Be smart DCUM- focus on school staffing for next year

[Anonymous]

Hello folks!
I’ve seen lots of responses here that range from my school is doing great, to teachers suck. I’ve also seen ideas that suggest you can buck a contract and just have summer school. Like it or hate it- you can’t. And no, teachers aren’t monsters for having contractual rights & enforcing them. Thank you, next.
If you want a place to unleash your fury- push DCPS to increase staffing/decrease classroom size for next year. We will need more adults- working with smaller groups of kids to transition kids back into school & give them the attention they’ll need.
Focus on the things that matter- safety nets once we all return. Not rabbit holes about live instruction/pre recorded videos. Even if you win the distance learning lottery- your still losing.

[Anonymous]

Ps- I’ll add you can think they are monsters. That’s fine. But it gets you no closer to the outcome you want. Unless- rage at things you can’t change is a fun way to spend your time.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. All kids will have trauma when school resumes. All kids. We will need smaller classes, more aides, more school counselors and psychologists. And this is not the time to break the teachers that care deeply.

[Anonymous]

Preach!

[Anonymous]

Teacher staff sizes won't change, sadly, but I bet Central Office staffing goes through the roof after this.

[Anonymous]

There is a deficit. Who is going be paying for it?

[Anonymous]

The error in thinking that started this thread is that there will be $. The country is already in a jaw-dropping recession that took place in a matter of weeks. The ramifications on the DC government budget, and therefore the DCPS budget is going to be....significant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher staff sizes won't change, sadly, but I bet Central Office staffing goes through the roof after this.

Probably to get ready for the next round of distance learning. My SIL’s district already put out feelers for people with online learning certificates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello folks!
I’ve seen lots of responses here that range from my school is doing great, to teachers suck. I’ve also seen ideas that suggest you can buck a contract and just have summer school. Like it or hate it- you can’t. And no, teachers aren’t monsters for having contractual rights & enforcing them. Thank you, next.
If you want a place to unleash your fury- push DCPS to increase staffing/decrease classroom size for next year. We will need more adults- working with smaller groups of kids to transition kids back into school & give them the attention they’ll need.
Focus on the things that matter- safety nets once we all return. Not rabbit holes about live instruction/pre recorded videos. Even if you win the distance learning lottery- your still losing.

I do not disagree - but where are the kids going to go? And where is this $ coming from? I would assume if anything, there are going to be some schools that were close to flipping from Title 1 funding and may stay as people had lost income / more children who qualify for FARMs.

DCPS draft budget was already out - and there were cuts from this year - and DC is reaching deep into the rainy day fund.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The error in thinking that started this thread is that there will be $. The country is already in a jaw-dropping recession that took place in a matter of weeks. The ramifications on the DC government budget, and therefore the DCPS budget is going to be....significant.

I think we'll see the significance in 2021-22 more likely. Most of next year is accounted for already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The error in thinking that started this thread is that there will be $. The country is already in a jaw-dropping recession that took place in a matter of weeks. The ramifications on the DC government budget, and therefore the DCPS budget is going to be....significant.

I think we'll see the significance in 2021-22 more likely. Most of next year is accounted for already.

Not true. The Mayor hasn't presented her budget yet. The CFO is revising revenue projections and gave a very grim report to the Council a few weeks ago. I'm at a charter and we were told to budget several scenarios from a 0% increase to a decrease for 2020-2021.

[Anonymous]

We will get the money from the money store... duh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. All kids will have trauma when school resumes. All kids. We will need smaller classes, more aides, more school counselors and psychologists. And this is not the time to break the teachers that care deeply.

Um no they won’t. Not everyone in DC is a basket case. Everyone will not have trauma. It’s a really long summer break. My kid is as happy as a clam.

[Anonymous]

In today’s Washington Post, the head of the charter board states that charters need to apply for emergency relief or there will be layoffs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In today’s Washington Post, the head of the charter board states that charters need to apply for emergency relief or there will be layoffs.

Link?