DC Bilingual - Feedback?

[Anonymous]

The school is 600,000 in debt. They will be lucky to keep the lights on.

[Anonymous]

Oh wow! How do they get thier funding? The same way charter schools do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school is 600,000 in debt. They will be lucky to keep the lights on.

I hope you're a troll. This is very worrisome. It was very awful of you to post this baseless comment to get things stirred up without posting any real info.

[Anonymous]

the 600,000 debt was reported by the washington post yesterday --- dc bilingual has one of the top 3 worst financial positions of charter schools in dc -----these are public reports. The school said they expect things to get better.

[Anonymous]

Report: Fewer D.C. charter schools have financial problems

By Emma Brown, Published: July 24
District charter schools had fewer financial problems in fiscal 2012 compared to the year before, according to a report released Wednesday by two city agencies and the D.C. Public Charter School Board.

The study, based on an examination of schools’ annual financial audits, is meant to help identify and address fiscal weaknesses before they mushroom into problems that force a school to shut its doors.


It flagged three charters for poor fiscal performance during the year ending June 30, 2012, down from 13 the year before.

D.C. Bilingual, a Columbia Heights elementary school, had an operating deficit of more than $600,000, raising questions about its long-term viability, according to the charter board.

Myrna Peralta — president of CentroNia, the organization that operates D.C. Bilingual — said she is confident of the school’s continued viability. But she acknowledged that the operating deficit, driven in part by the expense of serving a growing number of high-needs special education students, is a problem.

The school has reduced staffing costs by employing fewer adults in each classroom, she said, and is looking for ways to reduce the cost of special-education services without sacrificing quality.

“Our financials will be much better” in fiscal 2013, she said, estimating that the school will reduce its operating deficit by more than half. Scott Pearson, executive director of the charter board, agreed that the school’s financial position has improved enough in recent months to allay the board’s concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, DC Bilingual is now in the DCI officially, so prepare to see more "white interest" in the school.

Is this true anyone?

Yes, They are included in the 3 charters that make up DCI - DC Bilingual, LAMB, Mundo Verde, Stokes, Yu Ying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, DC Bilingual is now in the DCI officially, so prepare to see more "white interest" in the school.

Is this true anyone?

Yes, They are included in the 3 charters that make up DCI - DC Bilingual, LAMB, Mundo Verde, Stokes, Yu Ying

Which 3 make up DCI becuase you just named 5.

[Anonymous]

^^ this. At least learn to freakin' count... Another question. Should families from other feeders be concerned about this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ this. At least learn to freakin' count... Another question. Should families from other feeders be concerned about this?

Concerned about what? DC Bilingual joining? I have a 1st grader at Mundo verde and I welcome all language immersion schools personally.

[Anonymous]

Should families be concerned about the viability of invited feeder schools. Is there any way DC Bilingual's financial situation somehow affect the financing of DCI.

[Anonymous]

No, financing for DCI will be separate from all of the feeders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school is 600,000 in debt. They will be lucky to keep the lights on.

I hope you're a troll. This is very worrisome. It was very awful of you to post this baseless comment to get things stirred up without posting any real info.

Sorry, I assume actually read the newspaper. My mistake

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, financing for DCI will be separate from all of the feeders.

What would happen to the financing if a feeder school dropped out due to being insolvent. I know that financing for the school is separate, but if a large number of children didn't attend because of (the very hypothetical potential) that their feeder dissolved, wouldn't that lower the per child finding of the DCI altogether? Not trying to pot stir or create confusion. Genuinely concerned and really want DCI to prosper (as well as all of the invited feeder schools).

[Anonymous]

Just gave up our spot at DC Bilingual and enrolled in another charter. Just can't risk them pulling teachers from classrooms to trim their bottom line while DC is trying to learn another language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, financing for DCI will be separate from all of the feeders.

What would happen to the financing if a feeder school dropped out due to being insolvent. I know that financing for the school is separate, but if a large number of children didn't attend because of (the very hypothetical potential) that their feeder dissolved, wouldn't that lower the per child finding of the DCI altogether? Not trying to pot stir or create confusion. Genuinely concerned and really want DCI to prosper (as well as all of the invited feeder schools).

Any open spaces will be put up for lottery if DCI does not meet enrollment goals from its feeders. At it stands with DC Bilingual in the group, there would have been fee if any spaces for kids from non feeders to lottery into DCI. So if DC bilingual does drop out due to financial problems, it's good news for people who want to lottery into DCI.