- Twenty D.C. schools targeted for closure
- Five takeaways from the DCPS school closings
- D.C. school closures likley to spark interest from commercial real estate industry
- Mayor Grays's response to the school closure announcement
- Parents mean war over Northwest elementary school
- D.C. teacher turnover is astronomical
Twenty D.C. schools targeted for closure
The Washinton Post
By Emma Brown
November 13, 2012
One in six traditional D.C. public schools is targeted for closure under a plan put forth Tuesday by Chancellor Kaya Henderson, the latest sign of a system facing budget pressures and increased competition from fast-growing charter schools.
The chancellor said her plan would shift resources from maintaining under-enrolled schools to focus on improving academic programs.
The 20 schools marked for closure are spread across six city wards but are concentrated in Northeast Washington and east of the Anacostia River. They include the first neighborhood high school in recent memory that would close — Spingarn in Northeast — and two middle schools that would be absorbed into high schools, creating a pair of sixth-through-12th-grade secondary campuses.
Altogether, the targeted schools enroll about 3,000 students who would be sent to other buildings with available space.
Henderson said she plans to keep most of the vacated buildings under DCPS control, finding community uses until enrollment rebounds to reopen them. She said some of the buildings could be rented to charter schools, accelerating the growth of the publicly funded but independently run schools. They now enroll more than 40 percent of D.C. students, up from about 31 percent five years ago.
Henderson said she believes in “a strong and growing system of traditional neighborhood public schools” but acknowledged that in some neighborhoods, the majority of parents have opted for charter schools.
“There are neighborhoods where we have not been successful after multiple tries and many years,” she said, “and there is a high-performing charter that has cracked the nut.”
Four years ago, then-Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee closed 23 schools, igniting angry protest and long-lasting political backlash. Henderson hopes to avoid a similar reaction. She has banked on the idea that communities will be more willing to accept closures if they’ve had a chance to hear and respond to her plans.
But on Tuesday, she did not seem willing to significantly reduce the number of schools to be closed. To meet the system’s ambitious goals for lifting student achievement, “we cannot continue to invest in the same things that we have been investing in,” she said. “We need to make more radical progress, and that means concentrating our resources on things that we know affect teaching and learning.”
As deputy to Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D), Henderson can carry out the plan without the approval of the D.C. Council.
She said she is eager for community input about how to use vacated buildings, emphasizing that too many school buildings were left empty for years after the 2008 closings.
“Communities feel like a school closing means divesting from a community, and we don’t want that to happen,” she said. “My commitment is to find a new use for each of the buildings that are no longer occupied by our schools.”
As news of the closures began to spread Tuesday, some parents were shocked, angry and already promising a fight.
“It’s like a kick in the teeth,” said Ann McLeod, president of the PTA at Garrison Elementary in Northwest, which is slated to be closed under Henderson’s plan and turned into a community arts center. Its students would be sent to nearby Seaton Elementary.
McLeod said Garrison has been gathering momentum in recent years, drawing attention and buzz from the neighborhood’s growing number of young families. “I just don’t see that closing Garrison and moving us to Seaton is going to get any more students enrolled into DCPS,” McLeod said. “In fact, it might get fewer.”
Her concerns echo those of activists who have been rallying in opposition to the proposed closures in recent weeks. They argue that shuttering buildings could drive students out of the traditional public school system, accelerate enrollment losses and lead to further closures in the years ahead.
Students from schools closed during the Rhee era were twice as likely to enroll in public charter schools as students from other DCPS schools, leading to a loss of enrollment that cost the school system about $5 million in 2009, according to a study by three think tanks.
“We’ve suffered a lot of school closures, and it’s not so much that we’re not willing to accept any school closures ever, but we want to start making smart decisions,” said Eboni-Rose Thompson, chair of the Ward 7 Education Council, which has called for a moratorium on closures.
