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STATEMENT OF PEGGY COOPER CAFRITZ
PRESIDENT OF THE D.C. BOARD OF EDUCATION
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, LIBRARIES, AND RECREATION
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA REGARDING FY 2001 AND FY 2002 SPENDING AND PERFORMANCE BY THE
D.C. PUBLIC SCHOOLS
MARCH 8, 2002
GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN CHAVOUS, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, LIBRARIES, AND RECREATION, AND OTHER COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I AM PEGGY COOPER CAFRITZ, PRESIDENT OF THE D.C. BOARD OF
EDUCATION (BOARD). IT IS MY PLEASURE TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SPEAK
TO THE BOARD’S AND D.C. PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ SPENDING AND PERFORMANCE IN FY
2001 AND FY 2002.
THE BOARD IS PROUD OF THE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS THAT WE
HAVE MADE IN OUR FIRST YEAR OF EXISTENCE. TO NAME JUST A FEW OF OUR
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE HAVE:
- APPROVED A RECOMMENDATION THAT DCPS CHANGE THE WAY IN WHICH IT
AGGREGATES STANDARDIZED TEST SCORE DATA TO ENABLE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO
EXAMINE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS’ PROGRESS;
- APPROVED A DCPS MASTER FACILITIES PLAN;
- HELD TOWN HALL MEETINGS AROUND THE DCPS STRATEGIC PLAN;
- BEGUN THE CHARTER REVOCATION PROCESS IN REGARD TO FOUR
POORLY-PERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOLS AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THIS
PROCESS IN ONE INSTANCE (TWO OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE CHALLENGING US
IN COURT);
- APPROVED ONLY TWO OF THE ELEVEN CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS
SUBMITTED TO US IN 2001 IN AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THE QUALITY OF THESE
FACILITIES;
- APPROVED POLICY ON THE SUBJECT OF FACILITIES PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS, EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLANNING, AND SCHOOL DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION;
- APPROVED BOARD RULES REQUIRING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO SUBMIT A
PERFORMANCE-BASED BUDGET BEGINNING IN FY 2004;
- ADOPTED AND SUBMITTED TO YOU AND THE MAYOR A POSITION ON THE
PROPOSED ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STATE EDUCATION OFFICE;
- APPROVED POLICY DESIGNED TO IMPROVE DCPS FIELD TRIPS AND STUDENT
TRAVEL;
- APPROVED A FACILITIES HIGH SCHOOL PRIORITIZATION LIST PREPARED BY
THE ADMINISTRATION WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH DCPS PARENTS AND OTHER
DISTRICT RESIDENTS;
- APPROVED AN FY 2003 CAPITAL BUDGET CONSISTENT WITH OUR MASTER
FACILITIES PLAN;
- APPROVED THE SUPERINTENDENT’S CENTRAL OFFICE TRANSFORMATION PLAN
DESIGNED TO IMPROVE CENTRAL OFFICE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS WHILE
ALSO SAVING DCPS $17 MILLION ANNUALLY;
- APPROVED A PLAN FOR DEALING WITH THE FY 2001 DCPS DEFICIT REVEALED
TO US IN SEPTEMBER OF 2001;
- DIRECTED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EXLUDE FROM DCPS STUDENTS WITH
INCOMPLETE IMMUNIZATION RECORDS, A MANDATE THAT RESULTED IN THOUSANDS
OF CHILDREN BEING IMMUNIZED;
- APPROVED RULEMAKING ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT WRITTEN IN CONJUNCTION
WITH DCPS UNIONS AND CHILDREN’S ADVOCATES;
- APPROVED RULES LIMITING REIMBURSEMENT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
INDEPENDENT EVALUATIONS;
- APPROVED RULEMAKING REQUIRING SPECIAL EDUCATION ATTORNEYS BOTH TO
SUBMIT THEIR BILLS WITHIN FORTY-FIVE DAYS AND TO PROVIDE PROOF OF
LEGAL REPRESENTATION WHEN THEY FILE SPECIAL EDUCATION DUE PROCESS
HEARING REQUESTS;
- APPROVED RULEMAKING BROADENING THE SCOPE OF DCPS’ PROHIBITION ON
HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT;
- APPROVED RULES EXPANDING THE POWERS OF THE STUDENT BOARD
MEMBER;
-
APPROVED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE CHAPTER OF
BOARD RULES REGARDING SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT INCLUDES A
PROVISION MANDATING THAT DCPS PLACE STUDENTS IN ONLY THOSE PRIVATE
SCHOOLS THAT HAVE CONTRACTED WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM UNLESS REQUIRED BY
COURT ORDER, HEARING OFFICER’S DETERMINATION OR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
TO DO OTHERWISE; AND
- FOLLOWING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE MAYOR, AGREED ON A CONSENSUS FY 2003
BUDGET REQUEST FOR SUBMISSION TO THE COUNCIL.
