DC’s tax system stands out in two key ways, according to a new analysis on how state tax policies affect families at different income levels. First, taxes on DC families living on very low incomes–below about $24,000 a year–are lower than in any state in the U.S. That...
Marlana Wallace
Recent posts by Marlana Wallace
In Effort To Rein In Child Care Costs, D.C. Set To Expand Subsidies, Cap What Families Pay
What’s In the Approved Fiscal Year 2019 Budget for Early Childhood Development?
Summary: Implementation of 2016 Universal Paid Family Leave Act supported with $5.6 million in operating funds and $19.9M in capital funds for FY 2019. $10 million increase for child care subsidies, bringing them a little closer to the cost of care. New local dollars...
What’s In the Approved Fiscal Year 2019 Budget for PreK-12 Education?
Summary: Per-student funding up by 3.9 percent (to $10,658), but still far from Adequacy Standard ($11,600). Only 60 percent of DCPS school level ‘at-risk’ funds in FY 2019 initially allocated for supplemental supports for low-income students, 40 percent unaccounted...
DCFPI Celebrates the Adoption of “Birth to Three For All DC”
The DC Council recently took groundbreaking steps to invest more in early childhood development, with the adoption of “Birth to Three For All DC” legislation last month. Every child deserves a strong start and a high-quality education, beginning at birth. The District...
Testimony of Marlana Wallace At the Budget Oversight Hearing for the Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Chairperson Grosso and members of the Committee, good morning and thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Marlana Wallace and I am a Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. DCFPI is a member of the Birth-to-Three Policy Alliance, which...
Limited School Funding Can Lead to the Misuse of Extra Resources for Low-Income Students: A Closer Look at ‘At-Risk’ Funds
Far too many DC students face enormous challenges—unhealthy environments, housing instability, food insecurity, care-giving responsibilities, and the stress of living paycheck to paycheck. About half of DC students currently qualify for ‘at-risk’ funding because they...
Testimony of Marlana Wallace At the Budget Oversight Hearing on the Deputy Mayor for Education
Chairperson Grosso and members of the Committee, good morning and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Marlana Wallace and I am a Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. DCFPI promotes budget choices to reduce economic and racial...
What’s In the Proposed Fiscal Year 2019 Budget for Early Childhood Development?
Summary Implementation of 2016 Universal Paid Family Leave Act supported with $5.6 million in operating funds and $19.9M in capital funds for FY 2019. No new local funds for home visiting program. DC continues to rely solely on $1.5 million in federal grants. $10...
What’s In the Proposed Fiscal Year 2019 Budget for PreK-12 Education?
Summary Per-student funding up by 3.9 percent ($10,658), but still far from Adequacy Standard ($11,600) Only 60 percent of DCPS school level 'at-risk' funds in FY 2019 allocated for supplemental supports for low-income students, 40 percent is unaccounted for Critical...
TESTIMONY: Continuous Quality Improvement in Early Childhood Education Requires Resources and Qualified Staff
To continuously advance early education, the District must prioritize investments that increase resources and compensation. Pending infant and toddler legislation has the potential to chart a path forward. With the leadership of the Office of the State Superintendent...
Testimony of Marlana Wallace At the FY 2018 Performance Oversight Hearing for DC Public Schools
Chairperson Grosso and members of the Committee, good morning and thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Marlana Wallace and I am the education policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. DCFPI promotes budget choices to reduce economic and...
TESTIMONY: In A Time Of Upheaval We Must Ensure Our Schools Have the Resources They Need to Serve All Students
Changing the outcomes of our school system requires more than changed leadership. The Mayor and DC Council are responsible for the investments we choose to make—or choose not make—in the education of the District’s children and youth. A rigorous reassessment of our...
Testimony of Marlana Wallace At the FY 2018 Performance Oversight Hearing for the Deputy Mayor for Education and the Public Charter School Board
Chairperson Grosso and members of the Committee, good morning and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Marlana Wallace and I am the education policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. DCFPI promotes budget choices to reduce economic and...
It’s Time to Update our Understanding of What a Quality Education Costs
This year, the Deputy Mayor for Education should lead an evaluation of the District’s educational investments and commission an updated study of what it actually costs to provide a quality education for every student in the District. The Deputy Mayor for Education...
Testimony of Marlana Wallace on Bill 22-0594, Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017 and Bill 22-0179 D.C. Public Schools Alternatives to Suspension Amendment of 2017
Chairperson Grosso and members of the Committee, good morning and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Marlana Wallace and I am the education policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. DCFPI promotes budget choices to reduce economic and...
Punitive School Discipline Doesn’t Work. Let’s Help Schools Do What Does.
DCFPI supports the Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017, which offers reasonable parameters to ensure student access to education. This legislation would steer all DC schools away from an ineffective, counterproductive, and costly overreliance on punitive...
Education: Make Essential Investments In All of DC’s Children, In and Out of The Classroom
This brief lays out six essential investments DC should make in the fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget to support the education and healthy development of DC’s children: early childhood learning, special education reforms, afterschool and out-of-school time opportunities,...
Join #WeNeed25: Advocate for Afterschool and Summer Opportunities for Every Low-Income Student
Education doesn’t end with the school bell. Quality afterschool programs and summer opportunities promote academic and social success, keep children safe while parents work, limit summer learning loss, and provide a significant return on investment. DC should invest...
Marlana Wallace, Policy Analyst At the Public Roundtable on The State of Special Education Services in the DC Traditional and Public Charter Schools and the “OSSE Enhanced Special Education Services Act of 2014: Implementation Report to the Council of the District of Columbia” Report DC Council Committee on Education
Chairperson Grosso and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Marlana Wallace, and I am a Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. DCFPI is a non-profit organization that promotes opportunity and widespread...