Building A Budget With Allocations - All Flexibility Levels
Level 2 Flexibility Allocations
School Mental Health
Purpose
The School Mental Health (SMH) Team ensures the clinical efficacy of services provided by School Psychologists and Social Workers including screening, early intervention, evidenced-based treatment and practice, assessment, professional development, and consultation. School Psychologists and Social Workers are hired for specific areas of work that support both academic and social-emotional growth. Their roles are defined and should be limited to their areas of expertise to ensure their contributions to students, staff, and the broader school community are effective. If a school wishes to change their school mental health allocation, they can but must submit a petition that clearly outlines how services will still be provided. When submitting the petition, they must maintain a portion of the allocation and cannot reduce both positions to 0.
How Funds Are Allocated
The SMH team supports schools in determining mental health staffing models that best meet the needs of school communities using a two-part formula. The first part of the formula includes variables such as:
- Number of students (school size)
- Students receiving specialized instruction
- Students within Behavior & Education Support (BES) self-contained classes
- Economically Disadvantaged Enrollment
- In FY23, the second part of the formula included a review by the program team, where increases were made based on contextual knowledge of each school’s unique needs. In FY24 however, DCPS used a hold harmless methodology instead. The hold harmless methodology compared what the formula would have allocated to the prior fiscal year (FY23) March submitted budgets. Where the formula would have decreased allocations from FY24 initial to FY23 submitted, the hold harmless methodology maintained the prior year staffing allocations. The hold harmless methodology did not allow for decreases in school psychologist or social worker staff allocations at schools. Only increases in staff allocations were allowed in this process.
The Role of School Psychologists
School psychologists are integral members of school-based multidisciplinary teams. They can help educators isolate student strengths and deficits, making targeted remediation possible. School psychologists also screen students who exhibit early warning indicators and collect data to determine the severity of student need at the lower tiers of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). If concerns persist, school psychologists will complete psychological assessments to help school teams determine if students meet eligibility criteria for a disability classification for specialized instruction and related services.
The Role of Social Workers
Social workers are the only school-based mental health staff who are both licensed by the Department of Health (DOH) and the OSSE. They are trained to provide mental health evidenced-based treatments and practices to students and are best suited to provide behavior support services as prescribed on student’s 504 Plans and Individual Education Program. Social workers also complete social work assessments, functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) to help school teams make data-informed decisions related to modifying behavior.
Allocation Flexibilities
School social workers and school psychologists are Level 2 flexibility allocations and any change must still ensure that school mental health needs are met for the school community based on the position roles below. No school will be allowed to petition away their allocation to zero (0).
Point of Contact
Nigel Jackson, Director, School Mental Health – Nigel.Jackson3@k12.dc.gov
School Counselors
Purpose
School Counselors design, develop, and implement a data-driven, comprehensive (PK-12) school counseling program to successfully prepare students to become global leaders in the 21st century. A comprehensive school counseling program serves the whole student by meeting academic, career, and social/emotional needs. PK-12 school counseling programs support students in achieving personal growth, acquiring positive social skills and values, setting informed career goals, and realizing academic potential to become productive, contributing members of a global community.
- Elementary School Counselors help students gain the knowledge, awareness, and skills to become healthy, safe, competent, and confident learners. By providing education, prevention, early identification, and intervention, Elementary School Counselors help all students achieve academic, social, and emotional success. Elementary School Counselors also teach students study skills, problem solving skills, emotional regulation, resilience, and help students successfully transition to middle school.
- Middle School Counselors help students discover college and career interests and support students in selecting appropriate and rigorous courses to earn high school credits in math and world language. Middle School Counselors also provide community service opportunities to eighth grade students so students can earn community service hours before high school. Middle School Counselors also help students successfully transition from middle school to high school.
- High School Counselors have a critical role in graduation requirements. High School Counselors schedule students to ensure they are placed in every course required for graduation. High School Counselors connect with students on an ongoing basis about their progress towards graduation requirements and hold formal annual meetings. High School Counselors also provide community service opportunities so students can complete 100-hours of community service before graduation. High School Counselors help students successfully transition to various post-secondary options, including college and career opportunities.
How Funds are Allocated
- Grades PK-5: Schools are allocated discretionary funds including Student Based Budgeting (SBB) local funds and can use these funds to budget for School Counselors.
- Grades 6-8: Schools are allocated a school counselor at a ratio of 1:400 rounding up to the nearest 0.5.
- Grades 9-12: Schools are allocated a school counselor at a ratio of 1:250 rounding up to the nearest 0.5.
Budgeting Requirements
Schools must maintain allocation ratios budgeting 1:400 for grades 6-8 and 1:250 for grades 9-12.
Budgeting Recommendations
It is recommended that schools budget at a 1:250 ratio across all grade levels. See the English Learner Budget Guide section for more information on bilingual counselors.
Role of the School Counselor
- School Counselors should spend 80% of their time providing direct services to students, including classroom lessons, small group counseling, and individual counseling. Counselors also provide school-wide programming to promote academic, career, and social/emotional development.
- School Counselors recognize and respond to the need for mental health services for all students. School Counselors offer instruction that enhances mental health awareness, provides appraisal and advisement for academic, career, and social/emotional development, provides short-term counseling interventions, and provides referrals to community resources for long-term counseling support.
- School Counselors can provide support to the building Homeless Liaison and SEL Lead.
Best Practices
- School Counselors should not serve as 504 Coordinator, Bullying Coordinator, Testing Coordinator, Attendance Lead, Hall Monitor, or Substitute Teachers.
- Since school counselors fill a specific role in the school, they should not be replaced by Social Workers, School Psychologists, College/Career Coordinators, Pathways Coordinators, Paraprofessionals, Assistant Principals, Behavior Technicians, or Deans who also fill specific roles at the school.
- The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommends every school has one school counselor for every 250 students. For bilingual/linguistically diverse students, the recommendation is one school counselor for every 100 students.
Central Support
Financial
There is a small Central Office budget to purchase curriculum and resources for School Counselors. Counselors receive a list of approved school counseling vendors and can submit their budget request (up to $300) to DCPS.Counseling@k12.dc.gov. The counseling team will review budget requests and send approved materials directly to school counselors.
Non-Financial
The School Counseling Team at Central Office provides professional development, coaching, leadership, and mentoring.
