DC Auditor Report on Duke Ellington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There seem to be one or two posters who have an ax to grind with Ellington. There's plenty to gripe about regarding renovation cost. Why the hate toward the Board and students? The Board doesn't admit students, the faculty does through an audition process. Would love to know if you're the same angry guy that complained about the former principal's salary.

People have been asking this several times, perhaps you know the answer. What is the proportion of students who come from outside DC?

No one 'hates' anyone. But the Ellington board is responsible here, as they have oversight responsibility for the school. It's not just the train wreck of shocking cost overruns, it's the fact that the board's governance and accountability processes seem totally dysfunctional.

With the huge subsidies by DC's taxpayers and the fact that Ellington turns away students, no one who lives outside DC should attend Ellington.

What are the huge subsidies? How much and where are they from?

Same per pupil allocations and payments as any other DCPS school.

IF Ellington is getting the same per pupil allocations and payments as any other DCPS school, then DE is really living large because 20 percent of Ellington's Operating budget comes from private funds. However, 100% of its capital budget (for the renovation) comes from DC. At a now projected $210 million, Ellington's project is sucking, if not all the oxygen out of the room, at least a heavily disproportionate share of DC's renovation project. And while Ellington's costs continue to climb with no cuts and no consequences, DC is hacking far lesser school renovation budgets and underfunding others from the start. Ask Murch parents for example. As parents at schools whose renovations, in the most optimistic scenario, have been pushed well into the next decade.

Call it what you will: DC's Ritz, the Taj Mahal, the Marion B,arry School of the Arts and Grafts. Duke Ellington is a scandal.

[Anonymous]

Operating budget is higher because kids have more teachers. They take all the regular high school classes (7 per day) which DCPS finds. The private foundation raises money to pay for the other three classes - the daily arts block.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Operating budget is higher because kids have more teachers. They take all the regular high school classes (7 per day) which DCPS finds. The private foundation raises money to pay for the other three classes - the daily arts block.

It seems then that DCPS should be able to cut back its funding commitment and reallocate scarce dollars where they can benefit more students. And there's just n way that DC should be paying 100% (more like 230% when you consider cost overruns to date) of Ellington's renovation costs. If Ellington wants to spend like the Ritz, then let the "private foundation" fund the overruns and the excesses.

[Anonymous]

The $178 million is going not just to the building renovation on R street but a portion was used to renovate the two swing space buildings. They were old buildings that were not ready to house an academic high school and arts program. No internet and wi-fi at the academic building, as an example-- every high school needs that. They didn't have the right portable classrooms there for science labs. The auditorium in the arts building down the street (where the ceiling has now caved in on the third floor) was terrible and not fit for performances of any kind.

Once Ellington moves out of these now renovated swing spaces other schools will occupy them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The $178 million is going not just to the building renovation on R street but a portion was used to renovate the two swing space buildings. They were old buildings that were not ready to house an academic high school and arts program. No internet and wi-fi at the academic building, as an example-- every high school needs that. They didn't have the right portable classrooms there for science labs. The auditorium in the arts building down the street (where the ceiling has now caved in on the third floor) was terrible and not fit for performances of any kind.

Once Ellington moves out of these now renovated swing spaces other schools will occupy them.

This makes sense and is consistent with how projects are now being funded (see the Murch saga where $10M in swing space cost is coming from the renovation budget).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There seem to be one or two posters who have an ax to grind with Ellington. There's plenty to gripe about regarding renovation cost. Why the hate toward the Board and students? The Board doesn't admit students, the faculty does through an audition process. Would love to know if you're the same angry guy that complained about the former principal's salary.

People have been asking this several times, perhaps you know the answer. What is the proportion of students who come from outside DC?

No one 'hates' anyone. But the Ellington board is responsible here, as they have oversight responsibility for the school. It's not just the train wreck of shocking cost overruns, it's the fact that the board's governance and accountability processes seem totally dysfunctional.

With the huge subsidies by DC's taxpayers and the fact that Ellington turns away students, no one who lives outside DC should attend Ellington.

And if no 9th grade cello players apply next year (and the 3 they have now are graduating) how are they supposed to have an orchestra? Those are the places and circumstances where out of state students are accepted and pay tuition.

Well, at my old magnet, we'd pretty much take some violinists and make them switch. They only have 3 cello players though? That seems remarkably depressing and a sign that DCPS needs to get a damn music program back in place.

Of course, after my experience with DCPS, I see why that isn't happening. It's because people suck.

I suggest you find yourself a prescription for some medicinal....this topic is getting the better of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There seem to be one or two posters who have an ax to grind with Ellington. There's plenty to gripe about regarding renovation cost. Why the hate toward the Board and students? The Board doesn't admit students, the faculty does through an audition process. Would love to know if you're the same angry guy that complained about the former principal's salary.

