COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                        Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council

               

FROM:                Phil Mendelson, Chairman

                                                               

DATE:                 December 19, 2022

 

RE:                        Notice of intent to move an amendment in the nature of a substitute at the December 20, 2022 Legislative Meeting

 

This memorandum serves as notice that I intend to move an amendment in the nature of a substitute (ANS) for the following measure on second reading at the December 20, 2022 Legislative Meeting:

 

▪         Bill 24-1147, Schools First in Budgeting Emergency Amendment Act of 2022

 

The Amendment in the Nature of a substitute for this measure will conform to the permanent bill – Bill 24-570, “Schools First in Budgeting Amendment Act of 2022.

 

The ANS contains the following changes:

• Revises and improves reporting requirements including additional reporting on the school’s use of at-risk concentration funding. The report submission is now required by November 30 (currently October 1) and is now to include a narrative that describes how the school will use those funds to improve student achievement among at-risk students at their school.

 

• Revises language in current law stating that at-risk funding “supplement, not supplant” general education dollars. Also, that at least 90% of at-risk dollars go to schools.

 

• Requires the Chancellor to adjust a school’s budget by the amount of per-pupil funding derived from a proposed change, if any, to the at-risk general education add-on weight as prescribed in the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) for the forthcoming year. A change to the weight should be additive to schools budgets.

 

Because the permanent Bill 24-570, Schools First in Budgeting Amendment Act of 2022 is not projected to become law until April at the earliest and the Mayors’ proposed budget for schools is to be submitted to the Council in March, it is necessary to revise the method for school budgeting for DCPS on an emergency basis. By doing so, the Council ensures that the calculation and reporting requirements therein are in place for the formulation of the 2023-2024 individual school budgets. Schools should not face another school year with budget instability. 

 

Thank you,

 

 

LeKisha M. Jordan

Senior Policy Advisor, Committee of the Whole

Office of Chairman Phil Mendelson

Council of the District of Columbia

1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 410

Washington, DC 20004

Ph: (202) 724-8137

www.chairmanmendelson.com

 

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