Bill introduced to declare the Old Hardy School surplus and extend long-term lease to the Lab School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who is on the board of trustees at the Lab School?

Lori Soto, wife of Ben Soto, Mayor Bowser's chief fundraiser.
https://modernluxury.com/washington-dc/scene/fab-lab/img171378

See also the list of campaign contributors:
https://efiling.ocf.dc.gov/ContributionExpenditure/Search

Well this is depressing. Especially since the photo is at a fundraiser that "helped the innovative organization raise nearly $700,000 for educational initiatives." I would like that for my kids' school, please and thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
As a Wilson-feeder parent, here's my question: what is the DCPS plan to serve the increasing number of kids with learning disabilities that will come with the increased population of kids in general?

Or put another way, how can DCPS better serve its most underserved public school students including the hundreds of students with disabilities currently in the Wilson feeder pattern?

Anyone?

In 2010, Vincent Gray ran successfully for mayor and one of his campaign promises was to halve the number of kids in private placements. When he took office the number was 2,204. At that time the city was spending over $120 million a year on private placements, when the entire DCPS budget was around $600 million.

By 2014 there were 1,062. In 2015-16 there were 665 and in 2016-17 there were 530. That's a 20% drop in one year and more than 75% in six years. This year it's 416. For better or for worse DCPS has made a dramatic change of direction in how it deals with those kids.

The reason Gray did this -- and Bowser has continued it -- was private placements just weren't cost-effective.

Which does raise the question, if the city can effect a change like that in six years, why is it committing the property for 50?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who is on the board of trustees at the Lab School?

Lori Soto, wife of Ben Soto, Mayor Bowser's chief fundraiser.
https://modernluxury.com/washington-dc/scene/fab-lab/img171378

Wow. Nice digging. Tip off the media, please. It would nice if the journos could figure this stuff out on their own, but either way it needs to be exposed. This is DC, not Chicago.

[Anonymous]

The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which does raise the question, if the city can effect a change like that in six years, why is it committing the property for 50?

Because corruption.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As a Wilson-feeder parent, here's my question: what is the DCPS plan to serve the increasing number of kids with learning disabilities that will come with the increased population of kids in general?

Or put another way, how can DCPS better serve its most underserved public school students including the hundreds of students with disabilities currently in the Wilson feeder pattern?

Anyone?

In 2010, Vincent Gray ran successfully for mayor and one of his campaign promises was to halve the number of kids in private placements. When he took office the number was 2,204. At that time the city was spending over $120 million a year on private placements, when the entire DCPS budget was around $600 million.

By 2014 there were 1,062. In 2015-16 there were 665 and in 2016-17 there were 530. That's a 20% drop in one year and more than 75% in six years. This year it's 416. For better or for worse DCPS has made a dramatic change of direction in how it deals with those kids.

The reason Gray did this -- and Bowser has continued it -- was private placements just weren't cost-effective.

Which does raise the question, if the city can effect a change like that in six years, why is it committing the property for 50?

1) The private placements DCPS rolled back the most were residential schools far away from the city, such as in upstate New York.

DC has students in 60 different private schools this year (mostly DCPS, but some charter) - the schools with 20+ students are:

Accotink 60
Chidren's Guild (2 campuses) 26
Episcopal Center 33
Ivymount 36
Katharine Thomas 26
Kennedy Krieger (4 campuses) 31
Kingbury 35
Lab 32
Joseph P Kennedy Institute 36
Phillips School (2 campuses) 65
Foundation School at PG County 32
Village Academy Maryland 41

The city is funding these students because either

1) their parents have proven that DCPS/their charter has failed to provide appropriate schooling to their children. Requires mediation or a lawsuit. Nearly all of Lab's publicly funded students all fall into this category.

2) OSSE, the child's school, and the parents all agree (without litigation) that there is no appropriate public school that can serve the child's needs.

Pre-Gray, when DC's special education was under court supervision because it was atrocious, it was relatively easy to get a private placement. Some were even gained bc DCPS couldn't even get the paperwork right, or follow the legally prescribed timelines. Those days are over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who is on the board of trustees at the Lab School?

Lori Soto, wife of Ben Soto, Mayor Bowser's chief fundraiser.
https://modernluxury.com/washington-dc/scene/fab-lab/img171378

Wow. Nice digging. Tip off the media, please. It would nice if the journos could figure this stuff out on their own, but either way it needs to be exposed. This is DC, not Chicago.

It's been mentioned before in the media. Not news.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

Same. Definitely not renewing my membership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's been mentioned before in the media. Not news.

Of course it’s not news in this town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Pre-Gray, when DC's special education was under court supervision because it was atrocious, it was relatively easy to get a private placement. Some were even gained bc DCPS couldn't even get the paperwork right, or follow the legally prescribed timelines. Those days are over.

My recollection is that when Gray started looking into the private placements they found the city was paying for a not-insubstantial number of students who weren't DC residents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

They have a general membership meeting tonight at 7PM at Hardy Rec center. Go and let them know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

Same. Definitely not renewing my membership.

They wouldn't do this without a vote of the membership would they? Crazy if they didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

Same. Definitely not renewing my membership.

They wouldn't do this without a vote of the membership would they? Crazy if they didn't.

They did. Crazy says it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

They have a general membership meeting tonight at 7PM at Hardy Rec center. Go and let them know.

Can’t. Then I won’t be allowed to do my renovation. Don’t you love corruption?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

They have a general membership meeting tonight at 7PM at Hardy Rec center. Go and let them know.

Can’t. Then I won’t be allowed to do my renovation. Don’t you love corruption?

Come on. This is not a reasonable take.

The letter was a mistake. It was poorly-informed and motivated by the self-serving interests of a FCCA board member or two. But don't pretend that corruption is at play or that the FCCA has much to do with whether your proposed renovation gets approved by the District. That's just plain stupidity.