A controversial study commissioned by the city this year recommended closing dozens of schools with low performance on standardized tests, but Henderson said academic achievement was not part of her closure calculus. Instead, schools were identified for possible closure based on low enrollment, the condition of the facility and the availability of space for displaced students in nearby buildings.
Henderson could not say how much money would be saved and redirected because of the closures. She also said the school system has no estimate for the number of employee layoffs expected due to the closures.
The chancellor said in an interview last week, however, that she will push D.C. Council members in early 2013 to grant her authority to approve charter schools, which could then operate in vacant DCPS-owned buildings.
“We don’t have to compete. We can absolutely collaborate,” she said.
Eighteen of the 20 schools would close at the end of this school year. The others — Sharpe Health and Mamie D. Lee, which serve students with disabilities — would move into the former River Terrace Elementary in 2014 after that building is renovated.
Two high schools, Cardozo and Roosevelt, would be converted into secondary schools serving students in grades six through 12. Their feeder middle schools, Shaw at Garnet-Patterson, which serves about 150 students in the U Street corridor, and MacFarland Middle School in Petworth, which is operating at about one-third capacity, would close.
Cathy Reilly, director of the advocacy group SHAPPE (the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators), said it is far from clear that parents want their sixth-graders going to school with much older teenagers.
“I understand that it’s a really a difficult problem to have severely under-enrolled schools, but I really question whether the six-to-12s are the best solution,” Reilly said. “The community will really have to weigh in.”
Students at Spingarn High would be dispersed to Eastern, Dunbar and Woodson. Henderson wants to renovate Spingarn and turn it into a career and technical education center.
A fourth high school, the selective and high-performing School Without Walls, would expand by several hundred students. Francis-Stevens Education Campus, which has pre-K through eighth grade in Foggy Bottom, would close and be converted into additional space for that school.
The city’s education leaders have been pushing for closures since before Rhee’s arrival, arguing that the school system, which has lost about 100,000 students since its peak enrollment in the 1960s, needs to downsize to run efficiently.
DCPS now enrolls about 45,000 students in 117 buildings; Fairfax County, meanwhile, has about four times as many students in 196 schools.
Henderson said Tuesday that the closures would leave the school system with 101 school buildings with an average enrollment of 432 students, up from 376.
The school system has planned four community meetings for late November and early December to hear community feedback, including on how vacant buildings should be used. In addition, the D.C. Council will hold public hearings on the plan Thursday and Monday.
Henderson said she will listen to public input before making final recommendations to Gray in mid-January.
Five takeaways from the DCPS school closings
The Washington Post
By Mike DeBonis
November 13, 2012
Twenty schools in 19 buildings would close over the next two years under a plan publicly floated Tuesday by D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson. Most are severely underenrolled schools in wards 5, 7 and 8 — the latest signal of a public education system in flux, as in-boundary parents continue to be lured away by out-of-boundary schools, charter schools, and private school vouchers. A closer look at the proposed closure plan tells a story about how the system is changing and how DCPS is managing it, and what to expect as the process plays out.
1. High-profile schools would close, but their buildings could quickly reopen as DCPS facilities. Two of the bigger names on the list are Spingarn High School in Ward 5 and the Francis-Stevens Education Center in Ward 2. Spingarn is the alma mater of hoops legends Elgin Baylor and Dave Bing and stands to become the first DCPS high school closed in a generation, while Francis-Stevens is currently undergoing a $24 million renovation. Henderson is proposing specific reuses for both buildings: Spingarn, currently set for a $65 million modernization to be completed in 2017, would then become a high school focused on career and technical education, she said, with a particular focus on transportation. (Remember that DDOT is proposing to locate a streetcar barn next door.) Francis-Stevens, meanwhile, would become a satellite campus for the School Without Walls, the Foggy Bottom high school that has been bursting at the seams even after a meticulous 2010 renovation. Expect to see neighbors and elected officials push for guarantees here, particularly on Spingarn.