People have been asking this several times, perhaps you know the answer. What is the proportion of students who come from outside DC?

No one 'hates' anyone. But the Ellington board is responsible here, as they have oversight responsibility for the school. It's not just the train wreck of shocking cost overruns, it's the fact that the board's governance and accountability processes seem totally dysfunctional.

With the huge subsidies by DC's taxpayers and the fact that Ellington turns away students, no one who lives outside DC should attend Ellington.

And if no 9th grade cello players apply next year (and the 3 they have now are graduating) how are they supposed to have an orchestra? Those are the places and circumstances where out of state students are accepted and pay tuition.

Well, at my old magnet, we'd pretty much take some violinists and make them switch. They only have 3 cello players though? That seems remarkably depressing and a sign that DCPS needs to get a damn music program back in place.

Of course, after my experience with DCPS, I see why that isn't happening. It's because people suck.

That was a hypothetical example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The $178 million is going not just to the building renovation on R street but a portion was used to renovate the two swing space buildings. They were old buildings that were not ready to house an academic high school and arts program. No internet and wi-fi at the academic building, as an example-- every high school needs that. They didn't have the right portable classrooms there for science labs. The auditorium in the arts building down the street (where the ceiling has now caved in on the third floor) was terrible and not fit for performances of any kind.

Once Ellington moves out of these now renovated swing spaces other schools will occupy them.

Wait, Ellington renovated an auditorium in swing space? Why didn't they just use another school's auditorium for productions and save the money? And wi-fi didn't cost $178 million. It didn't even cost 1/10000th of that!

And it's no longer $178M -- the latest estimates are close to $210M.

Truly the MarionBar-ry School of the Arts and Grafts!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The $178 million is going not just to the building renovation on R street but a portion was used to renovate the two swing space buildings. They were old buildings that were not ready to house an academic high school and arts program. No internet and wi-fi at the academic building, as an example-- every high school needs that. They didn't have the right portable classrooms there for science labs. The auditorium in the arts building down the street (where the ceiling has now caved in on the third floor) was terrible and not fit for performances of any kind.

Once Ellington moves out of these now renovated swing spaces other schools will occupy them.

Wait, Ellington renovated an auditorium in swing space? Why didn't they just use another school's auditorium for productions and save the money? And wi-fi didn't cost $178 million. It didn't even cost 1/10000th of that!

And it's no longer $178M -- the latest estimates are close to $210M.

Truly the MarionBar-ry School of the Arts and Grafts!

Source please? The $178M already made my head explode. If anyone authorizes $210M from DC funds...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The $178 million is going not just to the building renovation on R street but a portion was used to renovate the two swing space buildings. They were old buildings that were not ready to house an academic high school and arts program. No internet and wi-fi at the academic building, as an example-- every high school needs that. They didn't have the right portable classrooms there for science labs. The auditorium in the arts building down the street (where the ceiling has now caved in on the third floor) was terrible and not fit for performances of any kind.

Once Ellington moves out of these now renovated swing spaces other schools will occupy them.

Wait, Ellington renovated an auditorium in swing space? Why didn't they just use another school's auditorium for productions and save the money? And wi-fi didn't cost $178 million. It didn't even cost 1/10000th of that!

And it's no longer $178M -- the latest estimates are close to $210M.

Truly the MarionBar-ry School of the Arts and Grafts!

Source please? The $178M already made my head explode. If anyone authorizes $210M from DC funds...

$178 million is not the final number. The project still continues...

[Anonymous]

Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh.

Don't worry, DC will fund the obscene cost overruns somehow -- most likely out of your kid's school renovation budget. What's sacrificing a lunch room so that DE can be a "premier" flashy performing arts school for 500 kids (a material number of whom don't even live in DC)? What's the problem if your elementary school renovation slot keeps slipping and slipping ... and slipping? Hey, maybe your grandkids then can get to live through the construction.

The attitude in the District Building seems to be, "Anything for Ellington."

[Anonymous]

Still want to know if anything can be done. What about a petition? Just feel that this problem is so outrageous and feel frustrated that nothing is done to correct the problem

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still want to know if anything can be done. What about a petition? Just feel that this problem is so outrageous and feel frustrated that nothing is done to correct the problem

Send a message to sitting councilmembers that you won't be voting for them because of what they did for Ellington.

Especially those on the Education Committee, like Grosso.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still want to know if anything can be done. What about a petition? Just feel that this problem is so outrageous and feel frustrated that nothing is done to correct the problem

Send a message to sitting councilmembers that you won't be voting for them because of what they did for Ellington.

Especially those on the Education Committee, like Grosso.

Gross lives down the street from me. His wife knocked on my door for votes when he was running for city council. Maybe I'll knock on his door and let him know how I feel about the Ellington debacle.