DC Public Schools - Not As Advertised

Michelle Rhee, Chancellor of the District of Columbia Public School System, has been cited as an example of a "get it done" school administrator that will control costs and turn around a district.  Mary Levy is an education finance lawyer and a contributor to Parents and Teachers for Real Education Reform.  The following is a summary of her testimony on the DCPS budget. 

Ms. Levy states that...

1.  The number of DCPS central administration employees rose by 112 or 18% from 2007 to 2010 (the tenure of Michelle Rhee), while enrollment went down by 6,600 or 12%. Since FY 2003 central office FTEs are up 38% while enrollment is down by 28%.
 

2.  As of October 1, 2010, about 100 of the central office staff have salaries of over $100,000 per year.

 

3.  Per student spending went up 28% during Ms. Rhee’s tenure, compared to inflation of 6%, leading to the possibility that better student/staff ratios, smaller classes and other resources were responsible for the modest test score improvements that did occur. Unfortunately, the level of spending – which is high compared to other school districts -- can’t be sustained.

 

4.  DCPS is now losing half its teacher workforce within 5 years, and half its new teacher hires within 2 years.

 

5.  The percentage of inexperienced (first and second year) teachers has risen to almost 20%.

 

6.  Beginning teachers (first and second year) are 25% of the teachers in three wards with mostly low-income students (1, 5, and 8).

 

7.  Basic budget and expenditure information is not available to the public – such as financial reports, current budgets for both the system and local schools.

 

Copies of the testimony and the attached tables are posted here. A more detailed analysis of central office positions is here and more information is on the SHAAPE web site here under High School Policy Areas-Budget Analysis.