2. Despite parent concerns, number of middle schools could dwindle. In many parts of the city, parent activism has turned to improving middle school options — particularly in wards 3 and 5. But Henderson looks to have decided that in other parts of the city, there are better options for the middle school population than leaving underenrolled schools open. Middle-schoolers at Francis-Stevens, for instance, would be sent to Hardy Middle School in Georgetown. MacFarland Middle School in Ward 4 would be closed, and its students combined in the same building with Roosevelt High School next door, which is set for a $127 million modernization to be completed in 2015. Two small middle schools east of the Anacostia River — Johnson and Ron Brown — would have their students sent to more modern facilities nearby (Hart and Kramer, and Kelly Miller, respectively). Perhaps most surprising are plans to close Shaw at Garnet-Patterson, which serves wards 1 and 2. Shaw’s Rhode Island Avenue campus has been set for a $54.8 million modernization to be completed in 2018; Henderson said Tuesday those plans would proceed once a “critical mass” of in-boundary students materialize. In the meantime, its students will attend Cardozo High, now under renovation. Expect to hear concerns about combining middle- and high-school students in the same building, though Henderson says it’s been working in Columbia Heights, with Bell Multicultural High and Lincoln Middle.
3. The spin is about educational, not financial, economies of scale. Henderson’s pitch to reporters Tuesday steered clear of discussions about money. For instance, she did not discuss specifics about potential staff reductions, savings or costs. Rather, she focused on individual school resources, that schools that are underenrolled do not offer students the best education possible. They spend more per pupil on administrators, custodial and clerical staff. That means they cannot afford to hire full-time librarians or art teachers or music teachers. She offered rough thresholds beyond which the economies of scale begin to make sense: 350 students for a elementary school, 450 students for a middle school and 600 students for a high school. The schools being closed fall well under those targets. Expect to see Henderson pressed for more specifics at upcoming D.C. Council hearings, even if the politics demand that this be solely “about the kids.”
4. It’s not (completely) about real estate. In the 2008 round of closings, the opposition found much grist to mill in the uncertain disposition of the closed campuses. It was prelude, they said, to mass giveaways to developers, the privatization of public assets. While that mostly turned out to be overstated (only the old Stevens School is being privately developed), what’s notable about the latest round is that Henderson proposes keeping the bulk of the schools as educational facilities. Three of the schools slated for closure — Sharpe Health in Ward 4, Hamilton in Ward 5, and Malcolm X in Ward 8 — have been eyed for “strategic partnerships” with high-performing charter schools. Uses for five schools are deemed “to be determined,” while Henderson is looking to keep 11 of the 19 buildings in the DCPS inventory. Some, like Spingarn and Francis-Stevens, have specific uses in mind, but others, like Davis or Ferebee-Hope Elementarys, are simply to be kept in case demand increases. One wild card is Garnet-Patterson, which is being eyed for an alternative secondary school, but also appears on the “to be determined” list. Located in the booming U Street Corridor, it would be a fat target for developers. That also goes for Garrison Elementary, a few blocks to the southwest, though Henderson is floating a neighborhood arts center for that space. Expect to see Henderson to be pressed on how she can justify holding on to empty school buildings indefinitely.
5. No relief for the western wards. There was some scuttlebutt that the Duke Ellington School for the Arts might be involved in the school closings shuffle, moving from its Reservoir Road campus in Ward 2 to make way for the re-establishment of Western High School. But Ellington is not in play, not today, so pressure will continue to mount on Wilson High. Meanwhile, with the proposed closing of Francis-Stevens, Shaw @ Garnet-Patterson and MacFarland, fewer middle school options means more pressure on Hardy Middle School, focus of recent years of serious tension between in-boundary parents and out-of-boundary parents who appreciated its arts program. Expect this discussion to be rekindled early next year, as Henderson starts adjusting school boundaries and feeder patterns to reflect stronger demands on neighborhood schools in Ward 3.
