Grosso's FY17 Budget Unanimously Passed by Committee on Education

For Immediate Release

May 5, 2016

Contact: Keenan Austin  

(202) 724-8105

Grosso's FY17 Budget Unanimously Passed by Committee on Education

Washington, D.C. - Today the D.C. Council Committee on Education unanimously passed the budget formulated by Committee Chairperson David Grosso. The $2.3 billion in operating dollars and $1.6 billion in capital budget for the city's public education system includes public schools, public charter schools, and libraries, and next goes to the full Council for a vote. The budget builds upon the Executive's investment in the full modernizations of all schools. The Committee continues its work on an objective approach to capital funding, establishes a strategic communications protocol around environmental safety, including exhaustive water testing, and restores a critical investment in public libraries.

"I've often said that the education of our children does not happen exclusively in our schools. To best serve our children, every part of the government must be engaged in this process," said Grosso.

"This budget supports the full modernization of all DCPS schools with a priority on the schools that are in the greatest of need. Many of our schools have not seen full construction or modernization over the past few decades, while others enjoy second and third iterations of development. These inequities cannot exist if we are committed to each child receiving a quality education regardless of their zip code."

"It is the responsibility of our government to make sure that taxpayer dollars support our students fairly and equitably. Last year I introduced a tool to remove politics from the city's education budget, and this year we were able to improve it with even greater analysis and better data."

The Committee also makes a number of important policy recommendations including a periodic review of the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula and the publishing of statewide discipline guidelines and regulations. The Committee's budget also establishes a D. C. Oral History project to ensure that our unique history is properly preserved for generations to come. The budget includes the following enhancements:   

• $220M new funding for DCPS capital modernizations
• $22.5M in small capital improvement projects at DCPS
• $1.8M to increase child care subsidy rates to align rates with licensing ratios
• $1.6M for early childhood literacy interventions to improve 3rd grade reading outcomes
• $3.9M for a data warehouse centralizing data from our school system
• $2M for general library maintenance, as well as $350,000 for general collections
• $450,000 for life-saving access to epinephrine in schools
• $200,000 to support college access and college readiness programs
• $1M for Healthy Tots subsidies for early childhood education centers
• $727,000 for environmental literacy
• $400,000 for collections and maintenance for the soon-to-be reopened West End, Capitol View and the Palisades libraries
• $1.5 M to support the Cleveland Park Library project
• $600,000 to provide additional funding support for the Books from Birth program
• $200,000 for the establishment of a D.C. Oral History Project
• Sends $107,871 to the Department of Human Services to increase 1.0 FTE for the PASS program which works with youth and families to improve school attendance and performance and prevent juvenile justice involvement

Grosso: Dissolution of D.C. Trust is Both a Challenge and an Opportunity

For Immediate Release: 
April 28, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
   

Grosso: Dissolution of D.C. Trust is Both a Challenge and an Opportunity

Washington, D.C.--Councilmember David Grosso, Chairperson of the Committee on Education, released the following statement regarding the dissolution of the D.C. Trust, formerly known as the Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, after today's budget oversight hearing with the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services:

"Today's hearing provided an important venue to discuss how to move forward in the aftermath of the D.C. Trust's dissolution. I appreciate the thoughtful insights brought by community members and Deputy Mayor Donald. I also understand the frustration and disappointment felt by members of our youth-serving community at how this has all unfolded. I look forward to working with my colleagues, the executive, and stakeholders in the community to chart the best course forward in a collaborative and transparent manner.

Since taking office I have questioned the efficacy of the D.C. Trust in the wake of historical mismanagement. While the Trust provided funding for many critical activities after school and during summer, I was not sure it was the best model for delivering this money. For this reason, I met regularly with the Trust and pressed the agency for answers, such as last fall when important youth-serving programs were facing cuts to their funding. With the dissolution of the Trust, it is imperative that we develop a new mechanism to fund youth programs, in a way that is stable, well-managed, and sufficiently resourced. I will also work with my colleagues to ensure that the $4.92M originally meant for the Trust remains in the FY17 budget for the same purpose, and that funding for summer programs, which the Trust will still administer, gets out as quickly as possible.

While this announcement presents many challenges, I also see it as a moment of opportunity. As Chairperson of the Committee on Education, I am optimistic that we can now completely re-envision what it means for the D.C. government to invest in and support our youth and children from a holistic, cross-agency perspective. The work of the Trust and the programs it funded are critical to the success of our city in general, and key to improving educational achievement in particular. I want our families, young people, and youth-serving organizations to feel reassured that although the D.C. Trust is closing, I will see to it that the government redoubles its commitment to supporting our students, inside and outside of the classroom."

