Dear Parents:
 
Round one of the DCPS budgeting process is over and we have our projected allocations and preliminary staffing budget approved by the Chancellor!
 
Despite cutbacks in the public education systems across the country, DCPS schools seemed to have fared well overall in our 2009-2010 budgets.  It seems that most schools received additional monies as the district aims to transfer more and more resources to the local schools.

A key difference for us this year is that the modified school budget model utilized by DCPS finally recognizes the unique challenges of our two-campus structure.  As such, our school is being treated as a "cluster" similar to other multi-building schools in the District and this results in additional resources.
 
I'm delighted to inform you that the budget that I and the LSRT submitted provides for an expanded staff that will support our students and teachers in our pursuit of bilingual high academic achievement.   Perhaps most importantly, this new budget allows for us to operate our unique dual-language model without the need for the additional specialized funds that we have received in the past.  This is critical as we work to ensure we can be self-sustaining without special treatment by the district.

In addition to this year's current staffing structure, our 2009-20010 budget allocation allows for the following additional positions on our local DCPS budget for the 2009-2010 school year:
 
·     Dual Language Coordinator
·     Science Specialist
·     Numeracy Coach
·     Special Education teacher
·     Two classroom aides
·     PE Teacher (Full Time at Intermediate Campus)
·     Music Teacher (Full Time at Intermediate Campus)
·     Art Teacher (Full Time at Intermediate Campus)
·     Librarian (Full Time at Intermediate Campus)
·     Foreign Language teacher for Middle School
·     Middle School Counselor
 
The DC Code was recently amended to require DCPS to post the preliminary FY2010 budget as well as preliminary FY2010 school budgets on their website and in every school.     Below, please find the links for our two school budget allocations.  
 
Primary Campus (PK-3)

 

As you review them, please keep in mind the following:
 
1)    The budgets that are posted are the initial allocations and do not yet represent the work that was recently completed during the budget roundtables. (During the roundtable process, schools work with DCPS staff to ensure that individual school needs are met within the allocations and that the school is within compliance of all federal mandates.)  Our revised school budgets will be posted soon and I will forward the updates to you as soon as we have them.
2)   Funding is disseminated to schools based on enrollment projections shown on the allocation sheets.  These projections were created by a working group external to DCPS consisting of the 21st Century Learning Fund, The Brookings Institute, and the Urban Institute.
3)   The allocation sheets show all sources of funding, including local and federal monies, as well as funds supporting Special Education, the education of English Language Learners, and/or specialty funds allocated to support specialized programs at some schools.
4)   The allocation sheets show all sources of funding, including local and federal monies, as well as funds supporting Special Education, the education of English Language Learners, and/or specialty funds allocated to support specialized programs at some schools.
5)    This budget process provides much more flexibility in use of funds, and beyond the positions shown in "CORE STAFFING," schools were able to allocate monies in anyway that drives academic achievement.   
6)    Finally, salaries listed are average salaries for the given positions throughout the district and do not necessarily reflect individual Oyster-Adams' staff salaries.

I look forward to continuing to provide you with more updates as we continue the exciting planning process for next year.

 

Enjoy the sping-like weekend!

 

--Monica Liang Aguirre