Points of Contact
- Fallon Dodson, Manager, School Counseling - Fallon.Dodson@k12.dc.gov
- Steve Rockey, Coordinator, School Counseling – Steve.Rockey@k12.dc.gov
Helpful Resources
- The Role of the School Counselor
- Effectiveness of School Counseling
- Measuring the Impact of School Counselor Ratios on Student Outcomes
- The School Counselor and Student Mental Health
English Learner
Purpose
Students identified as English Learners are entitled to receive federally mandated English as a Second Language (ESL) services. ESL/bilingual teachers and classroom support staff are allocated to meet the language needs of the EL students. This linguistic and academic support supplements the full scope of academic programming that all students in DCPS receive. The allocation of ESL Teachers and Bilingual Instructional Aides ensures all schools receive adequate resources, based on the size of the English Learner (EL) student population at their school and the language needs of the students.
When considering the staffing allocations and additional EL SBB funding, school leaders should work collaboratively with their ESL POC and Special Education Coordinator to ensure that all dually identified students (EL students with IEPs) are scheduled to receive adequate language support.
Requirements
EL students should have access to all programming offered within the school community. This relates to academic, related arts as well as extra-curricular opportunities. As ESL services are federally mandated, ESL teachers and the general education teachers should work together so that EL students have a clear academic plan that supports access to grade level content and appropriate supports for their language development throughout the day. EL requirements are included in the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR).
How Funds Are Allocated
Staffing Allocations
EL Teachers: Schools receive allocations of ESL teachers based on the ratios below. Instructional positions allocated based on the number of projected EL students must be dedicated exclusively to work in service of the EL students and cannot be assigned for other purposes. Schools with a projected enrollment of 11 or fewer EL students at the elementary level or 10 or fewer at the secondary level will receive an allocation for an itinerant ESL teacher. This allocation of staff is managed by the Language Acquisition Division (LAD). Itinerant ESL teachers are assigned to schools by the LAD and this allocation cannot be used for other purposes.
# of Students | Teacher Allocation |
1-10 EL Students | Itinerant EL teacher* |
11-16 Students | Grades PK-5: 0.5 EL Teacher |
Grades 6-12: 1.0 EL Teacher | |
17 Students + | # students/22 rounded up to the nearest 0.5 |
1 Teacher at 17-22 students | |
2.0 Teachers at 34-44 | |
2.0 Teachers at 34-44 |
*Funding for the Itinerant EL teacher is on the school’s budget, but personnel are managed and deployed Centrally as are the associated EL SBB funds (see SBB EL Weight Allocation below).
Note: Dual-Language (DL) programs serve as the ESL Service Delivery Model for native Spanish-speaking EL students. Accordingly, an EL teacher allocation may be used for a DL position. All DL schools must ensure that additional ESL positions are held to support the language needs of EL students who speak languages other than Spanish. This is in addition to the regular DL programming.
ESL Teacher Responsibilities- School-Based ESL Teacher (Part-Time or Full-Time)
- The ESL teacher’s main responsibility is to provide English language development instruction with a focus on building skills in all four language domains (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) using the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) English Language Development Standards and following the DCPS curriculum. All ELs should receive appropriate ESL services as determined by LAD guidelines. Some students, depending on their ELP level and past educational experiences, may need additional support.
- ESL teachers are allocated to work with EL students. The ESL teachers must be dedicated exclusively to work in service of the EL students and cannot be assigned for other purposes.
- ESL teachers may provide supports through inclusion (effective inclusion requires dedicated collaborative planning time that is scheduled regularly), pull-out/small group instruction, content-based ESL (distinct language development and content classes), and DL instruction.
- ESL teachers should be assigned to specific grade levels as staffing permits.
- ESL, general education, and special education teachers should collaborate to develop appropriate academic plans for EL students in schools using an inclusion model.
ESL Teacher Responsibilities-Itinerant ESL Teacher (Part-Time or Full-Time)
- LAD assigns schools to Itinerant ESL teachers based on enrollment information available in August. School enrollment information and school assignments are updated as needed and are subject to change. Principals will be informed of their assigned Itinerant ESL teacher prior to the opening of the school year.
- The Itinerant ESL teachers will collaborate with grade level classroom teachers to create a schedule that ensures appropriate ESL services for the EL students. As ESL services are federally mandated, classroom teachers must partner with the Itinerant ESL teacher to support student achievement and progress. Any questions or concerns regarding Itinerant ESL teachers should be directed to Rosanna.Demammos@k12.dc.gov.
- Itinerant ESL teachers are assigned the provision of direct ESL services. Itinerant ESL teachers are not available to provide support as substitute ESL teachers. If the school-based ESL teacher is out on leave, school leadership should hire a substitute teacher and contact LAD. The LAD will provide pedagogical support as needed.
EL Support Positions
Schools receive allocations of EL Instructional Aides based on the ratios below.
# of Students EL Support Position Responsibilities/Roles 50 EL students at a level 1 English EL Instructional Aide • Provide translation of school-based documents
• Serve as interpreter for LCD families
• Support the instructional needs of EL students
- The projected enrollment of EL students who have been assigned a detailed EL status as 1 or NES (Non-English Speaker) will be used to determine the allocation of EL Instructional Aides.
SBB EL Weight Allocation
The EL weight is 0.3 times the base weight thus schools receive that amount on top of the base student funding for every EL student. This funding is largely flexible for school leaders to budget for positions or goods and services that support EL students.
Budgeting For a Bilingual Counselor
The funding generated by the EL SBB weight will be used to pre-budget bilingual counselors at a 1:100 ratio for schools. This represents the same ratios that have been used as per the agreement with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and DCPS. The Bilingual Counseling positions that are pre-budgeted are not flexible. Pre-budgeting bilingual counselors will leave additional funding for schools to budget for additional positions or goods in support of their EL programming. Bilingual Counseling positions should be dedicated exclusively to working with EL students and their families. The Bilingual Counselor may not be used to substitute or supplant the counseling needs of the general student (non-EL) population.
Additional Staffing Options – Schools might use the EL SBB weight funds to budget for any of the positions below after the required bilingual counselor positions are accounted for.
- Additional Bilingual Counselor (recommended 1:100 ratio)
- Bilingual Social Worker to meet the needs of ELs
- ESL Instructional Coach OR TLI
- Reading Specialist with EL Focus
Additional Options – Schools might use the EL SBB weight funds to budget for any of the services and instructional materials below after the required bilingual counselor positions are accounted for:
- School-wide PD contracts to support expanded understanding of working with English Learners. LAD is happy to collaborate with school leaders to identify vendors.
