For Immediate Release: Contact: Doxie A.

McCoy
202-724-8032 (desk), 202-664-9862 (cell)
dmccoy@dccouncil.us

Washington, DC -- Following is the entire opening statement of D.C. Council Chairman

Vincent C. Gray at the Committee of the Whole hearing that began at 10:15 AM today and
continues on the reduction in force by the District of Columbia Public Schools. The
hearing is airing live on DC cable Channel 13 and on www.dccouncil.us. Chief Financial
Officer Natwar Gandhi continues his testimony and will be followed by Chancellor
Michelle Rhee. The Mayor declined the Committee’s request to appear. Here are some
key excerpts from Chairman’s Gray’s statement:

“WHAT SEEMS TO BE LOST IN THIS DEBATE IS THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE

DISTRICT’S LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING THE COUNCIL, SIGNED ON TO SCHOOL
REFORM. BUT NO ONE SIGNED ON TO CHAOS, DISRESPECT OF TEACHERS AND
PARENTS, AND STUDENTS BEING SUBJECTED TO THE CLASSROOM DISRUPTIONS
RESULTING FROM THIS RIF…

“I DO NOT COME TO THIS DISCUSSION AS A SPECTATOR. I AM A LIFE-LONG

WASHINGTONIAN AND GRADUATE OF DCPS WHO LOVES THIS CITY DEEPLY;
MOREOVER, MY LATE WIFE WAS A TEACHER...

“I COME TO THIS WITH A FERVENT COMMITMENT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR

OUR CHILDREN, WHO MATTER THE MOST. WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THESE
PROBLEMS TOGETHER WITHOUT SCAPE-GOATING OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE
EASY TO BLAME. IF WE STOP THIS FINGER-POINTING WE MIGHT REACH A
COMMON ACCORD FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CHILDREN.”

FULL STATEMENT:

I AM VINCENT C. GRAY, CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF

COLUMBIA AND I AM CALLING TO ORDER THIS PUBLIC HEARING ON THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2009-2010 EQUALIZATION PROCESS
AND REDUCTION IN FORCE OR RIF.

TODAY’S PUBLIC OVERSIGHT ROUNDTABLE IS ONE COMPONENT OF THE

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE’S ON-GOING OVERSIGHT OF THE CAUSES,
IMPLEMENTATION, AND IMPACT OF THE EQUALIZATION AND RIF.

THIS COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW INCLUDES THREE HEARINGS:

• A HEARING FOR DCPS STUDENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE ON SATURDAY
OCTOBER 10TH. FOR THOSE WHO SAW IT, IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE
OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, WHO ARE MOST AFFECTED BY CHANGES TO
THEIR SCHOOLS, ADVOCATING FOR THEIR OWN SELF-INTEREST.
• A HEARING FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN WHICH MORE THAN 150
PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO TESTIFY AND WHICH LASTED 18 HOURS – FROM 10
AM ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 TO 4:08 AM ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17.
 • TODAY IS OUR THIRD HEARING DURING WHICH WE WILL HEAR FROM
GOVERNMENT WITNESSES. WE’VE INVITED THE CHIEF FINANCIAL
OFFICER, THE CHANCELLOR, AND THE MAYOR. THE MAYOR DECLINED
OUR INVITATION, DEFERRING TO THE AGENCY HEAD, WHICH IS THE
CHANCELLOR.

DURING THIS REVIEW, THE COMMITTEE IS SEEKING TO COVER THREE AREAS OF

INTEREST AND CONSEQUENCE TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S EFFORTS TO
REFORM PUBLIC EDUCATION.
1. THE CAUSE OF THE REDUCTION IN FORCE – AN ALLEGED APPROX.
$43.9 MILLION BUDGET GAP THAT PRECIPITATED REDUCTIONS TO
LOCAL SCHOOL BUDGETS AND A RIF AT THE LOCAL SCHOOL
LEVEL.

2. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EQUALIZATION PROCESS AND

ACCOMPANYING REDUCTIONS.

3. THE IMPACT THAT THE EQUALIZATION PROCESS HAS HAD ON

STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND SCHOOLS

BEFORE DISCUSSING EACH OF THESE AND THEN HEARING FROM OUR TWO
WITNESSES, LET ME VERY CLEAR ABOUT OUR MOTIVES.

FRANKLY, I WOULD PREFER TO BE HERE TODAY ENGAGING IN AN OPEN,

INCLUSIVE DIALOGUE AROUND HOW WE AS A CITY CAN COME TOGETHER TO
SUPPORT OUR CITY’S CHILDREN THROUGH INCREASING EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OR PROVIDING TEACHERS AND LOCAL SCHOOLS
THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED.