WE ARE ALSO VERY PROUD OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE
SUPERINTENDENT HAS MADE DURING THE NEW BOARD’S TENURE. THERE IS A NEW
AND BETTER ATMOSPHERE IN OUR SCHOOLS, THANKS TO SUCH IMPROVEMENTS AS DRESS
CODES FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN AND BEHAVIORAL CODES FOR STUDENTS. AS I
INDICATED YESTERDAY, THE ADMINISTRATION’S LATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IS THE
NEGOTIATION OF A CONTRACT WITH THE WASHINGTON TEACHERS’ UNION THAT WILL
ENABLE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO INSTITUTE A STAGGERED BELL TIME SYSTEM,
YIELDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TRANSPORTATION SAVINGS.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS EFFECTED
IN THE DCPS GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM HAVE ALREADY LED TO RELATED
ENHANCEMENTS IN OUR PROVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. SUCH PROGESS
IS NOT SURPRISING. RATHER, IT STANDS TO REASON THAT, AS DCPS IMPROVES THE
WAY THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE INSTRUCTED, FEWER STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE THE
SPECIALIZED SERVICES PROVIDED TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. STATISTICS
FROM OUR TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS SHOW THAT THIS IS ALREADY THE CASE.
REFERRALS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION EVALUATIONS AT H.D. COOKE, FOR EXAMPLE,
HAVE DECREASED FROM THIRTY-ONE (31) LAST SCHOOL YEAR TO ONE (1) IN SCHOOL
YEAR 2001-2002. SIMILARLY, REFERRALS AT TURNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE DOWN
FROM THIRTY-EIGHT (38) TO SEVEN (7) AND SIMON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S
REFERRALS HAVE DECREASED FROM THIRTY-SIX (36) TO ELEVEN (11) IN A SINGLE
YEAR.
UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN IF WE RECEIVE THE $772 MILLION DCPS
FY 2003 CONSENSUS BUDGET APPROVED BY THE BOARD AND THE MAYOR, WE WILL NOT
BE ABLE TO MAKE ALL OF THE IMPROVEMENTS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS
WITH AN EDUCATION THAT IS COMPARABLE TO THAT PROVIDED IN OUR SURROUNDING
JURISDICTIONS. JUST A CURSORY REVIEW OF THE NUMBERS REVEALS WHY THIS IS
THE CASE. (ALL OF THE DCPS NUMBERS IN MY TESTIMONY WERE COMPUTED BY MARY
LEVY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE METHODOLOGY USED BY THE METROPOLITAN BOARDS OF
EDUCATION (MABE) IN PRODUCING ITS ANNUAL REPORT ON EXPENDITURES OF SCHOOL
SYSTEMS IN THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA. THE MABE REPORT IS THE SOURCE
OF MY DATA FOR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS. ITS NUMBERS INCLUDE LOCAL
EDUCATION AGENCY EXPENDITURES AND 80% OF CERTAIN GRANT FUNDS.)