- Instructional materials including: bilingual dictionaries, illustrative dictionaries, texts in students’ native language, etc.
- School licenses for supplemental blended learning programs designed for English Learners. LAD is happy to collaborate with school leaders to identify vendors.
In addition, Principals should identify staff members to serve in the following capacities in support of the EL program:
- ESL Point of Contact (POC): Schools may designate a staff member/liaison to LAD who will serve at the ESL POC for compliance related to English learners. This ESL POC can support the school with Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) compliance for ELs including referrals to the Welcome Center and mandated state assessment coordination. Schools should provide the ESL POC with a prep period (or the equivalent of) for completion of Compliance Tasks, ACCESS coordination and planning to be done with the Testing Coordinator, and other duties, including sharing EL data and information with school staff. Schools should budget administrative premium to compensate this paid prep period.
- ESL Department Chair: Secondary schools, with more than four ESL teacher positions may have an ESL department chair as one of their four non-core department chairs through the typical department chair selection. If the department chair meets the above two conditions, the stipend is funded centrally.
Considerations when planning use of the funding schools receive for all students, including ELs:
- How are EL students included in enrichment and intervention opportunities? Do the enrichment and intervention opportunities have built in supports/ considerations for ELs?
- How is the professional development (PD) plan for the school inclusive of the PD needs of staff working with ELs?
- How are school banners, T-shirts, etc. providing affirming messages for the linguistically and culturally diverse (LCD) community? Are banners, signs, T-shirts etc. available in the languages represented at the school?
- How are school and community partnerships creating a plan for bilingual family and mental health supports?
- How could school funds be used to supplement the EL funded positions, identified above, to better equip the school?
Central Support
Financial
Principals should remain in close communication with the LAD, as there may be available funding for EL student/family engagement opportunities with the District’s Title III Allocation. Examples of past school uses of Title III funding have included:
- EL family Saturday Academies
- Purchase of EL Blended Learning licenses specific to school need
- Purchase of bilingual dictionaries
Non-Financial
The LAD can support schools in the following ways:
- Language Access support (translation and interpretation) can be provided through the Language Access Unit. Contact Vicki.De-Javier@k12.dc.gov for more information or use the links above.
- Professional Development/Coaching support is available through the LAD Instructional Unit and through the Cluster Support Model (CSM). Reach out to the assigned LAD CSM member for the school cluster. For additional information regarding the LAD supports through the School Cluster Model, please contact Maria.Austria@k12.dc.gov.
Point of Contact
Rosanna DeMammos, Deputy Chief of the Language Acquisition Division – Rosanna.Demammos@k12.dc.gov
Special Education
Note: Special Education Inclusion Positions are Level 2 while staff members allocated for Self-Contained Classrooms are Level 1.
Purpose
Special education services ensure eligible students with disabilities can successfully access instruction. Teachers and paraprofessionals support students inside general education classrooms, in resource rooms, and in specialized self-contained program classrooms to address individual needs and provide standards-based instruction.
Program Guidance
Requirements
The purpose of the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act is “to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living” §1400(d)(1)(A).
Schools must implement the following in accordance with federal law (IDEA) and DC law (DCMR):
- Child Find – Schools must engage in continuous public awareness and screening activities to locate, identify, and evaluate children who are suspected of having a disability.
- Initial Evaluation/Eligibility – Schools must make reasonable efforts to obtain parental consent to evaluate within 30 calendar days of receipt of referral for evaluation for special education services. Eligibility determinations must be made within 60 calendar days from the date of consent.
- Annual IEP Review – IEPs must be reviewed and updated at least annually (or more often to meet the needs of the student).
- Timely Reevaluation – Eligibility must be revisited at least every three years and can be more often based on the needs of the student.
Schools are required to provide the supports and services outlined in each child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) in the form of specialized instruction, related services, and assessments, and school leaders must ensure that specially designed instruction occurs for any child identified as a student with a disability under IDEA. Additionally, schools must include, to the greatest extent possible, students with disabilities with their non-disabled peers in the general education setting.
Schools are required to include a Local Education Agency (LEA) representative as part of each IEP team. Principals automatically fill this role. Special education coordinators or other roles of special education administration have this role included in their tour of duty. If schools plan to designate an eligible and qualified staff member that is a teacher or TLI, they will need to compensate the individual with extra-duty pay and should budget for it in the line called “Special Education LEA Representative Designee.” The rate is $638/year for elementary schools and $798/year for a high school.
Other special education requirements fulfilled by schools and school staff include progress monitoring of achievement, attendance, and behavior data for students with disabilities and family engagement. All federal special education requirements can be found in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), and DC special education requirements can be found in the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR).
How Staff are Allocated
Inclusion/Resource Teacher Allocation Model
The Inclusion/Resource Teacher Allocation Model is used to calculate the number of special education teachers allocated for students who have specialized instruction hours in their IEPs and are not in specialized self-contained programs. The model is based on the hours of instruction in each student’s IEP and the setting in which the instruction is to be provided.
Students with specialized instruction hours both inside and outside of general education are counted twice: once toward the appropriate inside general education ratio and once toward the appropriate outside general education ratio. Students whose IEPs contain only related services do not count toward the teacher staffing total.
Inclusion/Resource Teacher Allocation Classifications | |||
Setting: Inside General Education | Teacher: Student Ratio | Setting: Outside General Education | Teacher: Student Ratio |
Students with fewer than 11 hours per week in IEP | 1:15 | Students with fewer than 11 hours per week in IEP | 1:24 |
Students with 11 or more hours per week in IEP | 1:12 | Students with 11 to 19 hours per week in IEP | 1:12 |
Small School Allocations
Schools with 65 or fewer inclusion students receive automatic minimum Inclusion/Resource Teacher allocations. The small school allocations ensure schools receive enough staffing to provide services across their entire grade distribution.
Small School Minimum Inclusion/Resource Teacher Allocations | |
Total Number of Inclusion Students | Number of FTE Inclusion/Resource Teachers Allocated |
1 to 15 | 1.0 |
16 to 25 | 2.0 |
26 to 45 | 3.0 |
46 to 55 | 4.0 |
56 to 65 | 5.0 |
10:6 Inclusion Classroom Support
Schools with 10:6 Inclusion classrooms, as previously determined by Early Stages, are allocated an additional Inclusion/Resource Teacher to support classroom instruction for students with disabilities. The six schools with 10:6 Inclusion classrooms are Amidon-Bowen ES, Burroughs ES, Cleveland ES, Garrison ES, J.O. Wilson ES, and School Without Walls @ Francis-Stevens.