INSTEAD, THIS COMMITTEE HAS BEEN FORCED TO CONDUCT OVERSIGHT ON A

BUDGET GAP THAT REMAINS A PUZZLE; INVESTIGATE WHY TEACHERS WERE
ESCORTED OUT OF SCHOOLS BY SECURITY, WHY LSRT’S (LOCAL SCHOOL
RESTRUCTURING TEAMS) WERE SHUT OUT OF THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL DECISION-
MAKING PROCESS, AND WHY OUR STUDENTS HAVE HAD TO WITNESS
RESULTING CHAOS.

LET ME TAKE A FEW ADDITIONAL MOMENTS TO REVIEW THE COUNCIL’S

OVERSIGHT OBJECTIVES. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE COMMITTEE CONTINUES
TO SEEK ANSWERS AS TO WHY DCPS IS FACING AN ALLEGED $43.9 MILLION
BUDGET SHORTFALL IN FY 2010, AND WHY THE FENTY ADMINISTRATION
BLAMES THE COUNCIL FOR THIS SHORTFALL.

AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW OF THE BUDGET, I CAN REPORT, AS I DID ON OCTOBER

16 THAT THE COUNCIL MADE SEVERAL CHANGES TO DCPS IN A LARGER EFFORT
TO CLOSE A MASSIVE BUDGET GAP OF $340 MILLION PROJECTED IN FY 2010.
THESE CHANGES AMOUNT TO $20.5 MILLION OR LESS THAN 2 PERCENT OF THE
TOTAL DCPS BUDGET.

DESPITE MULTIPLE, INCONSISTENT AND MISLEADING EXPLANATIONS BY

THE EXECUTIVE, IT REMAINS UNCLEAR AS TO WHAT CAUSED A $43.9
MILLION BUDGET GAP AND WHY THE COUNCIL WAS BLAMED FOR THE
ADMINISTRATION’S DECISION TO CLOSE THIS GAP BY TAKING A HATCHET
TO LOCAL SCHOOL BUDGETS AND RIFFING TEACHERS.

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.

A SECOND CHARACTERIZATION WAS PUBLICLY STATED ON OCTOBER 2. THIS

TIME THE ADMINISTRATION INDICATED THE TOTAL BUDGET GAP OF $40
MILLION CAME FROM A COUNCIL REDUCTION OF $20.7 MILLION; THE
ELIMINATION OF "ADDITIONAL SCHOOL-LEVEL RESOURCES" THAT HAD BEEN
CARRIED IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE BUDGET, AND $13.1 MILLION IN CENTRAL
CUTS GAINED BY "CAREFULLY REVIEWING CURRENT PROJECTS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES ALONG WITH FUTURE PLANS." NO ADDITIONAL DETAIL WAS
PROVIDED.

ON OCTOBER 7, DCPS RELEASED A “FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS” SHEET

THAT CHARACTERIZED THEIR BUDGET SITUATION IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT,
BUT YET NO LESS CONFUSING WAY. ACCORDING TO THE ADMINISTRATION, THE
$43.9 MILLION INCLUDES SUMMER SCHOOL REDUCTIONS BY THE COUNCIL ($9.5
MILLION)--THAT IS THE CASE, THOUGH, THE LAST TIME I LOOKED SUMMER
SCHOOL BEGINS IN JUNE OF NEXT YEAR- AND "ADDITIONAL SCHOOL LEVEL
RESOURCES THAT HAD BEEN CARRIED IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE BUDGET ($20.5
MILLION), AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAVE AND SEVERANCE FOR
TERMINATED EMPLOYEES ($3 MILION). TO BE CLEAR, DCPS ACTUALLY
INCLUDED THE COST OF THE RIF AS A CAUSE FOR THE RIF, WHICH SEEMS ODD
TO ME.

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.

WE WILL REVIEW EACH OF THESE THREE BUDGET GAP COMPONENTS WITH

ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS TODAY. WE WANT TO KNOW WHY DCPS HAD $20
MILLION IN EXCESS TEACHERS WHEN THEY HAD A SUMMER HIRING FRENZY OF
MORE THAN 900 TEACHERS; SECOND, WHY DCPS APPARENTLY CHOSE TO TAKE
A HATCHET TO LOCAL SCHOOL BUDGETS RATHER THAN OPTING FOR OTHER
APPROACHES; AND, WE WANT TO KNOW WHY DCPS INCLUDES THE COST OF THE
RIF, NEARLY $3 MILLION AS PART OF THE REASON FOR THE RIF.
FOR REVIEW, ON JULY 31, THE COUNCIL APPROVED AN FY 10 BUDGET THAT
ALLOCATED $779,574,000 TO DCPS. IN AUGUST, THE MAYOR SIGNED THAT
BUDGET AND MADE NO OBJECTION TO, OR EVEN MENTIONED THE $20.7
MILLION, ALTHOUGH HE VETOED AN UNRELATED LINE ITEM INVOLVING THE
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

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.