WHILE DCPS PER-PUPIL EXPENDITURES ARE OFTEN DESCRIBED
AS AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY, OUR PER PUPIL SPENDING RATE ($8637 IN
FY 2001) IS, IN FACT, SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THAT OF THREE OF OUR
SUBURBAN COUNTERPARTS (ARLINGTON-$11,254; ALEXANDRIA-$10,609; AND
MONTGOMERY COUNTY-$9063) AND ONLY SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THAT OF FAIRFAX
COUNTY ($8553). EXCLUDING SPECIAL EDUCATION COSTS, OUR PER PUPIL
EXPENDITURES ($7031) LAG EVEN FURTHER BEHIND.
MOREOVER, AS AN URBAN SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH A LARGELY
DECREPIT INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ARE FORCED TO SPEND MORE FOR SECURITY AND
BUILDING MAINTENANCE THAN OUR WEALTHIER NEIGHBORS. ADD TO THAT THE FACTS
THAT DCPS IS STILL RECOVERING FROM THE DRACONIAN CUTS THAT WE EXPERIENCED
IN THE 1990’S AND THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE MUCH NEEDIER THAN THOSE IN THE
SUBURBS AND IT IS CLEAR WHY AN FY 2003 BUDGET OF $772 MILLION WILL NOT
MAKE OUR STUDENTS COMPETITIVE WITH THOSE OF THE SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS.
IN FACT, FOR ALL OF THE REASONS SET OUT ABOVE, AS WELL
AS THE ASTRONOMICAL SUMS THAT DCPS IS FORCED TO PAY OUT FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL
SPECIAL EDUCATION TUITION AND RELATED COSTS, DCPS EXPENDITURES FOR LOCAL
SCHOOL INSTRUCTION ($4546 IN 2000) FALL FAR SHORT OF THOSE OF ALEXANDRIA
($6132), ARLINGTON ($6347), AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY ($4826). FOR THESE SAME
REASONS, DCPS FUNDING FOR LOCAL SCHOOL, AS OPPOSED TO PRIVATE, SPECIAL
EDUCATION SERVICES ($5929 IN 2000) ALSO LAGS BEHIND THAT OF ALEXANDRIA
($6709), ARLINGTON ($7592), AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY ($7662).
THEREFORE, EVEN IF THE MAYOR- AND BOARD-ENDORSED FY
2003 BUDGET IS APPROVED, THE UNDERFUNDING OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL
CONTINUE. UNDOUBTEDLY, THIS WILL MEAN THAT THE DISTRICT’S TRADITION OF
SPENDING MORE ON REACTIVE MEASURES, SUCH AS SOCIAL SERVICES AND
CORRECTIONS, THAN ON PROACTIVE EFFORTS, LIKE EDUCATION, WILL ALSO EXTEND
INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SOME SAY THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD GO A LONG WAY
TOWARD SOLVING ITS MONEY PROBLEMS BY DISPOSING OF ITS "EXCESS"
SPACE. HOWEVER, RECENT STUDIES SUGGEST THAT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF D.C.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS BEEN OVER-ESTIMATED. MOREOVER, IF OUR SCHOOLS ARE TO
BECOME THE CENTERS OF NEIGHBORHOOD LIFE THAT DISTRICT RESIDENTS WANT AND
NEED, AND IF DCPS STUDENTS ARE TO BE EDUCATED INSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS
RATHER THAN IN COSTLY SUBURBAN PRIVATE PLACEMENTS, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS,
IN FACT, LITTLE IF ANY EXTRA SPACE.
ANOTHER "SOLUTION" TO DCPS’ UNDERFUNDING
THAT IS SOMETIMES OFFERED IS A SUGGESTION THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TRIM ITS
"BLOATED BUREAUCRACY." A REVIEW OF THE NUMBERS IN THIS REGARD
REVEALS THAT, IN REALITY, DCPS SPENDS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS ON CENTRAL
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS (AN AVERAGE OF $574 PER PUPIL IN FY 2001) THAN
ARLINGTON ($2747), ALEXANDRIA ($2247), OR MONTGOMERY COUNTRY ($645).
THAT CONCLUDES MY PREPARED STATEMENT. DR. SELEZNOW,
DCPS CHIEF OF STAFF, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
MIGHT HAVE. |