Example: Inclusion/Resource Teacher Allocation Model
Setting: Inside General Education | Setting: Outside General Education | |||||||
Teacher-Student Ratio | Number of Students Projected | Number of Teachers | Teacher-Student Ratio | Number of Students Projected | Number of Teachers | |||
Fewer Than 11 Hours Per Week | 1:15 | 46 | 3.09 | Fewer Than 11 Hours Per Week | 1:24 | 38 | 1.57 | |
11 or More Hours Per Week | 1:12 | 22 | 1.79 | 11-19 Hours Per Week | 1:12 | 15 | 1.26 | |
No Hours Per Week | N/A | 9 | 0 | No Hours Per Week | N/A | 24 | 0 | |
Total | 76 | 4.88 | Total | 76 | 2.83 | |||
4.88 + 2.83 = 7.71
| ||||||||
Total Inclusion/Resource Teacher Allocation = 8 Teachers
|
Specialized Self-Contained Programs Staff Allocation Model
Specialized self-contained programs serve a specific population of students who require the highest level of support, in accordance with their IEPs, to access the curriculum. Teachers, special education aides, and behavior technicians are allocated to each self-contained classroom according to the table below. For example, if a school has two Communication & Education Support (CES) classrooms, they will be allocated two teachers and four special education aides.
Self-Contained Program Type | Teacher Allocation | Special Education Aide Allocation | Behavior Technician Allocation | Nurse Allocation (Managed by Central Office) |
Behavior & Education Support (BES) | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
Communication & Education Support (CES) | 1 | 2 | - | - |
Deaf & Hard of Hearing (DHOH) | 1 | 1 | ||
Early Childhood Communication & Education Support (CES) | 1 | 2 | - | - |
Early Learning Support (ELS) | 1 | 2 | - | - |
Independence & Learning Support (ILS) | 1 | 1 | - | - |
Medical & Education Support (MES) | 1 | 2 | - | 1 |
Specific Learning Support (SLS) | 1 | 1 | - | - |
Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs)
Schools with at least four (4) Communication & Education Support (CES) classrooms are allocated a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to support students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their teachers, conduct social skills groups, implement executive function curriculum, conduct functional behavior assessments, and implement behavior intervention plans, as well as support general education teachers in engineering the general education environment for students with ASD.
Special Education SBB Weight Allocation
The special education per student weight is 0.3 times the base weight. Thus, schools receive $1,792 of additional funding on top of the base student weight for any student with an IEP. This funding should be used to budget for positions or goods and services to support special education programming at the school.
Menus of Options
Schools may use their supplemental Special Education SBB Weight allocation to budget for any of the below special education positions or to budget for supplies and services for student programming.
- Aide – Special Education
- Aide – Administrative (to support special education administrative duties)
- Coordinator – Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
- Coordinator – Special Education
- Teacher – Inclusion/Resource
- TLI Teacher Leader – Special Education
Flexibilities
- Special Education Aide positions may be used to create Urban Teacher Resident or Relay Teacher Resident positions if they remain in the specialized self-contained program classroom. Urban Teacher Residents and Relay Teacher Residents can help to create a special education teacher pipeline in schools.
- Inclusion/Resource Teacher positions may be used to create a TLI Teacher Leader-Special Education position or a Coordinator-Special Education If a school wants to reduce the number of Inclusion/Resource Teachers from what is allocated, they will need to demonstrate how all student IEP hours will continue to be met.
Local Education Agency (LEA) Representative Designee
Under IDEA, each IEP team is to include an individual who serves as the “LEA representative.” This person must be:
- Qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specialized instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities.
- Knowledgeable about the general education curriculum; and
- Knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the LEA.
The Principal is the default LEA representative. Principals may identify one or more other staff members to serve as their designee. If the Principal chooses to serve themselves, they want to identify at least one backup. The LEA representative designee cannot be the School Psychologist.
If a school decides to invest in a special education leadership position, in addition to serving as the LEA representative designee, the responsibilities of the position include:
- Ensuring special education teachers are meaningfully engaged in content-level co-planning, using student data to develop lessons that are aligned to the CCSS and appropriately modified and accommodated to meet the needs of individual students.
- Completing regular observation and feedback of teachers, behavior technicians, and paraprofessionals on the implementation of lesson plans.
- Overseeing IEP and assessment quality, timeliness, and compliance by supporting case managers to effectively manage their caseloads; and
- Leading the special education team in building cohesive and trusting relationships with families.
- Schools may invest in the following positions to support instruction and/or compliance, as well as serve as the LEA Representative Designee. Only TLIs are eligible for extra duty pay as the LEA Representative Designee role is considered part of the tour of duty for the other positions.
Position and Job Description Link | Roles and Responsibilities |
Coordinator – Special Education | - Supports compliance monitoring and data collection
|
Manager – Specialized Instruction | - Includes responsibilities of Coordinator, and:
|
Director – Specialized Instruction | - Includes responsibilities of Manager, and:
Coordinators, Special Education Assistants, Behavior Technicians, and Paraprofessionals |
TLI Teacher Leader – Special Education | - Supports all teachers with specially designed instruction in both the general and special education settings |
Central Support
Financial
The Division of Specialized Instruction (DSI) centrally manages the following positions that provide supports required by students’ IEPs. These itinerant supports are managed centrally to meet the student needs across multiple schools.
- Assistive Technology
- Dedicate Aides
- Dedicated Nurses
- Related Service Providers (e.g. Audiologists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists)
- Itinerant Vision Teachers
DSI also provides financial support for specialized self-contained classrooms in the form of Nurse allocations for MES classrooms, specialized curricula and interventions, and specialized assessments.
Non-Financial
The Division of Specialized Instruction also supports schools in the following ways:
- Each school has an assigned Manager of Accountability and Manager of Inclusion from DSI who participates in the DCPS Cluster Support Model and are chiefly responsible for developing school leader capacity to support Special Education Accountability and Inclusive Best Practices.
- Each self-contained classroom has an assigned Manager and Specialist from the Academic Programs team.
- Each school has a discipline-specific Related Services Program Manager who provides direct clinical supervision and support for DSI related service providers.
- DSI provides special education professional development sessions on district-wide professional development days.