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Choosing a House, Car or an Education: The Crisis of Student Loan Debt

By:  Arit Essien*

Move over buying a house or a new car.  The privilege of pursuing a higher education has now become one of the largest investments in a person’s lifetime.

While the advantages of higher education are well-noted, the looming student debt following college has become increasingly problematic, particularly for millennials eager to set foot towards pursuing the American dream of homeownership after school.

The statistics are worrisome.  Between 2002 and 2012, the National Center for Education Statistics reported a 40 percent increase in public school tuition, and a 28 percent increase at private schools—a rate four times faster than inflation.  In 2013, Forbes calculated outstanding student loan debt in the United States to be in excess of $1.2 trillion, which exceeds total credit card debt in the nation.  According to the New York Federal Reserve Bank, 37 percent of the 43 million people currently repaying these loans have experienced delinquency or default at some point. For millennials, this can translate into offset or delay of critical life events such as purchasing a home, marriage or the decision to have children. 

In the realm of financial obligations, student loans are in a league of their own.  Unlike traditional debt, student loans cannot be discharged in bankruptcy, due in part to the bankruptcy reform bill of 2005.  Prior to passage of the bill, only federal student loans were exempted from discharge.  Additionally, for private loan recipients, options such as deferment, forbearance or income-based repayment are less frequently available.  Private loans traditionally also cannot be discharged upon death, so virtually there is no escape from repayment. 

Though hope of student loan reform may seem elusive, several proposals offer promise.  One proposed solution is to link state and federal aid to accountability metrics such as student graduation rates.  This could motivate schools receiving loan fees, despite the subsequent fate of their student, to play a greater role in the accountability of both the amount of money that students borrow and in ensuring that the overall benefits derived from the education is commensurate. Private loans however, which offer greater risks for borrowers, are overlooked in this approach.  

At-Large Councilmember David Grosso encourages student loan reform initiatives that will help borrowers and millennials keep money in their pockets for important life events and obligation. According to Grosso, “If borrowers have to expend a large portion of their income on student loan payment, it can be economically disadvantageous.  When former students default on their obligations, the burdens then shifts to taxpayers. We have to explore creative solutions that will afford lenders timely repayment, without stealing the American Dream from those who worked so hard to obtain it by pursuing their education.”

What are your solutions for improving the student loan structure?
Twitter: @cmdgrosso

*This post is part of an ongoing series of posts by Councilmember Grosso’s staff to support professional development. All posts are approved and endorsed by Councilmember Grosso.
    

The Importance of Financial Literacy

By: Matthew Nolan*

As April is Financial Literacy Month, I wanted to explore its value, identify what it really means to me and highlight programs available to all D.C. residents.  Financial literacy is the knowledge of financial and economic matters. This is becoming more and more important to people around me. I am a junior in high school right now and money is a big concern for me and many of my classmates. This year we are breaking down our college options and a big part of what we are looking at is the huge price tag associated with many schools. I need to make sure that I assess all of my options before taking the step to college, but I cannot if I do not know how I will be able to pay for college, or what my financial situation will be after college. School Without Walls, and all other DCPS and D.C. charter schools have a D.C. College Access Program advisor, a person specifically employed to help students get through the financial obstacle of applying for college. This person helps people who may not be able to have afforded college find the way to pay for it so that all students have the opportunity to avail themselves of a higher education. With initiatives like college access, students in the public school system are becoming more financially aware and are being helped with the college process, it is a win-win situation.

Financial literacy is extremely important. Managing your money is essential to becoming a fully independent adult. As I look ahead to college, I recognize that preparing myself now is key because this is the beginning of my road to financial success in the long run. I need to learn the ins and outs of the financial world before I get to college and have to use all the information I have been provided. If we are not financially literate we will struggle with money management, which could potentially leave us stuck in debt from college and other big investments like buying a house or a car. These are important undertakings in life but lots of people are going into these financial transactions without the full knowledge needed. That is why we need to have more public and widely known programs that can teach the public how to be financially literate and how to use the money that they have to get the best opportunities.

Recognizing the importance of financial literacy, the District of Columbia established the D.C. Financial Literacy Council through the enactment of the Financial Literacy Council Establishment Act of 2008.  While this is an important step.  There is still more work to do. 
I am personally grateful to have a college access program advisor; however, in a report card released in 2015, the District of Columbia received an F for their efforts to produce financially literate high school graduates.  This was due in part to the fact that high school courses on personal finance are not required to be taken as a graduation requirement.  Additionally, there is no personal finance content in the social studies standards though economics is included as an elective. 

As the cost of living rises, the cost of a college education increases and wages remain stagnant, it is critical that we are equipping our residents, both young and old with the information they need to gain financial independence, invest wisely and prepare for their futures.

