Every student deserves access to a quality and well-resourced neighborhood school. But steep enrollment declines, inadequate budgeting practices and policies, and unnecessary school growth have undermined DC Public Schools’ (DCPS) ability to ensure Black and brown...
Qubilah Huddleston
Recent posts by Qubilah Huddleston
Initial School Budgets Show DCPS Needs a Plan to Ensure Equitable Funding and Stability
Chairperson Mendelson, members of the Committee, and Committee staff, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Qubilah Huddleston, and I am a Senior Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that shapes...
DC Must Better Address the Behavioral Health Needs of Students of Color and Girls
Chairperson Henderson and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Qubilah Huddleston, and I am a Senior Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that shapes racially-just tax,...
Testimony on the Schools First In Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021
Chairman Mendelson and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Qubilah Huddleston, and I am a Senior Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that shapes racially-just tax,...
Testimony at the DC Council Committee of the Whole Budget Oversight Hearing on School-Based Behavioral Health
My testimony focuses on additional investments that are needed to boost the behavioral health of students in the District.
Testimony at the Budget Oversight Hearing for DC Public Schools
Chairperson Mendelson, members of the Committee, and Committee staff, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Qubilah Huddleston, and I am a Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a non-profit organization that shapes...
Testimony at the Budget Oversight Hearing for the Department of Behavioral Health
While most children are no longer learning remotely, the mental, emotional, and physical toll of the pandemic on DC students is more pronounced than ever.
New DC Public Schools Budget Model Makes Progress Towards More Transparency and Flexibility, but Falls Short on Addressing Structural Funding Inadequacy and Inequity
More than half of the schools within DC Public Schools (DCPS) have fiscal year (FY) 2023 initial budgets that are lower than their FY 2022 budgets that were boosted by federal funds. Additionally, 73 schools have initial FY 2023 budgets that would not keep up with on DCFPI’s analysis.
Testimony at the Performance Oversight Hearing of the DC Education Agencies on School Budgeting and Transparency
This testimony focuses on the need for DC Public Schools (DCPS) to improve its individual school budgeting process and overall budget transparency
Testimony of Qubilah Huddleston at the Public Hearing on “Schools First In Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021”
My testimony mainly focuses on the “Schools First In Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021” (Schools First). Some of my statements and recommendations, however, also apply to the “Schools Full Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021.”
Testimony at the Public Hearing on DC Public Schools Budget for School Year 2022-2023
My name is Qubilah Huddleston, and I am a Policy Analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a nonprofit organization that promotes budget choices to address DC’s racial and economic inequities through independent research and policy recommendations....
Greater Investments in Public Education Still Fail to Set a Roadmap for Transformation and Equity
DC policymakers and top education officials need to work more closely with impacted communities to set a multi-year, long-term vision to eliminate racial and income inequities in student experiences and outcomes.
Committee Leaves DC Police Budget Largely Untouched But Advances Police-Free Schools
by Eliana Golding, Qubilah Huddleston and Danielle Hamer
During last week’s budget mark-up session, the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety bolstered violence interruption programs and took steps toward removing police from schools; however, they missed an opportunity to divest significantly from policing.
Testimony of Qubilah Huddleston, Education Policy Analyst at the Fiscal Year 2022 Proposed Budget Hearing on Department of Behavioral Health DC Council Committee of Health
DC must recognize that students have experienced significant social and emotional losses that will impede their ability to catch up academically if the city fails to adequately invest in school-based mental health resources.
Testimony of Qubilah Huddleston, Education Policy Analyst at the Fiscal Year 2022 Proposed Budget Hearing on DC Education Agencies, DC Council Committee of the Whole
DCFPI strongly urges the Council, Mayor, and public education officials to establish budgeting principles that make the DCPS budget process and funding for individual schools more stable.
Testimony of Qubilah Huddleston, Education Policy Analyst at the Joint Public Oversight Hearing on the District’s Public Education System After the COVID-19 Pandemic DC Council Special Committee on COVID-10 Pandemic Recovery
DCFPI would like to offer the following recommendations on what DC leaders should prioritize in the public education system as the health pandemic wanes and the city strives towards recovery.
Three Things We Know About the Mayor’s Education Budget So Far
The unequal effects of the pandemic on Black, brown, immigrant, and low-income children and families—like the exacerbation of the digital divide and housing, food, and economic instability—threaten to deepen DC’s already wide and persistent racial and economic disparities in student learning.
Testimony of Qubilah Huddleston at the Performance Oversight Hearing for the DC Government Education Agencies DC Council Committee of the Whole
Highlights the efforts that District early and public education leaders have made over the last year to better meet the needs of infants, toddlers, and students.
DC Policymakers Must Make Bold Investments to Address Longstanding Educational Inequities
DC’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget should recognize the unprecedented harm and ongoing consequences of the health pandemic on students, educators, and families. DC policymakers have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make substantial efforts to reduce longstanding educational inequities that the pandemic has now worsened.
Testimony of Qubilah Huddleston at the Performance Oversight Hearing Before the DC Department of Behavioral Health DC Council Committee on Health
Chairman Gray and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Qubilah Huddleston and I am a policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI). DCFPI is a nonprofit organization that promotes budget choices to address DC’s...