FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Robert I. Cane
(202) 387-4000

Washington, DC – In a move being hailed as a victory by public charter school leaders, the D.C. Council passed an amendment to the “Service Improvement and Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Support Act of 1999.” The amendment, which was offered by Councilmember Kevin Chavous, provides 5% of the total D.C. Public School budget be set aside until the student enrollment count for public and public charter schools has been completed.

The amendment was a response to concerns raised by charter school advocates that the $27.8 million appropriated by the Council was inadequate to fund the anticipated growth in charter school enrollment. “The amount being set aside by the Council will come to about $30 million,” according to Robert I. Cane, executive director of Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS). “We felt strongly that the consensus budget initially passed under-funded charter school growth by about that same amount and we are very pleased to see that our concerns were addressed by the Council,” he continued.

The Council provided for the set aside to go first to public charter schools on a per pupil basis. Any funds remaining after disbursements are made to public charter schools will be returned to the DCPS budget.

As the leading public charter school support organization in the District, FOCUS monitors implementation of relevant legislation, conducts education and outreach activities, provides technical assistance to public charter schools, and facilitates collaboration among the schools.