Reply to Charter school funding gap in FY27 budget

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Reply to "Charter school funding gap in FY27 budget"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Are kids in DCPS more valuable as humans than kids in charters? The city is spending $10,000 more per kid in DCPS every year than it spends on kids in charters. That is crazy, and probably illegal. There is an election coming, and elections have a way of forcing politicians actually listen to voters' concerns. If you're a charter school family, this is an excellent time to contact your representatives about your concerns. [/quote]

Can you please cite a source for your $10,000 claim? The DC Charter School Alliance says the difference is $1,850 per student.

https://dccharters.org/blog/budget-proposal-statement

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I think you're looking at outdated numbers. See here: https://dccharters.org/blog/the-numbers-dont-lie[/quote]

You seriously must think people are dumb and maybe some are…

The DC Charter School Alliance published a piece today called "The Numbers Don't Lie" and some of those numbers are real. But here's what they left out:

The $9,675 "gap" mixes apples and oranges.
That figure combines capital funding (building renovations) with operational funding (classroom resources) into one dramatic number. Capital money pays for aging infrastructure, buildings DCPS owns and maintains across the entire city, including schools that charters moved out of. It doesn't go into a teacher's pocket or a child's classroom. Combining it with per-pupil dollars is designed to shock you, not inform you.

DCPS buildings are old. That's not a conspiracy. When you see a DCPS renovation, that's often a 70 year old building getting its roof fixed or asbestos removed. Charters largely operate in leased or newer spaces. The capital gap reflects real structural obligations, not favoritism.

[b]The article never mentions who DCPS is legally required to serve.[/b]
DCPS cannot turn away students mid-year. DCPS cannot informally discourage families navigating complex IEPs. DCPS cannot close a school because enrollment dropped. Charters - even great ones, [b]do not carry these same obligations. Higher-need students cost more to serve. That's not an insult to charters. It's just true.[/b]

To be fair: if the FY27 budget really does move $59.4 million in DCPS utility costs outside the funding formula, that's worth scrutinizing. Charter advocates are right to flag it. That specific concern deserves a real answer from the Council. However, that’s about $600 per student not $10,000.

But "one valid point" is not the same as "the whole system is rigged against your child." Read critically before you testify and are embarrassed. [/quote]

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