Why is DCPS Cutting Ward 3 Schools’ Funding

[Anonymous]

Which schools/Wards are up? Overall spending didn't go down so what's going up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which schools/Wards are up? Overall spending didn't go down so what's going up?

The budget for MacArthur and Foxhall is higher than ever before!

[Anonymous]

(1) this sucks, but White’s permanent virtual plan was a non-starter. Bowser isn’t great, but with her I can feel confident DCPS won’t go backwards on school reopening (like some charters have).

(2) this is not a Ward 3 issue. There are massive cuts across all wards, and unlike Ward 3, most other areas don’t have the financial resources to make up for the losses and will have to cut services and programming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:(1) this sucks, but White’s permanent virtual plan was a non-starter. Bowser isn’t great, but with her I can feel confident DCPS won’t go backwards on school reopening (like some charters have).

(2) this is not a Ward 3 issue. There are massive cuts across all wards, and unlike Ward 3, most other areas don’t have the financial resources to make up for the losses and will have to cut services and programming.

Great, so I will be fighting for my position supporting students who are more than 2 grade levels behind because you were scared that Robert White was going to close your school TWO YEARS after schools had already been back in session.
Awesome logic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:sorry if I don't cry about ward 3 funding.

I don't live in Ward 3 but this is NOT the answer or issue. If wards pit themselves against each other it lets the actual bad actors off he hook. The Chancellor is a stuffed shirt, condescending prick who cares not one but about Council oversight or performance. Why should he? As long as Mendelson keeps it under his purview (he knows nothing about education) the Chancellor can act with impunity. Central is a black hole of dollars. It is diverted from schools to the Central power structure and anyone who complains is punished. DC wants to spend money on guaranteed income and a host of social issues that may have merit, but funding is a zero sum game. Every dollar that is spent to put homeless people into housing they do not want is a dollar that is not spent on education.

I am not suggesting that some of these programs should not be funded before more education funding. What I am saying is that the conversation ought not be about fighting for education dollars as between Wards 3, 5 and 6 and instead focus on (i) WTF does Central do with all their money and (ii) what is DC spending money on in lieu of education spending.

[Anonymous]

In spite of the poorly phrased subject line, the point is that the cuts are inexcusable and touch schools in all Wards with Highest overall enrollment changes noted in Wards 3 and 4 and greatest enrollment decrease in Ward 8.

Of the schools in each Ward the following number of schools are receiving cuts.

Ward 1 4/8
Ward 2 7/10
Ward 3 7/10 (with MacArthur being the 11th school in this Ward)
Ward 4 11/18
Ward 5 5/13
Ward 6 11/19
Ward 7 9/18
Ward 8 10/20

While many school have been assigned cuts at over 5% of their present budgets, Alice Deal MS received the highest dollar figure cut at $827,700. High schools received the largest increases at Coolidge 5.7 million, Jackson-Reed 3.2 million, Dunbar 3.1, Eastern 2.6, And Roosevelt 2.4.

Lastly Jackson-Reed remains the largest public school in DC with 2192 students and a budget of 28,900,000, followed by
CHEC at 1611 with a budget of 28,500,000, Deal MS at 1402 with a budget of 15,900,000 and Coolidge HS at 1116 with a budget of 21,200,000.

This information is taken from a chart distributed by CM Frumin’s office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:sorry if I don't cry about ward 3 funding.

I don't live in Ward 3 but this is NOT the answer or issue. If wards pit themselves against each other it lets the actual bad actors off he hook. The Chancellor is a stuffed shirt, condescending prick who cares not one but about Council oversight or performance. Why should he? As long as Mendelson keeps it under his purview (he knows nothing about education) the Chancellor can act with impunity. Central is a black hole of dollars. It is diverted from schools to the Central power structure and anyone who complains is punished. DC wants to spend money on guaranteed income and a host of social issues that may have merit, but funding is a zero sum game. Every dollar that is spent to put homeless people into housing they do not want is a dollar that is not spent on education.

I am not suggesting that some of these programs should not be funded before more education funding. What I am saying is that the conversation ought not be about fighting for education dollars as between Wards 3, 5 and 6 and instead focus on (i) WTF does Central do with all their money and (ii) what is DC spending money on in lieu of education spending.

I live in Ward 3 and agree 100%. Bowser and Ferebee are unaccountable, and Mendelson is useless. It’s infuriating that Bowser and Mendelson were reelected, but no one should be surprised that this is the result, and we should focus our anger and attention on them, not each other.

[Anonymous]

Ward 3 is getting a whole new high school so waaaaaaaaah

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 is getting a whole new high school so waaaaaaaaah

Since Jackson Reed is almost twice the size of the next largest HS in the city, I’d say that is appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 is getting a whole new high school so waaaaaaaaah

Since Jackson Reed is almost twice the size of the next largest HS in the city, I’d say that is appropriate.

I'm fine with it, but don't act like Ward 3 isn't getting anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh! Why? We just can’t win. Why can’t our taxpayer dollars go to educate our children in our neighborhood schools? Our lack of sustainable public investment in this new generation is shameful.

Signed,

Disgruntled Public School Parent

Move to MD. It's the only sane response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 is getting a whole new high school so waaaaaaaaah

Oh please. The "new" high school is an old elementary school in a bad location. They aren't doing major renovations; just adding a cafeteria, which previously didn't exist. The goal is to reduce the growth at already way-overcrowded J-R, which serves students from a bunch of wards.

So why are you acting like Ward 3 is getting showered with luxuriant gifts? The gift was to GDS -- Bowser did them a favor by buying their property. The gift is not to DCPS or public school families.

[Anonymous]

Outraged parent here trying to figure out how I can use my voice (and if it will make any difference). I found this article to be a useful explainer of the DCPS budgeting process: https://www.dcfpi.org/all/how-dc-funds-its-public-schools/

I'll be writing to my Council member and the Deputy Mayor of Education. Not sure what else I can do.

[Anonymous]

I come from the future. You all are late to the game.

This new budget formula was foisted into Hardy MS already last year. This was their reward for gaining students during the pandemic. It has wrought havoc across the school already this year.

These cuts really do affect the school experience, too to bottom. Fewer teachers means bigger classes, fewer people to handle disruptive influences, less oversight over all aspects of the day, from hallways to bathrooms. And so on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 is getting a whole new high school so waaaaaaaaah

Oh please. The "new" high school is an old elementary school in a bad location. They aren't doing major renovations; just adding a cafeteria, which previously didn't exist. The goal is to reduce the growth at already way-overcrowded J-R, which serves students from a bunch of wards.

So why are you acting like Ward 3 is getting showered with luxuriant gifts? The gift was to GDS -- Bowser did them a favor by buying their property. The gift is not to DCPS or public school families.

Well, I live in Ward 5 and our Title I is taking a cut despite a 10% enrollment increase. So forgive me if I don't feel sorry for Ward 3.