Mayor Muriel Bowser released her proposed FY2019 budget last week including a 3.91% increase in the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula and an increase of nearly $56 million over the approved FY18 budget for DC Public Schools up to nearly $993 million. In addition to these important investments in operating funds, the mayor proposed $1.35 billion in capital funds to be spent over the next six fiscal years for school modernization projects for DCPS. Here’s what we found in the proposed FY19-24 DCPS capital budget.
Investments in All Grades and Wards
The FY19-24 DCPS capital plan lays out spending plans for 31 school modernization projects and 16 district-wide projections covering miscellaneous expenses like labor, HVAC replacements and roof repairs. The 31 schools include 23 elementary schools, three education campuses, two middle schools, two high schools and one early childhood center at the re-opened Thaddeus Stevens site in Foggy Bottom. The full funding cost of each project varies widely, but usually costs go up for projects serving older students.
| Project Type | Number of Projects | FY19-24 Capital $ | Average per Project |
| Early Childhood | 1 | $ 10,000,000 | $ 10,000,000 |
| Elementary Schools | 23 | $ 656,815,000 | $ 28,557,174 |
| Education Campuses* | 3 | $ 186,653,000 | $ 62,217,000 |
| Middle Schools | 2 | $ 128,927,000 | $ 64,463,500 |
| High Schools | 2 | $ 134,789,000 | $ 67,395,000 |
| District-Wide | 16 | $ 229,931,000 | $ 14,370,688 |
| Total | 47 | $ 1,347,115,000 | $ 28,662,021 |
*Includes Coolidge HS modernization, with a new adjacent middle school on site.
Each school modernization typically takes three fiscal years with the first year for planning and design and the second and third years for construction. Some modernizations may be in the second or third year of work in FY19, and so the full funding cost of the project may not be reflected in the FY19-24 plan. For previously approved capital plans see here.
DCPS is (mostly) Prioritizing Investments Based on Need
The DC Council passed the “Planning Actively for Comprehensive Education Facilities Amendment Act of 2016” (“PACE Act”, for short) to ensure greater transparency and fairness in setting priorities for capital investments. Every five years DCPS is required to produce a ranking of schools in need using objective data on facility condition, demand, community need and equity.
DCPS ran the PACE model for the 32 schools that only received a “Phase 1” modernization, meaning they were partially modernized prioritizing their learning spaces and entryways. Three schools (Adams ES in Ward 1, Malcom X ES in Ward 8 and Washington-Metropolitan HS in Ward 1) never received a Phase 1 modernization, and so will get those beginning in FY24. The first four schools getting modernizations via the PACE Act are Thomas ES in Ward 7, Tubman ES in Ward 1, Truesdell ES in Ward 4, and J.O. Wilson ES in Ward 6 all beginning in FY24.
Two elementary schools in Ward 3 entered the capital plan despite not being part of the PACE prioritization list: Key and Stoddert elementary schools. Both schools are currently over capacity and have been participating in a community working group to discuss solutions to overcrowding in the Wilson High School feeder pattern. Some have suggested that the city take back the Old Hardy building, currently in use by the independent Lab School through 2023, to avoid overbuilding on the current school sites. Under the FY19-24 capital plan, work on an addition at Key is set to begin in FY20, and planning for a new building at Stoddert will begin in FY23.
DCPS’ Annual Budget Hearing is on Wednesday, March 28th
Those interested in testifying or observing the DCPS budget oversight hearing should make their way to Room 412 of the John A. Wilson building (1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW) tomorrow at 10:00am. Chairman Grosso and other members of the Committee on Education will hear testimony from members of the public including those unable to signup online. DCPS government witnesses are schedule to testify on Thursday, April 19th.
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