D.C. school closures likley to spark interest from commercial real estate industry
The Washington Post
By Jonathan O'Connell
November 14, 2012
For all the difficulty and anguish of closing under-utilized public schools, the process is likely to prompt excitement from at least one constituency in the city: real estate developers.
When Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee announced in 2007 that they would try to close 24 public schools, the interest from the commercial real estate industry was immediate, and for good reason.
Some of the schools Fenty and Rhee proposed shuttering — and which ultimately closed — held high commercial value. Hine Jr. High School on Capitol Hill, across from Eastern Market, and Stevens Elementary School, in the West End, topped the list. Hine is on its way to becoming a mixed-use project led by EastBanc, and Akridge and Ivymount School plan to turn Stevens into an office building and special education center.
What are the prospects for the 20 schools pegged for closure Tuesday by Kaya Henderson, schools chancellor Mayor Vincent C. Gray?
It is not clear. When Fenty and Rhee began closing schools, Neil O. Albert, then-deputy mayor for planning and economic development, did not take long to see empty school building as a redevelopment opportunity. Fenty and Rhee announced their plans to close the schools in November of 2007 and by December of 2008, Albert had analyzed the available properties and prepared 11 of them for commercial real estate developers to bid on (which they announced two days before Christmas).
Henderson, on the other hand, said Tuesday that she wants to keep all of the schools within the school system’s control and has already announced plans to re-use many of them.
Of the 20 schools (or 19 buildings), she suggests that 11 buildings be kept by DCPS, either to plan for future expansion of the school system or for expansion of other educational programs. These include: Francis-Stevens, Garrison, MacFarland, Marshall, Springarn, Prospect, Shaw at Garnet-Patterson, Davis, Kenilworth, Ferebee-Hope and Johnson.
For three other schools, Henderson says she has set aside for possible use by charters schools. Those are Sharpe Health School, Hamilton campus and Malcolm X. That leaves five listed as “to be determined” and Shaw at Garnet-Patterson as possibly “to be determined.”
Jose Sousa, spokesman for Victor Hoskins, deputy mayor for planning and economic development, said early Tuesday afternoon that he had not seen the list of proposed schools to close and declined comment.
Regardless of whether Henderson succeeds in closing the schools but retaining control of the buildings, there is nothing on the current list of closures that approach Hine or Stevens in terms of commercial real estate value. Nine of the properties, for instance, are located east of the Anacostia River, which has not traditionally been a magnet for new development.
But there are certainly properties that will attract commercial interest.
Although Henderson has it pegged for expansion of a high school for School Without Walls, Francis-Stevens Education campus, at 2425 N St. NW, is sandwiched between Rock Creek Park and neighborhoods in the West End. It’s down the street from the Fairmont Hotel and the Park Hyatt.
Garrison Elementary, at 1200 S St. NW, is just north of Logan Circle. Nearby, Shaw Middle School at Garnet-Patterson, at 2001 10th Street NW, is just north of U Street, in an area in which the JBG Cos. is aggressively adding new apartments and retail.
There are some potentially attractive properties in Northeast as well, near the booming H Street corridor. Prospect Learning Center, at 920 F Street NE, is between H Street and Capitol Hill. Spingarn High School, at 2500 Benning Road NE, is along the first streetcar route planned by the city and has been discussed as a property on which to store the new streetcars. Henderson plans for it to be turned into a career and technical education center.
The education discussion comes first. But shortly thereafter, expect the real estate discussion to begin.
Mayor Grays's response to the school closure announcement
The Examiner
By Mark Lerner
November 14, 2012
Here's what I imagine Mayor Gray saying today at a press conference in reaction to DCPS Chancellor Henderson's announcement that she will be closing 20 traditional schools.
"Good morning. Yesterday Chancellor Henderson revealed her plan to recommend the closing of 20 under-performing and under-enrolled DCPS facilities. The decision to close neighborhood schools is never easy but it is a necessary step in order to steadfastly continue forward on our path of improving student academic achievement that for too long has been accepted a mediocre. Public school reform is difficult and we all recognize that change is hard. However, my commitment to you as Mayor when I was elected was to follow the path begun by my predecessor and the previous chancellor and to accept nothing but the highest quality when it comes to educating our children.
