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A RESOLUTION
21-41
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
March 3, 2015
To declare the existence of an emergency with the respect to the need to amend the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula for Public Schools and Public Charter Schools Act of 1998 to allow the Chancellor, in consultation with the principal and local school advisory team, to direct at-risk student funds.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “At-Risk Funding Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2015”.
Sec. 2. (a) In 1998, the Council passed the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula for Public Schools and Public Charter Schools Act of 1998 (D.C. Law 12-207; D.C. Official Code § 38-2901 et seq.) (“Act”), in order to establish a funding Formula to determine annual payments to the District of Columbia Public Schools and annual payments to Public Charter Schools.
(b) In 2013, the Council amended the Act to establish an at-risk funding supplement to existing base funding, to be disbursed at the school level based on the projected enrollment of at risk students.
(c) The 2013 amendment also directed that at least 90% of the at-risk funds allocated to DCPS school-level budgets be spent at the principal’s discretion, in consultation with the school’s local school advisory team.
(d) Over the past few years, DCPS has identified several programs, interventions, and initiatives that have proven successful in providing additional supports for students, resulting in gains in student achievement, growth in enrollment, and an increase in student and parent satisfaction.
(e) The current law does not enable the Chancellor to fully ensure that all students across DCPS are continuing to access programs and interventions that work.
(f) Further, the turnaround for principals to make budget decisions after receiving their school budget allocations does not allow sufficient time to fully research, analyze, and vet the effectiveness of programs to implement on their own. DCPS’ central office is prepared to help guide principals and school communities through this process.
(g) School budgets for school year 2015-2016 are currently being prepared; therefore, this emergency is needed to allow the Chancellor to have more discretion for the utilization of at-risk funds to ensure that money is directed to initiatives that will have the greatest impact for students and that equity in terms of access to programs is maintained.
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the At-Risk Funding Preservation Emergency Amendment Act of 2015 be adopted after a single reading.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
