Subtracting $1B from DC Govt has to affect DCPS/PCS, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS: cut admin, cut CO positions, and get rid of IMPACT. The absurd amount of money, time, positions, etc related to IMPACT are absolutely absurd. Look to MCPS for teacher evaluation guidance…. It doesn’t have to be soooo complicated

This. They should not fire teachers.

[Anonymous]

Cut iReady, amplify, cape, ri, laptop budgets, canvas

[Anonymous]

This should put the brakes on expansion for schools like DCI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is $350 million in school funding "cut immediately?"

The same way that federal agencies are being cut now?? Ask for voluntary resignations and early retirements and then schedule terminations with little notice. Freeze all non-personnel spending. Maybe end the school year early. Cut preschool and preK, adult education and the STAY/dropout programs as they are not compulsory. There are really no good answers when it comes to schools. It seems crazy that this even has to be contemplated when most of this money is local DC taxpayer money.

What's not clear to me is whether the total is $350 million or is it just the portion of that $350 million that is left for the remainder of the federal fiscal year (through September 30).

Is there a date that the available funding will run out? I mean, at what point in the school year will the available pot of money (minus the $365 million that will now no longer be available) be spent?

I haven't seen any dates but these resolutions are typically enacted immediately. I'm more familiar with charter finances not DCPS. Charters receive quarterly payments for their operations - July, September, January and April. We are hearing that the next payments for April, July and September could be significantly reduced. All schools are going to be hurt but given the way budgeting is prioritized, DCPS might have more opportunities for stabilization funds. Still if this passes, I'm guessing even DCPS will see devastating cuts and some charters could fail to make payroll which will put them up for closure/revocation.

If there is equity in the cuts across both types of schools, this is probably $3,500 per kid that needs to be cut.

It's really hard to believe that this is even in the realm of possibility.

So charters potentially won't have adequate money for salaries in April. And if they have no money they either 1)fire staff or 2)ask staff to work for free?

I'm hoping that if this happens, the schools will ask the parents for donations. I would be happy to donate some money to keep my kids in school.

3,500 PER STUDENT of money raised via donation? You have to be kidding. This is a structural failure and individual contributions wouldn't / couldn't make a meaningful difference.

Worried that the parents who could help out will just go to independent schools! I would!

Independent school admissions just came out last week and had record breaking numbers. There isn't an empty seat in the DMV.

But they always say that they have had record-breaking numbers, every year, everywhere. My FIL was an admissions director and I am sure that I heard that every single year for 15 years.

My kid is at DC private, and we were going to move him to public for HS this Fall. But now that I feel we can't give up our seat at a school where we know things are going to be stable.

Does anyone want to start a new private school with me?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS: cut admin, cut CO positions, and get rid of IMPACT. The absurd amount of money, time, positions, etc related to IMPACT are absolutely absurd. Look to MCPS for teacher evaluation guidance…. It doesn’t have to be soooo complicated

This! But they will probably cut teachers just to make the pain hurt. There’s a lot of overhead staff that makes it harder on teachers daily. Cut that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is $350 million in school funding "cut immediately?"

The same way that federal agencies are being cut now?? Ask for voluntary resignations and early retirements and then schedule terminations with little notice. Freeze all non-personnel spending. Maybe end the school year early. Cut preschool and preK, adult education and the STAY/dropout programs as they are not compulsory. There are really no good answers when it comes to schools. It seems crazy that this even has to be contemplated when most of this money is local DC taxpayer money.

What's not clear to me is whether the total is $350 million or is it just the portion of that $350 million that is left for the remainder of the federal fiscal year (through September 30).

Is there a date that the available funding will run out? I mean, at what point in the school year will the available pot of money (minus the $365 million that will now no longer be available) be spent?

I haven't seen any dates but these resolutions are typically enacted immediately. I'm more familiar with charter finances not DCPS. Charters receive quarterly payments for their operations - July, September, January and April. We are hearing that the next payments for April, July and September could be significantly reduced. All schools are going to be hurt but given the way budgeting is prioritized, DCPS might have more opportunities for stabilization funds. Still if this passes, I'm guessing even DCPS will see devastating cuts and some charters could fail to make payroll which will put them up for closure/revocation.

