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McCoy
202-724-8032 (desk), 202-664-9862 (cell)
dmccoy@dccouncil.us
FULL STATEMENT:
BEFORE DISCUSSING EACH OF THESE AND THEN HEARING FROM OUR TWO
WITNESSES, LET ME VERY CLEAR ABOUT OUR MOTIVES.
THE INITIAL EXPLANATION PLACED THIS GAP ENTIRELY AT THE FEET OF THE
COUNCIL. IN A SEPTEMBER 16 PRESS RELEASE, THE ADMINISTRATION CLAIMED
IT WAS MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE OF “BUDGET REDUCTIONS MADE THIS
SUMMER BY THE D.C. COUNCIL TO DCPS AND THE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.”
THE NEXT DAY, THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTED THAT DCPS OFFICIALS
CLAIMED THESE REDUCTIONS TOTALED NEARLY $40 MILLION.
THE FAQ ALSO MADE MENTION OF $820 MILLION IN EXPENSES FOR DCPS IN FY
2010. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS COMMITTEE HAS HEARD OF SUCH A NUMBER
AND CONTRASTS SHARPLY WITH THE BUDGET SUBMITTED BY THE MAYOR
BACK IN MARCH AND AGAIN IN JULY.
THE LATEST VERSION, WHICH ARRIVED LAST NIGHT, STATES THE GAP COMES
FROM $21 MILLION THAT INCLUDES THE COST OF EXCESS TEACHERS AND NON-
TEACHING STAFF, $20 MILLION IN COUNCIL CUTS TO DCPS, AND $3 MILLION IN
RIF-RELATED EXPENSES.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2010 DCPS BUDGET THE COUNCIL APPROVED WAS $779.6
MILLION -- $15 MILLION ABOVE FISCAL YEAR 2009’S $764.6 MILLION. THE FY 10
PERSONAL (STAFFING) SERVICES BUDGET FOR DCPS INCREASED BY $22.3
MILLION ABOVE FISCAL YEAR 2009 FROM $548.2 MILLION TO $570.5 MILLION FOR
FY 10. PRIOR TO THIS HEARING, IN ORDER TO ENSURE OUR NUMBERS WERE
ACCURATE, WE CONSULTED THE OFFICE OF THE CFO AND RECEIVED
WRITTEN CONFIRMATION FROM THE CFO THAT THESE BUDGET FIGURES
WERE ACCURATE.
EIGHT WEEKS AFTER THIS HIRING PROGRAM WAS LARGELY COMPLETED, DCPS
THEN EXECUTED THE RIF THAT RESULTED IN THE DISMISSAL OF 388
EMPLOYEES. Numbers obtained from the Washington Teachers Union. 229 TO 266 OF THESE
EMPLOYEES WERE TEACHERS WHO WERE DISMISSED FROM THEIR POSITIONS.
SINCE THESE TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF WERE LET GO, THE MAYOR HAS
STATED PUBLICLY THAT LOW-PERFORMING TEACHERS WERE THE ONES RIFFED.
FRANKLY, WHILE I CERTAINLY BELIEVE LOW-PERFORMING TEACHERS SHOULD
BE GIVEN THE SUPPORT TO DO BETTER, THEY SHOULD BE ASKED TO LEAVE IF
THEY DO NOT IMPROVE.
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