Points of Contact
- DSI Senior Deputy Chief – Regina Grimmett, Regina.Grimmett@k12.dc.gov
- Academic Programs (Self-Contained Programming) – Willina Robson, Willina.Robson@k12.dc.gov
- Monitoring & School Support – Sandy Watson, Sandy.Watson@k12.dc.gov
- SPED Inclusion – Jennifer Carpenter, Jennifer.Carpenter2@k12.dc.gov
- Secondary Transition – Ashlie Jones, Ashlie.Jones2@k12.dc.gov
- Related Services – GaBriana Dennis, Gabriana.Dennis@k12.dc.gov
- Non-Public – Josh Wayne, Josh.Wayne@k12.dc.gov
- Resolution & Centralized IEP Team – Nicholas Weiler, Nicholas.Weiler@k12.dc.gov
- Division of Specialized Instruction, dcps.specialed@k12.dc.gov
Helpful Resources
Afterschool Programming
Purpose
Afterschool programming provides affordable, safe, structured, and engaging academic, wellness, and enrichment programs that are open to all children in PK through 8th grades whose schools are included in the DCPS Out of School Time Programs 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant (21stCCLC). These programs are designed to develop the whole child and are not solely focused on academics. This unique opportunity beyond the school day is provided by DCPS staff and community partners and is funded by local funds and a federal grant called the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21stCCLC) grant. This grant works to attain specific outcomes in attendance, academics, behavior improvement, family engagement, and partner engagement and as such, it supports schools’ goals. The 21stCCLC grant funds roughly 5,600 students at more than 50 Title I schools. The combined grant and local funding funds programming for an average of 6,500 students annually.
OSSE awards DCPS the 21stCCLC grant for a period of three years and the overall annual award is a fixed amount per year. In developing the grant application, DCPS seeks to support Title I elementary schools and education campuses, unless the school has a pre-existing afterschool program or has opted not to become part of the cohort. The grant requires DCPS to fund specific activities in addition to daily programming, such as an external evaluator and professional development. In SY23-24, DCPS will no longer provide grant funds to the middle school sites. These schools will receive a hold harmless afterschool allocation as they exit the program.
Requirements
- Sufficient funds based on the number of seats designated by the Out of School Time Programming Team (OSTP) to pay a site leader, teachers, and paraprofessionals (formerly known as afterschool aides) for the year are loaded onto school budgets.
- Staffing: The staffing model is based on 20 students: 1 teacher: 1 paraprofessional. No class should exceed 20 students.
- Staffing plans must account for the entire personnel allocation and serve, at a minimum, the number of students identified by OSTP. The personnel allocation cannot be reprogrammed to non-personnel services.
- OSTP will regularly monitor afterschool personnel expenditures to prevent over-spending.
Position | Requirement | Wage/hour | # hours per day | Note |
Afterschool Site Leader (formerly Afterschool Administrative Aide) | Required unless there is a full- or part-time Afterschool Coordinator | $27/hour | 3 hours per day | Manages daily operations of the program. |
Teacher | Required | $60/hour | 1 hour per day | See staffing model above. |
Paraprofessional (aides) | Required | $22/hour | 2.5 hours per day | See staffing model above. |
- Principals must work directly with OSTP coordinators or their full-time or part-time, school-based, afterschool coordinator, and Employee Services (HR) in managing the hiring process for afterschool Site Leaders, teachers, and paraprofessionals.
- Preference should be given to current DCPS employees. However, if there are not enough DCPS employees who are interested in working in afterschool programs, Principals should work with Employee Services to hire non-DCPS employees.
- Schools must be fully staffed for the first day of afterschool programming.
- At least one afterschool staff member must have taken Administration of Medication (AOM) training and be present from the end of the school day to 6:00 pm daily.
- Hours: Afterschool programs meet Monday through Friday from the end of the school day to 6:15 pm.
- Calendar: Afterschool programs begin on the first day of school. Parents and guardians receive this information during afterschool registration, but schools should also communicate the start date to parents and guardians. There is no afterschool programming on half days, parent-teacher conference days, canceled days (such as inclement weather days, “snow days”, etc.), teacher professional development days, or the day before the Thanksgiving and Winter breaks.
- Grade levels: Afterschool programs must be offered to all grade levels present at the school.
- Program: The afterschool program must contain both an academic and an enrichment portion.
- Academic Power Hour (APH): Book club, academic support, and academic enrichment.
- Enrichment: Uses a standard curriculum with monthly themes such as kindness, gratitude, social justice, STEM, and other topics.
How Funds Are Allocated
Within the overall 21stCCLC grant, DCPS determines the allocation of funding for features of the grant, such as staffing, supplies, professional development, evaluation, and partner contracts needed to fulfill grant activities. Schools served by the grant typically remain the same for the three-year period unless a school no longer has Title I status or opts out of programming. Schools receive a combination of local and grant funds to compensate teachers, paraprofessionals, and site leaders based on the number of afterschool seats determined at each school.
After accounting for the above-required grant components, the number of students that can be served by the grant is based on:
- The prior year’s afterschool enrollment and average daily attendance,
- Demand for additional seats based on the waitlist, and
- Capacity of School Program Providers to serve additional students.
Generally, the number of students to be served at each site remains the same for the multi-year grant period unless one of those factors changes and seats will decrease, or additional seats can be funded within the overall grant award.
Menus of Options
Staffing
Afterschool Coordinator –
- Schools with larger enrollment or schools with significant afterschool programming can budget for a full- or part-time Afterschool Coordinator using their Afterschool Site Leader allocation along with flexible school budget funds. It is also possible to use only flexible school budget funds for the Coordinator position and also employ a Site Leader to help manage a large, complex program.
- These Coordinators adhere to the same OSTP policies and procedures that apply to OSTP Coordinators, including attending training and fulfilling 21stCCLC requirements (e.g., monitoring program quality, tracking student attendance, etc.).
PK3 – PK4 Option –
It is recommended for grades PK3 and PK4 the school plans to hire two paraprofessionals instead of the teacher-para combination. This is not recommended outside of ECE.
Not Recommended –
Hiring a part-time Afterschool Site Leader to oversee daily program operations. If the ASL is not dedicated solely to the afterschool program from the start to the end of the program period, program administration and quality suffer.
Programming
Principals may choose to supplement the OSTP afterschool allocation using flexible funds in their school budget allocation to expand or enrich the program. For example, a Principal may choose to extend teachers’ tours of duty, purchase additional resources, or hire their own full-time, school-based afterschool coordinator.
