Back in March, I wrote about a DGS FOIA production covering 2021 through 2023 that showed that most DC charter schools do not pay rent for the former DCPS schools they lease from DC—all the while the production also made clear that DGS had no records or receipts for sublet proceeds due DC and no … Continue reading DGS Budget Oversight (Or, About That Charter Leasing Of Former DCPS Facilities)

On April 3, the mayor got her budget out—and the next day, budget oversight of DC’s education system began, with a hearing for public witnesses for the office of the state superintendent of education (OSSE), the deputy mayor for education (DME), and DCPS. That April 4 hearing started at about 9:22 am, about 20 minutes … Continue reading Survivor 2024: Budget Oversight Edition

According to a new DGS FOIA production, of 12 former DCPS school buildings for which DC charges rent to 10 charter leaseholders, only half of those leaseholders have paid rent owed between 2021 and 2024. In addition, DGS has granted charter leases for $0 rent for the rest of former DCPS buildings leased to charter … Continue reading Most DC Charters Pay Nothing For The Former DCPS Schools They Lease From DC–By Design

This year, instead of one massive council performance oversight hearing for all DC education agencies arising from committee of the whole oversight (RIP council education committee), we were treated to three (slightly less massive) hearings covering oversight of >$2 billion in taxpayer funds: --An 8-hour hearing on February 27 for public and government witnesses for … Continue reading Brief Recaps: Performance Oversight 2024

[Ed. Note: In 2022, Ward 8 residents harmed by a charter school development petitioned the zoning commission (ZC case 22-26) to have DC charter schools—all of which are private businesses--declared private for land use and development, thus ensuring better public oversight through the BZA (board of zoning adjustment) process. DC’s office of planning (OP) created … Continue reading The Undue Burden Of Charter Development On DC Residents

Watching the December 19 DC council hearing on truancy and absenteeism, featuring a bevvy of government witnesses testifying over the course of 4 hours, brought to mind the parable of blind men trying to describe an elephant—in this case, the causes of, and solutions to, the high percentages of DC students chronically absent and truant … Continue reading Losing Sight On DC Absenteeism & Truancy

Part of the difficulty in writing about DC’s boundary process and the associated master facilities plan (MFP) is that the civic actors at the head of both have thus far assembled an array of data so predictable in its conclusions that there is almost no reason for any discussion. Which appears to be the point. … Continue reading School Games

--The continued rationing of school nurses (in the wake of zero enforcement of the many years’ old law mandating a full-time nurse in every DC publicly funded school) has galvanized some DCPS families to organize a community meeting on the subject for Tuesday, November 28, at 6 pm at the Northeast Library. (For questions and … Continue reading The Said, The Unsaid,& The Unspeakable: Fall 2023

Tonight and tomorrow evening (November 7 and 8), the deputy mayor for education (DME) will hold public meetings for communities around Bancroft and HD Cooke elementaries. (See here and here for more information and to register for the virtual meetings.) Just don’t expect to know any details beyond the fact of these meetings entailing something … Continue reading Hidden Agenda, Hidden Plans: The MFP & Boundary Process

--The DC office of the state superintendent of education (OSSE) is updating school report cards and is seeking public feedback on the same starting tomorrow at three upcoming sessions, each with its own subject matter. Registration and more information is here for the following sessions: Monday October 30, 5:30–7 pm: session on what information should be … Continue reading School Report Cards, Budgets, & Teacher Retention, Oh My: Upcoming Events