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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t DC have enough rainy day funds to cover this $1 billion for now and then repay it after Sept. 30th?

DC has the funds. They have the $1 billion that was already budgeted. They have a balanced budget and a surplus. The point is, for no reason at all, Congress says they can't use the money they have, just because "Congress said so." So the $1 billion will just sit there while teachers get fired, trash doesn't get picked up, and so on. Our local tax dollars are being held hostage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a chance they also cut aftercare. That’s a lot of money right there. I’m not sure what is going to happen.

We pay for our own aftercare at our DCPS. Is it different elsewhere?

Yes. Title One schools get so many free/reduced services that non title one schools don’t get. I bet that is on the chopping block. Along with summer programs

[Anonymous]

If I got a $1B subtract this from this Congress, I would make it go all to cut MPD and take cops off of Capitol Hill and see how that goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading all of these messages makes me feel like folks here are going to blame the mayor instead of the administration/Congress for these cuts. This seems to be the admin’s intention.

I think you're misreading them. We know it's not the Mayor's fault. She's been put in abominable position, has an unemviable take, and will have to sacrifice herself at some point in the near future. We just want her to make the right decisions now.

Can we sacrifice the council along the way too? DC needs a group of leaders capable of critical thinking right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t DC have enough rainy day funds to cover this $1 billion for now and then repay it after Sept. 30th?

Yes but they aren’t allowed to spend it. The CR requires them to spend at last year’s budget level. This will actually result in a surplus because they will still collect all the taxes, just not spend them.

That was my interpretation, but what about the projections DC made last week about losing a billion over the next three years with the fed layoffs? Are we still projecting a surplus?

[Anonymous]

Is anyone considering editing their lottery rank list to prioritize DCPS over charters on the assumption that if the CR passes then Charters will be hit harder than DCPS schools? Is that a thing? The last chance to change rank order is 5p today which is why I am asking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone considering editing their lottery rank list to prioritize DCPS over charters on the assumption that if the CR passes then Charters will be hit harder than DCPS schools? Is that a thing? The last chance to change rank order is 5p today which is why I am asking.

Law requires equal funding. And Congress isn't going to allow gutting of charters. Republicans LOVE charters. (So do I, btw). Safest place to be is a school well insulated from distractions from kids who need lots of services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone considering editing their lottery rank list to prioritize DCPS over charters on the assumption that if the CR passes then Charters will be hit harder than DCPS schools? Is that a thing? The last chance to change rank order is 5p today which is why I am asking.

Law requires equal funding. And Congress isn't going to allow gutting of charters. Republicans LOVE charters. (So do I, btw). Safest place to be is a school well insulated from distractions from kids who need lots of services.

The law requires equal funding though charters aren't getting that. Still, your points are well taken. Congress will step in if there is continued finagling with charters. Also, even if charters are hurt more, all schools are going to be hurt. Schools that have populations that require more services are going to get less services.

[Anonymous]

They should ignore it and spend the money as planned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Couldn’t the house and senate get another bill together in a week or two and patch this up? Seems like there is attention to it.

the house is out of session now until March 24

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone considering editing their lottery rank list to prioritize DCPS over charters on the assumption that if the CR passes then Charters will be hit harder than DCPS schools? Is that a thing? The last chance to change rank order is 5p today which is why I am asking.

Law requires equal funding. And Congress isn't going to allow gutting of charters. Republicans LOVE charters. (So do I, btw). Safest place to be is a school well insulated from distractions from kids who need lots of services.

The law requires equal funding though charters aren't getting that. Still, your points are well taken. Congress will step in if there is continued finagling with charters. Also, even if charters are hurt more, all schools are going to be hurt. Schools that have populations that require more services are going to get less services.

But I do think that is a valid concern. Yes the cuts have to be equal but DCPS has more overhead and more room for cuts before they get to classrooms. Charters don’t have that by design.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m seriously stressing, worrying they’ll just cut prek since that’s not a legal requirement. I don’t know how realistic it is. I wonder when we find out what’s getting cut? I guess could be as early as tomorrow or Monday?

I would not worry. They will not cut all of PreK. That is a mayoral decision and all they are doing for now is cutting the budget which is all of the grades. DC has been committed to universal pre-k for a long time now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone considering editing their lottery rank list to prioritize DCPS over charters on the assumption that if the CR passes then Charters will be hit harder than DCPS schools? Is that a thing? The last chance to change rank order is 5p today which is why I am asking.

Law requires equal funding. And Congress isn't going to allow gutting of charters. Republicans LOVE charters. (So do I, btw). Safest place to be is a school well insulated from distractions from kids who need lots of services.

You’re sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone considering editing their lottery rank list to prioritize DCPS over charters on the assumption that if the CR passes then Charters will be hit harder than DCPS schools? Is that a thing? The last chance to change rank order is 5p today which is why I am asking.

Law requires equal funding. And Congress isn't going to allow gutting of charters. Republicans LOVE charters. (So do I, btw). Safest place to be is a school well insulated from distractions from kids who need lots of services.

You’re sick.

I'm not the poster and I don't like the statement. However, I do understand why parents should be very worried and have to consider whether schools will be more or less chaotic if there are major cuts. Some schools don't need intense support services. For schools that have multiple student support staffers -- social workers, psychologists, deans etc -- those positions need to be prioritized along with teachers. But is that even possible with the level of cuts needed?

If you look through this thread there are comments mentioning cutting school food, deans, before/afterschool. If you are in a school where many kids need school-provided food or don't have a safe place to go before/afterschool, it's going to be tough. Even if all teachers can be preserved, those kinds of cuts will cause real turmoil and change the culture of schools. The burden of this will be carried by higher at-risk schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone considering editing their lottery rank list to prioritize DCPS over charters on the assumption that if the CR passes then Charters will be hit harder than DCPS schools? Is that a thing? The last chance to change rank order is 5p today which is why I am asking.

Law requires equal funding. And Congress isn't going to allow gutting of charters. Republicans LOVE charters. (So do I, btw). Safest place to be is a school well insulated from distractions from kids who need lots of services.

You’re sick.

I'm not the poster and I don't like the statement. However, I do understand why parents should be very worried and have to consider whether schools will be more or less chaotic if there are major cuts. Some schools don't need intense support services. For schools that have multiple student support staffers -- social workers, psychologists, deans etc -- those positions need to be prioritized along with teachers. But is that even possible with the level of cuts needed?

If you look through this thread there are comments mentioning cutting school food, deans, before/afterschool. If you are in a school where many kids need school-provided food or don't have a safe place to go before/afterschool, it's going to be tough. Even if all teachers can be preserved, those kinds of cuts will cause real turmoil and change the culture of schools. The burden of this will be carried by higher at-risk schools.

Deans are not necessary. That is why principals and APs exist.