- If a Principal is interested in using flexible funds (not the school’s afterschool allocation) to partner with an afterschool provider or community-based organization, please contact Abigail.Cohen@k12.dc.gov in School Partnerships.
- OSTP encourages schools to develop and leverage partnerships with DCPS-reviewed School Program Providers (SPP’s) to provide high-quality academic and/or enrichment programming. Partners may be able to provide weekly specialized enrichment opportunities, such as dance classes or robotics. Additionally, as a community service, partners may use their own funding. Please refer to the School Partnerships section for additional guidance on working with school program providers.
Central Support
Financial
- Schools with OSTP afterschool programs receive some centrally-procured supplies and materials to support afterschool programming using 21st CCLC grant funds. Schools do not need to budget for these supplies.
- Funding for security until 6:30 pm each day is included in schools’ security allocation.
Non-Financial
- Programs are supported by an OSTP Coordinator who monitors program quality and activity unless the school has hired its own full or part-time Afterschool Coordinator.
- Professional development is provided to all afterschool staff before the opening of programming in August. Two additional events are offered in winter and spring of each year.
- OSTP Coordinators actively seek to expand enrichment offerings at sites by engaging SPP’s that provide programming for free to students. Some enrichment partnerships are also funded by the 21CCLC grant.
Points of Contact
- Daisy Hicks, Manager, Afterschool – Daisy.Hicks@k12.dc.gov
- Margot Berkey, Specialist, Out of School Time Programs – Margaret.Berkey@k12.dc.gov
Helpful Resources
Additional information on Afterschool can be found at dcps.dc.gov/afterschool, including a summary of the prior year’s program evaluation.
Career & Technical Education (CTE)
Purpose
DCPS offers Career Education Pathways supported by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins) across 17 high schools. These Career Education Programs are not only rigorous and engaging, but they offer work-based learning and industry certification opportunities to help prepare students for college and career.
Career Education programs may receive funding support from both the Perkins grant and the DC Career Academy Network (DC CAN) grant. Please refer to the “NAF” section of the Guide for relevant information.
Program Guidance
Requirements
Each Career Education program requires at least one qualified teacher, although that number increases as enrollments in the pathway increase. These positions are locally funded and are required to ensure sustainability of the program. Additionally, to access funds from the centrally managed Perkins grant, schools must maintain their specified level of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teachers noted for Principals in the budget application.
How Funds Are Allocated
The College and Career Programs Division in the Office of Secondary Schools consults with Principals and provides the School Finance Team the number of CTE teachers required by the school to maintain programming.
Schools must maintain their current CTE Perkins teacher allocations from the current FY, based on Perkins and OSSE guidance. Schools have to go through a sunsetting process to remove CTE programs which can take between 1 to 3 years to finalize.
Budgeting Recommendations/Menus of Options
Based on a school’s master schedule, CTE Teachers can also teach core content courses. When budgeting for one teacher who teaches both CTE and Core courses, please use the option in which the teacher spends most of their time.
CTE positions that are allocated to schools are done so to meet the curricular programmatic requirements, sustain a quality program, and ensure continuity of a program of study. These allocations may be repurposed through a petition, and Principals must demonstrate how they will still meet any programmatic requirements (DCPS and citywide) with the proposed change.
Central Support
Financial
Utilizing the centrally managed Perkins grants, the College and Career Programs Division supports the purchasing of supplies, professional development, equipment, marketing, and activities intended to support the success of students in the program. Requested Non-Personnel Services Funds must be spent on allowable uses according to Perkins grant.
Non-Financial
The College and Career Programs Division at Central supports operations and implementation of Career Education programs, including but not limited to data collection and feedback reporting, professional learning and development, and management coaching and training. Additionally, they provide budget management and support to meet annual funding goals.
Points of Contact
- Sarah Navarro, Senior Deputy Chief, Office of Secondary Schools – Sarah.Navarro@k12.dc.gov
- Martin Clifton, Director, Office of Secondary Schools – Clifton.Martin@k12.dc.gov
Helpful Resources
Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Purpose
DCPS’ Early Childhood Education program ensures that all of our youngest students are prepared for success in kindergarten and beyond. The Early Childhood program focuses specifically on Pre-K3 (PK3) and Pre-K4 (PK4) students and supports their kindergarten readiness by promoting high quality instruction and learning experiences in all Pre-Kindergarten (PK) classrooms, and by supporting families who are furthest from opportunity through the provision of family services that include case management, family workshops, and additional parent engagement activities. While PK programming supports all PK3 and PK4 students in all elementary schools and education campuses, schools that serve higher percentages of at-risk students and families receive more robust instructional coaching and family support services.
Program Guidance – Requirements
Staffing (Personnel Services)
It is DCPS policy that:
Every early childhood classroom (PK3, PK4, and mixed age) has one full-time teacher and one full-time aide.
- Staff-to-child ratios (two adults per class) must always be maintained.
- Staff must be in the classroom during their tour of duty and available to fulfill instructional tasks whenever students are present. A classroom must maintain appropriate ratios during all hours of program operation.
- Staff must directly supervise children during all daily routines, including sleeping, eating, and diapering or bathroom use.
- Mixed-age classrooms are allowed in early childhood programs to serve PK3 and PK4 students together, although non-mixed age classrooms are recommended. Mixed age classrooms cannot include children of kindergarten age.
Newly Enrolling PK Children with Special Needs
To comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) “child find” requirement, Early Stages identifies children with special needs who are not yet enrolled in school. If a child is eligible for an individualized education plan (IEP), DCPS must provide an opportunity for the child to enroll. Consequently, a small number of seats are reserved in PK3 and PK4 classrooms in all DCPS schools for students with IEPs. This provides a system-wide network of available placements into which DCPS can enroll children as close to their homes as possible. This work happens year-round, so it is common that Early Stages placements may occur late in the year after the typical age cut off.
Unique Programs
Early Learning Support –
The Early Learning Support (ELS) program is designed to meet the individual needs of students with developmental delays. Students in the ELS program have full-time IEPs (20+ hours of specialized instruction outside of general education) and frequently require a range of related services, such as speech and language, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.
Communication & Education Support –
The Communication & Education Support (CES) program is designed to meet the individual needs of students with significant communication issues and significant behavior issues. Primarily, CES classrooms serve students who have Autism Spectrum Disorders. Students who have full-time IEPs (20+ hours of specialized instruction outside of general education) may also be served in CES classrooms.