NOW, ACCORDING TO DCPS, OVER 934 EMPLOYEES WERE HIRED BETWEEN

MARCH AND AUGUST OF 2009. THIS IS A 3-FOLD INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS
DECADE’S AVERAGE NUMBER OF NEW EMPLOYEES. THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO
UNDERSTAND THE REASONS FOR THIS UNPRECEDENTED HIRING. AND WE WANT
TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THE HIRING PROGRAM ITSELF CAUSED THE
ALLEGED BUDGET SHORTFALL, AND WHETHER DCPS WAS AUTHORIZED UNDER
THE BUDGET REQUEST ACT TO ACTUALLY HIRE THESE INDIVIDUALS IN THE
FIRST PLACE.

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.

HOWEVER, DCPS’ OWN INSTRUCTIONS ON THE RIF INDICATE THIS SUPPOSEDLY

WAS NOT BASED ON PERFORMANCE.

PRINCIPALS WERE THE CENTRAL PLAYERS IN THIS RIF. THESE PRINCIPALS, A

MAJORITY OF WHOM, ACCORDING TO THE COUNCIL OF SCHOOL OFFICERS,
HAVE BEEN HIRED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS AND A QUARTER OF WHOM HAD
BEEN ON THE JOB FOR LESS THAN A MONTH, WERE TO BASE 75 PERCENT OF
THEIR DECISION TO LAY-OFF A TEACHER ON “OFFICE OR SCHOOL NEEDS.”
Reduction-in-Force of School-Based Staff THAT IS AN AMBIGUOUS DIRECTIVE.

ACCORDING TO DCPS DOCUMENTATION, THIS TERM IS DEFINED TO “INCLUDE

CURRICULUM-SPECIALIZED EDUCATION, DEGREES, LICENSES, OR AREAS OF
EXPERTISE.” THE REMAINING 25 PERCENT OF THE DECISION WAS TO BE BASED
ON PERFORMANCE (10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL); RELEVANT SUPPLEMENTAL
EXPERIENCE (10 PERCENT), AND LENGTH OF SERVICE (5 PERCENT).
THE COMMITTEE ALSO WILL DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF THESE REDUCTIONS –
PARTICULARLY THE APPARENT CHAOS THAT OCCURRED DURING THE
REDUCTION IN THE WORKFORCE.

ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I READ AN EDITORIAL IN THE BALTIMORE SUN THAT

COMPARED REFORM EFFORTS IN BALTIMORE TO THOSE IN THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA. (MARYLAND VOICES, 10/19/09) THE WRITER STATED: THERE’S LITTLE
DOUBT THE PERSONAL LEADERSHIP STYLES OF THE TWO CEOS HAVE LARGELY
DETERMINED HOW REFORM EFFORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. “IN PUBLIC, AT
LEAST MR. [ANDRES] ALONSO ESCHEWS DRAMA. MS. RHEE, BY CONTRAST, ONCE
APPEARED ON THE COVER OF A NATIONAL NEWS MAGAZINE WIELDING A
BROOM TO SYMBOLIZE HER INTENTION OF CLEANING HOUSE.” THE EDITORIAL
CONCLUDES: “LOW-KEY AND CALM AS THINGS HERE MAY SEEM IN
COMPARISON TO OUR SISTER CITY DOWN THE ROAD, BALTIMORE MAY
ALREADY BE ON TRACK TO GET THERE SOONER THAN ANYONE THINKS..[AND]
MAY HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS OF ANY CITY IN THE NATION.”

WHAT SEEMS TO BE LOST IN THIS DEBATE IS THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE

DISTRICT’S LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING THE COUNCIL, SIGNED ON TO SCHOOL
REFORM. BUT NO ONE SIGNED ON TO CHAOS, DISRESPECT OF TEACHERS AND
PARENTS, AND STUDENTS BEING SUBJECTED TO DISRUPTIONS RESULTING FROM
THIS RIF.

I DO NOT COME TO THIS DISCUSSION AS A SPECTATOR. I AM A LIFE-LONG

WASHINGTONIAN AND GRADUATE OF DCPS WHO LOVES THIS CITY DEEPLY;
MOREOVER, MY LATE WIFE WAS A TEACHER, AS WAS MY MOTHER-IN-LAW.

I COME TO THIS WITH A FERVENT COMMITMENT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR

OUR CHILDREN, WHO MATTER THE MOST. WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THESE
PROBLEMS WITHOUT SCAPE-GOATING OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE EASY TO
BLAME. IF WE STOP THIS FINGER-POINTING WE MIGHT REACH A COMMON
ACCORD FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CHILDREN.

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Reformatted by S. Cambria to address conversion problems. Content not

changed in any way. 10/29/09 2:00 pm.