If there is equity in the cuts across both types of schools, this is probably $3,500 per kid that needs to be cut.

It's really hard to believe that this is even in the realm of possibility.

So charters potentially won't have adequate money for salaries in April. And if they have no money they either 1)fire staff or 2)ask staff to work for free?

I'm hoping that if this happens, the schools will ask the parents for donations. I would be happy to donate some money to keep my kids in school.

DC parents will not be able to make up 350 million. A good number of them are losing their own jobs.

[Anonymous]

Did this turn into a wish list of who you or what you personally dislike?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did this turn into a wish list of who you or what you personally dislike?

Uh, every suggestion I've seen so far is great. These are all just unnecessary expenses in the budget. Try to keep up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They shouldn’t cut teachers. They should cut out all the BS programs that don't actually teach kids academics, and cut out all the layers of fat in admin.

This and all those computer programs!

Also, check who is actually abiding by their contract. Recently an extended family member who works as a special ed (or similar I don't want to give specifics) teacher at DCPS bragged to everyone (including relatives who work in public schools in other states) that they roll in a little before 9 and leave right after 3 even though their contract states they must be in at 8 and stay until 4.

Their own kids attend a DC charters (because the public isn't good enough) and have a partner who WFH. They admitted it clearly hurts their students and planning, but that they keep doing it and no one has said anything for a long time. It just really hurt my heart that they knew it hurt their students, but didn't care. I have other stories of this family member "gaming the system" and it made me look poorly on DCPS (I live outside the area, but have friends and family here). The other family members who work in public in other states couldn't believe it. A retired administrator basically said this family member should be fired! Some people really have no shame. FWIW, this person makes 6 figures. There was no incentive for them to be a better teacher or have better outcomes for their students.

So they should look at people/teachers/admin/etc doing things like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They shouldn’t cut teachers. They should cut out all the BS programs that don't actually teach kids academics, and cut out all the layers of fat in admin.

This and all those computer programs!

Also, check who is actually abiding by their contract. Recently an extended family member who works as a special ed (or similar I don't want to give specifics) teacher at DCPS bragged to everyone (including relatives who work in public schools in other states) that they roll in a little before 9 and leave right after 3 even though their contract states they must be in at 8 and stay until 4.

Their own kids attend a DC charters (because the public isn't good enough) and have a partner who WFH. They admitted it clearly hurts their students and planning, but that they keep doing it and no one has said anything for a long time. It just really hurt my heart that they knew it hurt their students, but didn't care. I have other stories of this family member "gaming the system" and it made me look poorly on DCPS (I live outside the area, but have friends and family here). The other family members who work in public in other states couldn't believe it. A retired administrator basically said this family member should be fired! Some people really have no shame. FWIW, this person makes 6 figures. There was no incentive for them to be a better teacher or have better outcomes for their students.

So they should look at people/teachers/admin/etc doing things like this.

This is news to me. Could you find the section of the contract that says 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They shouldn’t cut teachers. They should cut out all the BS programs that don't actually teach kids academics, and cut out all the layers of fat in admin.

This and all those computer programs!

Also, check who is actually abiding by their contract. Recently an extended family member who works as a special ed (or similar I don't want to give specifics) teacher at DCPS bragged to everyone (including relatives who work in public schools in other states) that they roll in a little before 9 and leave right after 3 even though their contract states they must be in at 8 and stay until 4.

Their own kids attend a DC charters (because the public isn't good enough) and have a partner who WFH. They admitted it clearly hurts their students and planning, but that they keep doing it and no one has said anything for a long time. It just really hurt my heart that they knew it hurt their students, but didn't care. I have other stories of this family member "gaming the system" and it made me look poorly on DCPS (I live outside the area, but have friends and family here). The other family members who work in public in other states couldn't believe it. A retired administrator basically said this family member should be fired! Some people really have no shame. FWIW, this person makes 6 figures. There was no incentive for them to be a better teacher or have better outcomes for their students.

So they should look at people/teachers/admin/etc doing things like this.

This is news to me. Could you find the section of the contract that says 4?

I haven't seen their contract. This is what they said at a large family gathering. They said they were meant to be at school and their contract stated X but they did Y, no one said anything, and that it hurt their planning. I haven't seen their contract, nor would I ask to see it!