 *This post is part of an ongoing series of posts by Councilmember Grosso’s staff to support professional development. All posts are approved and endorsed by Councilmember Grosso.

Grosso to Hold Hearing on Lead in Schools this June

For Immediate Release
April 22, 2016

Contact: Keenan Austin 
(202) 724-8105

Grosso to Hold Hearing on Lead in Schools this June

Washington, D.C. -- Councilmember David Grosso, Chairperson of the Committee on Education stated today that he will hold a joint hearing with the Committee on Transportation and the Environment on the testing of lead levels in all of D.C.'s traditional and charter public schools.  This hearing is a follow up to on-the-record questioning inquiries made by the Committee on Education to D.C. administrators during performance and budget oversight hearings regarding the testing of lead levels in schools. Representatives from D.C. Public Schools, the Public Charter School Board, D.C. Department of Energy, and the Department of General Services will be called to testify.

"It is well documented and widely reported that the impact of lead has grave consequences on a child's mental and physical development.  As government leaders, we have a responsibility to protect our most valuable resource --our children--by exhaustively testing all water in our schools. I have called on DCPS and PCSB leadership to oversee the completion of testing all waters sources and report back to the Committee in June about the status of their schools. Parents, teachers, our community and, most importantly, our young people deserve the assurance that their government is acting in their best interest."

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Education Committee - FY17 Budget Questions and Responses

The Education Committee's FY17 budget questions and responses can be viewed using the following public dropbox link: 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/z2tcsd5wlq6cp35/AAAo63SmdohZxSTF9jRvCcc7a?dl=0 

Grosso Introduces the Search Warrant Execution Accountability Act of 2016

For Immediate Release
April 5, 2016

Contact: Keenan Austin 
(202) 724-8105

Grosso Introduces the Search Warrant Execution Accountability Act of 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C.--At today's D.C. Council Legislative Meeting, Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) introduced legislation to strengthen the District of Columbia's search warrant requirements and to require the District of Columbia to pay reasonable expenses to a property owner whose property is damaged or destroyed in a police search when the search is executed on the wrong property. 

"While I understand and recognize that officers, when executing a search warrant, may on occasion damage property in order to effectively perform their duties; I cannot turn a blind eye to the fact our residents are negatively impacted when the police carelessly execute search warrants at the wrong address," said Grosso.

"Many people in minority communities have, for good reason, become afraid of interacting with the police and when an unassuming resident is subjected to a police raid that was not executed on the appropriate property, it certainly does not instill confidence in police practices and further frightens our residents. As a government, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard and implementing this legislation will ensure that our residents have a clear course of action when they have faced an injustice."

Grosso's legislation proposes to:

• Strengthen the requirements related to an application for a search warrant by ensuring that when a request is made for a search warrant to be executed at any hour of the day or night, the standard is based on a preponderance of the evidence, not the current probable cause standard.
• Requires that when an application for a search warrant is made to search the purported residence of a suspect in an ongoing police investigation, the Court must be satisfied that the police have done their due diligence to determine that the suspect owns the premises or is likely to reside there.
• Establishes a claims process to enable eligible property owners to receive the reasonable expenses required to replace property or restore property to the condition it was in prior to a search, if the execution of the search warrant resulted in damage or destruction to the property and MPD executed the search warrant on the wrong premises.
• Defines "wrong premises" for the purpose of this act.

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Sign Up to Testify at the Education Committee budget hearings!

Mayor Bowser has released her FY2017 Proposed Budget and Financial Plan for public education. In a continued effort to engage the community and stakeholders in the budget-making process, Councilmember David Grosso, Chair of the Committee on Education, will hold a series of budget hearings throughout the month of April. If you would like to testify at any of these hearings, please fill out the online google form located here: http://bit.do/educationhearings.

Please note: The witness list will close 24 hours before the start of each hearing, so please sign up to testify in a timely manner. The Committee on Education will not add names to the list after it is closed. There will be no exceptions. For your convenience, a confirmation email with instructions will be emailed to all public witnesses at least 48 hours before the start of each hearing.

Budget Hearings

Tuesday, April 12 at 10:00am: Public Charter School Board (Room 123)

Tuesday, April 12 at 10:00am: State Board of Education (Room 123)

Wednesday, April 13 at 10:00am: District of Columbia Public Library (Room 120)

Wednesday, April 13 at 10:00am: Deputy Mayor for Education (Room 120)

Thursday, April 14 10:00 am: DCPS- Public Witnesses Only (Room 412)*

Thursday, April 14 5:00 pm: DCPS- Public Witnesses Only (Room 412)*

Monday, April 18 at 10:00am: Office of the State Superintendent for Education (Room 412)

Thursday, April 21 at 10:00am: DCPS- Government Witnesses Only (Room 412)

 *The DCPS budget hearing on Thursday, April 14, 2016 will have identical hearings at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., so please only select one session.