"I do, however, have to take strong exception to one statement made Tuesday by my Chancellor. We will not be maintaining these closed buildings within our control. For too long our charter school partners has been treated as second or third class citizens. These are public schools just like the sites we recommend to be shuttered. This alternative system now educates over 35,000 pupils which represent 43 percent of all public school students in this city. However, charters have for years had to teach our children in store fronts, church basements, and warehouses that are not suitable for the superior level of learning taking place in a great many of these structures. During my campaign I promised charter school equity with DCPS and I am steadfast in being faithful to this vow.
"I am here to state unequivocally that all closed DCPS buildings will be turned over to high performing charter schools as quickly as possible, and I have ordered the Deputy Mayor of Education's office within the next 60 days to provide me with a plan to make this transition a reality.
"Thank you and have a great day."
Parents mean war over Northwest elementary school
The Washington Examiner
By Lisa Gartner
November 13, 2012
If Garrison Elementary had gun turrets, they would have been crowded Tuesday afternoon.
Parents at the U Street Corridor campus, learning that Garrison was among the 20 schools targeted for closure by DC Public Schools, pledged to fight back with the same energy they said they have been investing in the school.
"I'm just not giving up without a fight," said Ann McLeod, the parent of a first-grader and the school's PTA president.
With 228 students, Garrison is underenrolled and using 64 percent of its building. Under the DCPS proposal, Garrison students would be absorbed by Seaton Elementary School, a few blocks east of Logan Circle.
Melissa Salmanowitz, a spokeswoman for Chancellor Kaya Henderson, said DCPS wanted to close Garrison rather than Seaton, also underenrolled, because Seaton's building had been renovated and could hold more students.
But parents at Garrison pointed out that the school had received a new principal this year. They had received $1 million to improve the building and its grounds. Math scores had jumped on standardized tests.
Most of all, parents said they had been gathering momentum, forming community associations, holding panels and investing themselves by enrolling their children at the school.
"It just doesn't make any sense to me because this is the kind of school DCPS should be investing in, a school people have committed to and are rallying support for," said Dima Reda, the mother of a prekindergarten student.
Along with parents, Jack Jacobson, who was elected to represent Ward 2 on the D.C. school board, said he will testify at a D.C. Council hearing Thursday.
"I'm telling you, the Logan Circle and U Street communities are going to fight tooth and nail to keep Garrison open, and I'll be standing right there with them," Jacobson said.
D.C. teacher turnover is astronomical
The Washington Post
By Mark Simon
November 13, 2012
The Nov. 10 editorial “Passing a test,” about a study of the effect of D.C. school reforms, neglected to point out that the New Teacher Project, author of the study, was founded by former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee and is under contract with the D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) to provide teacher recruits. It is hardly a disinterested party.
The Post and the New Teacher Project attempt to allay concern about the city’s astronomical teacher turnover rates, which are more than twice the national average and three times that of Montgomery County. Focusing solely on the ratio of the “highly effective” and lowest performing teachers who leave the system, the editorial ignored the 21 percent turnover rate for the 70 percent of teachers who are “effective.”
Most teacher departures are voluntary, not the result of poor evaluations. Fifty percent of new teachers leave within two years; 75 percent are gone within five. The rates in charter schools are even higher. According to new research, such turnover hurts student achievement and the professional culture among educators.
New Teacher Project interviews with highly effective teachers considering leaving showed that the most prevalent reasons were school leadership, workload, the learning culture and the evaluation system — all factors resulting from the fear inducing, carrot-and-stick policies of DCPS.
The public would be better served by serious analysis of the cause of turnover and the philosophy driving DCPS reform rather than the cheerleading we’ve gotten from The Post for five years.