What I was surprised was this person who works for DCPS thought it was acceptable to tell everyone this at a family gathering almost like bragging.

I have a lot of family who work in public education, many outside of the DMV, so there is usually discussions at functions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every state ... and DC ... has the same two biggest expenses: 1) education, and 2) Medicaid.

Very hard to deduct this much from a budget and it doesn't hit education.

DC's budget is balanced. They don't NEED to do any cuts. For anything.

+1. Crazy how people are taking a "well we have to tighten our belts somewhere" approach. No we actually don't. This isn't some kind of overdue correction that the rational people are finally getting traction on, it's a heist.

[Anonymous]

This seems like one employee with terrible work ethics…But it is not fair to generalize or make it look like it is a systemic issue. There are also very dedicated employees.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They shouldn’t cut teachers. They should cut out all the BS programs that don't actually teach kids academics, and cut out all the layers of fat in admin.

This and all those computer programs!

Also, check who is actually abiding by their contract. Recently an extended family member who works as a special ed (or similar I don't want to give specifics) teacher at DCPS bragged to everyone (including relatives who work in public schools in other states) that they roll in a little before 9 and leave right after 3 even though their contract states they must be in at 8 and stay until 4.

Their own kids attend a DC charters (because the public isn't good enough) and have a partner who WFH. They admitted it clearly hurts their students and planning, but that they keep doing it and no one has said anything for a long time. It just really hurt my heart that they knew it hurt their students, but didn't care. I have other stories of this family member "gaming the system" and it made me look poorly on DCPS (I live outside the area, but have friends and family here). The other family members who work in public in other states couldn't believe it. A retired administrator basically said this family member should be fired! Some people really have no shame. FWIW, this person makes 6 figures. There was no incentive for them to be a better teacher or have better outcomes for their students.

So they should look at people/teachers/admin/etc doing things like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did this turn into a wish list of who you or what you personally dislike?

This is the Trump plan: turn the people against each other so they fight amongst themselves while he makes off like a bandit. Straight out of the Robber-Baron Gilded Age Handbook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is $350 million in school funding "cut immediately?"

The same way that federal agencies are being cut now?? Ask for voluntary resignations and early retirements and then schedule terminations with little notice. Freeze all non-personnel spending. Maybe end the school year early. Cut preschool and preK, adult education and the STAY/dropout programs as they are not compulsory. There are really no good answers when it comes to schools. It seems crazy that this even has to be contemplated when most of this money is local DC taxpayer money.

What's not clear to me is whether the total is $350 million or is it just the portion of that $350 million that is left for the remainder of the federal fiscal year (through September 30).

Is there a date that the available funding will run out? I mean, at what point in the school year will the available pot of money (minus the $365 million that will now no longer be available) be spent?

I haven't seen any dates but these resolutions are typically enacted immediately. I'm more familiar with charter finances not DCPS. Charters receive quarterly payments for their operations - July, September, January and April. We are hearing that the next payments for April, July and September could be significantly reduced. All schools are going to be hurt but given the way budgeting is prioritized, DCPS might have more opportunities for stabilization funds. Still if this passes, I'm guessing even DCPS will see devastating cuts and some charters could fail to make payroll which will put them up for closure/revocation.

If there is equity in the cuts across both types of schools, this is probably $3,500 per kid that needs to be cut.

It's really hard to believe that this is even in the realm of possibility.

So charters potentially won't have adequate money for salaries in April. And if they have no money they either 1)fire staff or 2)ask staff to work for free?

I'm hoping that if this happens, the schools will ask the parents for donations. I would be happy to donate some money to keep my kids in school.

3,500 PER STUDENT of money raised via donation? You have to be kidding. This is a structural failure and individual contributions wouldn't / couldn't make a meaningful difference.

Disagree. If done at a school level, parents may be willing to pay to keep their kids in school, especially if the alternative is paying more for daycare.

It's a wonderful idea but 46% of students in charters are designated at-risk which is usually due to family poverty, homelessness, participation is benefits program (welfare, food stamps). The DCPS rate is similar -- 45%. Some families may be willing and able to pay but many cannot.