Councilmember David Grosso announces the scheduling of a public hearing of the Committee on Education on B21-777, the “Planning Actively for Comprehensive Education Facilities Amendment Act of 2016.” The hearing will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, July 11, 2016 in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building.
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School Modernizations
For Immediate Release
June 7, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
Grosso Proposes to Codify Objective School Modernization Approach
Washington, D.C. — Today, Committee on Education Chairperson David Grosso (I-At Large) introduced the “Planning Actively for Comprehensive Education Facilities Amendment Act of 2016,” also known as the PACE Facilities Amendment Act. The bill would codify the Committee’s objective approach to determining the prioritization of inclusion in the capital improvement plan for D.C. Public Schools, based on equity and data, not politics. It would also update the requirements for a Master Facilities Plan for public education facilities in D.C.
In 2008, D.C. released a new Master Facilities Plan for DCPS to prioritize renovations of schools, with an emphasis on improvements to the academic learning environments—i.e. classrooms. This was to allow for enhancements to all schools within 5 years, rather than pursuing more capital-intensive full modernizations, which would have required more than a decade to complete. However, over time, priorities shifted. Last year, the Committee on Education was surprised to learn that even after spending over a billion dollars since 2008, 24 schools still had not received any form of renovation.
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
Councilmember David Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, and Councilmember Mary Cheh, chairperson of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, announces the scheduling of a joint public oversight roundtable on the preparations by DC Public Schools (DCPS) and the Department of General Services (DGS) to conduct school modernization, stabilization, and small capital projects slated for Summer 2016. The hearing will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 in Hearing Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building.