiny is because DGS and DCPS are doing more oversight now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a high school with 500 students. 500 students.

They might as well expand the scope of Ellington to 6th grade and make it a magnet arts middle + high school for the entire city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:..."Much of the cost overruns - $60M - can be attributed to the underground parking."

This is total BS. I heard or read somewhere (maybe in error) that we have the teachers union to thank for this. I mean what the hell?? They can't take public transport like the rest of us? My employer certainly doesn't guarantee parking for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a high school with 500 students. 500 students.

They might as well expand the scope of Ellington to 6th grade and make it a magnet arts middle + high school for the entire city.

that's a great idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why the Ellington project got no oversight in planning or ongoing implementation, in comparison to elementary school projects that cost beans in comparison and get cut every step of the way.

Well the auditor report explains why -- this is part 2 of 2 separate reports.

And part of the reason the later projects are getting more scrutiny is because DGS and DCPS are doing more oversight now.

This financial debacle stinks of influence peddling, if not outright political corruption. Good that there's some clear scrutiny now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a high school with 500 students. 500 students.

They might as well expand the scope of Ellington to 6th grade and make it a magnet arts middle + high school for the entire city.

that's a great idea.

Could certainly help provide a rationale to finish the damn thing.