10:6 Inclusion Classroom –
The 10:6 Early Childhood Education Classroom represents a type of inclusion model used to serve students with disabilities in DCPS. The 10:6 Early Childhood Education Classroom is a general education classroom and does not constitute a more restrictive environment. The classrooms are staffed with a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and a paraprofessional and maintain a student ratio of ten general education students and six students with special needs. Typically, these students have a Developmental Delay (DD), Other Health Impairment (OHI), demonstrate delays in cognition, communication, social/emotional, motor, and adaptive skills. The following schools have 10:6 classrooms: Amidon-Bowen ES, Burroughs ES, Cleveland ES, Francis Stevens ELC, Garrison ES, and J.O. Wilson ES.
Resources for the ELS and CES are allocated by the Division of Specialized Instruction (DSI). The 10:6 classroom has a special education teacher allocated by DSI and a general education and paraprofessional allocated by ECE.
Classroom Sizes | ||
Class Type | Classroom Composition | Staff: Child Ratio |
PK3 | 3-year-olds | 2:16 |
PK4 | 4-year-old | 2:20 |
Mixed Age | 3 and 4 year olds. No more than 50% may be 3-year-olds. | 2:17 |
Early Learning Support (ELS) | 3 and 4 year olds | 2:10 |
10:6 | 3 and 4 year olds | 3:16 |
Communication and Education Support (CES) | 3 and 4 year olds | 3:06 |
How Funds Are Allocated
Staffing Allocations
Staff for PK programs are allocated using a staffing ratio to ensure that each classroom has required staff. Every PK classroom will have at least two staff members – one lead teacher and one instructional aide.
Student Based Budgeting (SBB) ECE/Early Learning Center (ELC) Weight Allocation
The ECE weight is 0.3 times the base weight thus schools will receive an additional $1,792 for every ECE aged student that is a flexible allocation to be used in support of your ECE programming. This funding amount will be visible in your Student Based Budgeting (SBB) – Local allocation in the budgeting application and calculated on your budget worksheet.
The ELC weight is 0.85 times the base weight thus Military Road and Stevens Early Learning Center receive a different Early Learning Center Weight of $5,973 per student.
Budgeting Recommendations
Personnel
Principals of schools with PK programs must ensure there is at least one additional school-based staff member available to support PK classrooms when one of the classroom teachers or aides takes a break. Principals are encouraged to use the ECE or ELC weight to budget for a PK floater aide position in order to ensure that PK classrooms are appropriately supervised at all times.
For increased instructional development, Principals may consider hiring an early childhood instructional coach, rather than using the centralized early childhood education (ECE) coaching program, provided that the coach has early childhood instructional expertise.
Non-personnel
Using the supplemental ECE weight, schools should budget for consumable and non-consumable classroom supplies such as:
- Pull-Ups and wipes (all PK, but PK3 especially), paper; paint, glue, crayons, sand, etc.)
- Manipulatives; blocks; puzzles; books
- Area rugs and replacement furniture (please contact dcps.earlychildhood@k12.dc.gov prior to replacement
Schools can also consider budgeting some funding for field trip experiences and for inner core materials for younger students.
Menus of Options
Relay Residents: If there are ECE aides interested and applying to the resident program roles or Principals are interested in hosting a resident, Principals may hire residents as ECE aides.
Centrally Funded School Supports
The DCPS Early Childhood Education Division (ECED) provides a variety of centrally-funded supports to ensure high-quality early childhood programming in schools. The supports are differentiated to provide a baseline level of ECE support to all schools and to target the most robust supports to schools serving young children furthest from opportunity. The centrally funded supports include the following:
- ECE Instruction – ECED provides early childhood instructional coaching support to schools. Schools serving large percentages of PK students who meet the at-risk criteria receive an instructional specialist (shared across schools) who serves as the ECE LEAP leader and coach. Other schools are assigned an ECE instructional specialist who serves in a consultant role to the school-based ECE LEAP leader. ECED also provides instructional support through the development and implementation of PD sessions and the provision of a variety of instructional resources and supports on Canvas.
- Family Support – ECED has a team of Family Service Specialists who are assigned to Title 1 schools. These specialists work closely with the school-based team to support families of DCPS’ youngest learners as they acclimate to the school environment, advocate for their children, and support their children’s learning at home. These specialists support schools and families through the provision of family services that include case management, family workshops, and additional parent engagement activities. They also serve on the school-based attendance team and partner closely with school-based social work or social-emotional learning (SEL) staff.
- Curriculum – All early childhood classrooms (other than Montessori classrooms at Nalle, Langdon, and Capitol Hill Montessori) use The Creative Curriculum. ECED can provide Creative Curriculum training and materials for new PK teachers and administrators at all schools.
- GOLD – ECED is responsible for the contract for the Teaching Strategies GOLD, the online assessment system used in PK classrooms. ECED also provides GOLD training.
- Classroom Supplies – Schools should plan to purchase consumables for their PK programs.
Point of Contact
- Cheryl Ohlson, Deputy Chief, Early Childhood Education – Cheryl.Ohlson@k12.dc.gov
- Dana Caffee-Glen, Director, Early Childhood Education Strategy – Dana.Caffee-glen@k12.dc.gov
Helpful Resources
- Early Childhood DCPS Way site
Dual Language
Purpose
Students graduating from DCPS Dual Language (DL) programs will be able to communicate effectively in two or more languages and will be able to engage productively in an increasingly diverse and multilingual global community. All DCPS DL programs have as their primary goals the promotion of:
- Bilingualism and Biliteracy
- High academic achievement
- Cultural competency
DL programs serve as a service delivery model for English learners and a means to acquire a language other than English for native English speakers. Please note that any DL English learners whose home language is not Spanish must receive additional ESL services.
As a reminder, DL requirements by grade band are:
- PK-5: It is required that DL programs provide a minimum of 50% of content area instruction including literacy in Spanish be taught at each grade level.
- 6-12: It is required that students be enrolled in at least two year-long (or equivalent) content courses in Spanish in 6-12 throughout the program.
Funding Allocation
This funding allocation recognizes that students learning in a new language have specific and additional instructional needs and schools with language learning programs require administrative and instructional supports not needed in monolingual programming. Spanish Language Learners will generate funds to support the programmatic needs.
Schools that are recognized as Dual Language Programs by DCPS through meeting DCPS Dual Language Non-Negotiables receive funding for Dual Language programming as a program grant. Funds are allocated differently based on whether schools have One-Way (>70% Non-ELs) or Two-Way (≥30% ELs) DL Programs. Schools will receive a program grant allocation based on students at the school following the methodology in the chart below. Principals can budget for personnel and non-personnel items at their discretion in support of DL programming.
