District of Columbia Public Schools’ (DCPS) fiscal year 2014 (FY14) school budget development process allows DCPS to focus resources in a way that will move the school system closer to achieving the dramatic improvements we demanded for our students and ourselves in spring 2012 when we launched A Capital Commitment, DCPS’ five-year strategic pan.
Based on community interest for a manipulatable spreadsheet with all schools' budget allocation data, we're sharing a link to download an Excel spreadsheet that details all schools' budget allocations by position and by value. Please click below to access the spreadsheet. We've also included projected student enrollment on the spreadsheet for context, as enrollment remains the primary input for developing schools' budget allocations.
The deliberate changes to the FY14 school budget process and school budget allocations are a response to the call for more direct classroom instruction and consistency of programming across all schools.
In the FY14 budget, DCPS is investing in our elementary schools and education campuses by:
- Fully funding classrooms at all elementary schools and education campuses, and reducing split classes to the extent possible.
- Requiring all elementary schools and education campuses to offer world language in addition to art, music and physical education.
- Providing funding for librarians.
DCPS is investing in our middle schools and high schools by:
- Including funds for social workers to support truancy in the schools’ overall allocation of social workers; and
- Continuing funding for approved specialty schools (Ballou SHS, McKinley HS, Ellington SHS, School Without Walls SHS, Banneker SHS).
- Providing funding for librarians.
- Continuing to allocate at the middle school level at a rate of 1 teacher per 22 students. High schools will continue to be allocated at a rate of 1 teacher per 24 students;
Throughout the District:
- We have increased the per-pupil funding minimum to $8,739. No school will receive an amount less than $8,739 for each student.
- We have expanded staffing for International Baccalaureate (IB) and the School-wide Enrichment Model (SEM);
- Made investments in positions such as the reading specialist to support the call for high-quality core instruction with a deep focus on improving student literacy;
- Provided funding for librarians at all schools; and
- Provided funding for transportation for the Fillmore Arts program and schools that were identified as receiving transportation in the consolidation plan announced in January 2013.
To support our lowest performing schools, DCPS has taken the following action:
- We provided funding for Assistant Principals for Literacy and Reading Specialists at 10 low-performing schools; and
- We will continue to spend nearly $6 million to support Proving What’s Possible grants to our lowest performing schools to provide extended-day programs and continue other programs and initiatives that were successful in FY13.
Below is a more comprehensive summary of changes for FY14.
- School budgets include all funds. We have attempted to include “all funds” in initial school budget allocations. In other words, school budget allocations will include all local and grant funds, including School Improvement Grants (SIG), Race to the Top (RttT) and Proving What’s Possible (PWP).
- Principals reviewed special education and bilingual staffing allocations earlier in the process. All principals received their special education and ELL staff allocations Feb. 14 and were given an opportunity to work with the Office of Special Education and the Office of Bilingual Education to make the necessary program updates.
- Library allocations are required (not flexible) spends. All schools have received either a 0.5 or 1.0 allocation for a librarian. These positions are required in the school budget.
- We have expanded staffing for the IB and SEM. DCPS has expanded the International Baccalaureate and Schoolwide Enrichment Models to include more schools in FY14.
- We have increased the Per-Pupil Funding Minimum. Schools where initial funding would have been less than $8,739 per student were allocated flexible funds to bring them to that level of investment.
- We reduced funding for non-instructional staff and “extra” funds for Non-Personnel Spending (NPS) and custodial. Allocations for business managers and clerks were reduced, particularly at the middle and high school level. We have aligned the allocations for NPS and custodians with what schools actually spent or budgeted in FY13.
- We have increased the “small school” threshold. During FY13, the small school threshold was 300 students. It has been increased to 400 students, which affects the allocation of some non-instructional positions.
The resources below are intended to provide transparency throughout the FY14 budget development process; explain how allocations were derived and school budgets were built; and give readers insights to the changes coming at their schools for the 2013-2014 school year.
If interested in reviewing the model used to develop school budget allocations, please view the comprehensive worksheet detailing the how and why behind each school's allocation.
The worksheet can be read by first identifying which type of school it is that you're interesting in (meaning elementary school, education campus, middle school or high school) and then locating the appropriate allocation based on number of students enrolled and types of programming and interventions that are offered. The dollar amount associated with each position (also listed on the worksheet) is then tallied and, once all position allocations are completed, becomes the school's initial budget allocation.
See below for FY14 budget information.