If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Written statements can be emailed to Jessica Giles, Committee Assistant, at jgiles@dccouncil.us or mailed to the Committee on Education, Council of the District of Columbia, Suite 116 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004. The record typically closes 10 business days after each hearing.

Grosso exchange of letters with DOES about WIC's oversight of youth programs

02262016 Grosso Letter to DOES Re_WIC by Team_Grosso

03232016 Response Letter From DOES Re_WIC

Grosso Applauds Ruling in Favor of Budget Autonomy

For Immediate Release: 
March 18, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105

Grosso Applauds Ruling in Favor of Budget Autonomy

Washington, D.C.--Today, Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) issued the following statement on the ruling by D.C. Superior Court Judge Brian F. Holeman in Council of the District of Columbia v. DeWitt:

"This is a great day for the people of the District of Columbia as the judicial system has upheld the legitimacy of our public referendum for budget autonomy. Today's ruling means that the Council and the Mayor can go forward with enacting the people's will by spending local tax dollars according to our own priorities, and without the interference of onerous and ideological riders placed on the federal budget. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and my constituents to push for full legislative autonomy and voting rights for all residents of the District of Columbia."

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Grosso exchange with Department of Health Care Finance on Medicaid for returning citizens

Earlier this year, Councilmember Grosso's staff began researching policy issues for D.C. residents who are Medicaid recipients and become incarcerated. According to the National Council of State Legislatures, D.C. and many other states terminate an individual's Medicaid when that person is sentenced to prison--but under Medicaid rules, the government could also suspend the individual's Medicaid until their release. Grosso wrote to Director Wayne Turnage of the Department of Health Care Finance (which handles D.C.'s Medicaid policies) about this issue, and got a very informative letter in response. This included the revelation that DHCF had recently amended this policy to the best practice of suspending, not terminating, Medicaid. Good news for public health and public safety. You can read the letters below:

Grosso letter to DHCF on Medicaid Suspension for Prisoners

DHCF Response to Grosso Medicaid Implementation for Incarcerated and Returning Citizens

Grosso Statement on Impact of Metro Closure on Schools

For Immediate Release

March 15, 2016

Contact: Keenan Austin

(202) 724-8105

 

Grosso Statement on Impact of Metro Closure on Schools

WASHINGTON, D.C--Due to safety concerns, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has announced that it will shut down the entire Metrorail system starting at midnight tonight and reopening at 5 am on Thursday, March 17. Councilmember Grosso, Chairperson of the Committee on Education, released the following statement:

"Metro's safety record has been a longstanding and well-documented concern for residents throughout the entire region. While I do not discount the challenges that lie ahead for WMATA, I am deeply concerned by the recent decision to close the entire Metrorail system. As Chairperson of the Committee on Education, my primary concern is ensuring that our students can get to school safely. As many of you know, the District of Columbia does not have a traditional school bus system and many of our 87,000 public school students rely on public transportation to get to school on time. I understand that this is a significant disruption for many of our families. I am in contact with school officials and they will continue to update the public as more information becomes available."

As of 5:30p on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, D.C. Public Schools has announced that school will open as scheduled; however, tardies and absences will be excused. For more information about Public Charter School openings and closures please visit: www.dcpcsb.org

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Grosso Introduces Legislation to Ensure Public Access to Government Buildings

For Immediate Release
March 15, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105

Grosso Introduces Legislation to Ensure Public Access to Government Buildings

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) introduced the "Ensuring Public Access to Government Buildings Amendment Act of 2016." The bill directs the Department of General Services ("DGS") to establish regulations that outline how policies are made for access to government buildings. Currently, for most buildings, DGS follows federal guidelines set by the Interagency Security Committee for entry protocols. Grosso's legislation mandates that the agency look at best practices in other local and state jurisdictions to ensure that residents who must enter government buildings to conduct routine business have the fullest access possible.

"Over the years, we have seen increases in policies that limit access to government buildings in the name of security, without any actual evidence for such policies," said Grosso. "This security theater greatly frustrates me, and it has a disproportionate effect on some of our most vulnerable residents including those who are homeless or undocumented immigrants. If a person who is homeless and has lost all their belongings has to get a replacement birth certificate from the D.C. Department of Health, they have to show identification to get into the building even when the reason for their visit to the building is to get identification documents."

The legislation also clarifies the policy for entrance to the John A. Wilson Building, the seat of the D.C. Council and the Mayor, where residents currently must show a photo I.D. or sign a log book to enter. The bill prohibits those practices that limit access to the building, while allowing for other security measures such as metal detectors.

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