Mayor’s Proposed FY 2014 Budget: Charters Continue to be Denied Uniform Funding

Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS) is now the DC Charter School Alliance!

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Submitted by Anonymous on

By Lauren Outlaw

 

A couple of weeks ago, Mayor Vincent Gray released his proposed budget for FY 2014, and unsurprisingly, DCPS is slated to receive an additional $80.4 million outside the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF), which will not be matched or given to charter schools. Where is this extra $80.4 million coming from? Like in past years, the 2014 proposed budget cleverly allocates funds to other government agencies that in turn provide free services to DCPS (but not to public charter schools or their students).  More specifically:

 

  1. The Teacher Retirement Fund allocation is $31.6 million;
  2. The Department of General Services will receive a $46.3 million line item for DCPS; and
  3. The Office of the Attorney General will also receive a $2.4 million line item for DCPS.

 

The UPSFF requires that all operating funding distributed to both traditional and charter schools be distributed uniformly.  The UPSFF also establishes a per pupil foundation level.  It’s the law. It would be nice see the District start adhering to the law providing uniform funding to DCPS and the charter schools.

 

Overestimated enrollment projections are yet another way the charter schools are inequitably funded. Over the past 5 years, DCPS has received $141.7 million of overfunding for inflated student enrollment projections.  For example, the proposed budget includes a projected DCPS overall enrollment increase of 503 students even though DCPS is closing 15 schools buildings this year. Additionally, the proposed budget includes a projected increase of 645 level 4 special education students despite the fact that over the past 5 years, DCPS enrollment of special education level 4 students has decreased from 1,668 students in FY 2009 to 1,365 students in FY 2013.  If the 5-year trend of level 4 special education students continues, then DCPS will likely receive an additional $25.5 million in overfunding; money that DCPS will not be required to give back if it does not enroll these additional students.

 

Thus, it appears that despite the legal mandate and FOCUS’ vigilant efforts to ensure government compliance with the funding law, the practice of inequitable funding will continue.

 

FOCUS remains committed to ensuring the Mayor follows the funding law in its entirety, so stay tuned as we gear up to continue fighting for funding equity this budget season.