Chairman Catania and members of the Committee on Education, thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Soumya Bhat, and I am the Education Finance and Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. DCFPI is a non-profit organization that engages in research and public education on the fiscal and economic health of the District of Columbia, with an emphasis on policies that affect low- and moderate-income residents.
I am here today to focus on the following issues related to the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget of the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS):
- DCPS’ changing definition of “small schools”
- Need for proven investments in struggling schools
- Continued focus on budget transparency
DCPS’ Changing Definition of “Small Schools”
For the second year in a row, the enrollment level used by DCPS to define a “small school” will increase, this year from 300 to 400 students. Two years ago, small schools were limited to those with enrollment under 250. The new definition means most of the DCPS school system, 56 schools (not counting alternative schools or special education centers), will be considered small schools next year. The majority of these schools (39) are elementary schools.
This means 30 schools with 300-400 students projected for next year will receive reduced staffing associated with smaller schools. Notably, elementary schools of 300-400 students that were funded for a full-time art, music, and PE teacher in the current year’s budget will only see 0.75 allocations for these positions, plus a newly required world language teacher, next year.
This change also affects librarian staffing. In FY 2014, all schools will have access to a librarian, but schools serving between 300 and 400 students, that received funding this year for a full-time librarian, will get funding only for a half-time librarian next year. The same is true for schools with fewer than 300 students that got no librarian funding this year. This leaves 59 DCPS schools budgeted for a half-time librarian position next year. Of these 59 schools, 40 are elementary schools, 8 are education campuses, 5 are middle schools, 2 are high schools, 2 are special education centers, and 2 are alternative schools. Looking at average costs, DCPS would need to invest about $2.9 million more in the FY 2014 budget to bring all 59 schools up to a full-time librarian.
DCFPI feels this annual change in definition seems arbitrary for a policy with such a strong impact on the school system’s resource allocations. In a school system where many schools face declining enrollment, a policy of widening the definition of small schools — and limiting resources to those schools — does not make sense.
To read the full testimony, click here.