Budgeting Recommendations
Dual Language Program Grant funds are allocated to support DL programs in implementing Program plans, such as supplementing Spanish literacy instruction and language development, ensuring linguistic equity, professional learning specific to DL, and family engagement specific to bilingual learners.
Personnel Spending Recommendations
As possible, Dual Language funding should be used to create the personnel structures needed to ensure that programmatic goals are met and that there is equity in supporting specific Dual Language functions. These structures will vary depending on program size, configuration and specific school needs. Dual language schools will need to determine use of the Dual Language funding while considering that optimal staffing for dual language programming includes the positions listed below. Principals may also combine the DL allocation with other funds to support a shared position (e.g., a position that coordinates DL part time and has other responsibilities).
These funds can be used to provide Spanish language supports such as:
Non-Personnel spending recommendations
- Licenses for Spanish Interventions
- Acceleration programming
- Out-of-School time language-focused enrichment
- Family outreach specific to language learning
- Spanish classroom and school library books
Central Support
Financial
Central Office provides the following financial support for DL Curriculum and Assessment:
- Eureka Math in Spanish K-5
- Materials for Paired Literacy Curriculum K-5 (as developed)
- StemScopes in Spanish K-8
- Star Spanish Reading assessment of Spanish literacy for 3-12
- MClass Lectura Spanish Reading Assessment for K – 2
- Benchmark Fonetica y Gramatica for K – 2
- Imagine Lectura (3-5) and Imagine Espanol (K-5) Digital Spanish Reading and Language Interventions
Points of Contact
- Kate Burkett, Director, Language Learning – Kate.Burkett@k12.dc.gov
- Katarina Brito, Bilingual Program Developer – Katarina.Brito@k12.dc.gov
- Juliette Steadman, Dual Language Specialist – Juliette.Steadman@k12.dc.gov
- For EL-specific funding questions, see English Learners Points of Contact.
Helpful Resources
See the DCPS Way Dual Language SharePoint for more information specific to Dual Language, including DCPS Dual Language Program Non-negotiables and the Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education (CAL).
Custodial
The custodial team at each school is responsible for performing general maintenance, cleaning, and other miscellaneous custodial duties to ensure buildings and facilities are accessible, clean, and safe. The custodial team is charged with maintaining an environment that is conducive to student learning. To reach these goals, it is imperative that schools allocate the necessary budget for custodial staff, overtime, supplies, and equipment.
Program Guidance
Requirements & Restrictions
When finalizing school custodial allocations, there are several important considerations:
- Every school is required to staff a minimum of 3 custodians.
- Every school is required to have a custodial foreman (SW).
- Only RW-5 or SW custodians (Foremen) may open/close a school building. However, one employee should not be regularly tasked with BOTH opening and closing the school building.
- Schools may not budget a .5 custodian. Schools with two campuses may budget 1.0 FTE custodian to work .5 at each location.
All schools are required to purchase green cleaning supplies per the Healthy Schools Act of 2011. Green cleaning supplies are defined by the DC Office of Contracting and Procurement and summarized in the DCPS Green Cleaning Supply Purchasing Guide. Schools are advised to work with local vendors to identify affordable products that comply with purchasing requirements.
How Funds Are Allocated
Custodial Staffing
The custodial staffing allocated to each school is based on square footage of the building, student enrollment, and school type. The following table outlines how custodial staff allocations are determined:
Every School | ||
· 1 Foreman (SW) | ||
· 1 RW-5 | ||
· Base allocation of 1 RW-3 (high schools receive 2) | ||
· Additional RW-3s also given based on enrollment (see boxes below) | ||
Elementary Schools | Middle Schools and Education Campuses | High Schools |
1 more if over 300 students | 1 more if over 300 students | 2 more if over 500 students |
Custodial Overtime
There are times when custodial staff may be required to work overtime (e.g. weekends, summer deep cleans, during inclement weather events, special school programs, or events, etc.).
Principals must budget for custodial overtime based on prior year spending and should budget enough to cover all planned activities or programs, as well as coverage for custodial leave. Spending will be closely monitored to ensure schools remain within their allocated budget. Principals receive regular reports from OCFO budget analysts to ensure that they are using Custodial Overtime funds appropriately and that they remain aware of their monthly usage. The lack of appropriate funding for overtime may affect a school’s ability to offer programs outside of regular hours.
Custodial Supplies
Schools are allocated custodial supplies at a base rate of $2,640.20 (a 7.5% inflation increase from FY23) with an additional amount added on for square footage. High schools receive an additional 7 cents per square foot and all other school types receive an additional 5 cents per square foot. All schools must budget for custodial supplies.
Menus of Options
Principals should ensure they:
- Meet the mandatory minimum requirement of 3 custodial staff per building
- Remain at or higher than the number of staffing from the previous year or have a justification for reduction of staff
- Have an 85% or higher on school cleaning walk dashboard if they are planning to decrease in number of custodial staff
Schools with high building use outside of core school hours are encouraged to consider budgeting for additional custodial staff beyond their initial allocation. When budgeting for a new or additional custodial foreman, please reach out to your strategic staffing coordinator to determine SW grade level.
Custodial Staff Classification | Basic Duties |
RW-3 | General cleaning and light maintenance as written in job description. CANNOT open/close the building. |
RW-5 | General cleaning and light maintenance. CAN open/close the building. |
SW-1, SW-3, SW-5 (Foreman) | Working supervisor overseeing RW level employees. CAN open/close the building. |
Budgeting Recommendations
The Strategic School Operations team will share a sample listing of custodial supplies and price points with each Principal. Principals are encouraged to add more to their custodial supply allocation based on their school’s historical spending, community use, and custodial overtime data. Custodial supplies should be advanced during summer advance and ordered to ensure enough supply inventory for the start of the school year.
Custodial Equipment
New or replacement equipment must be purchased with individual school budgets. The Strategic School Operations team does not purchase custodial equipment. Principals should work closely with their custodial foreman and DSL/MSL (if applicable) to prepare for custodial equipment needs.
Central Support
Non-Financial
Principals, DSL/MSLs, and/or Business Managers must review their year-to-date custodial inventory and monthly spending for supplies and equipment. However, they will also be provided with suggested supply and inventory lists created during onsite coaching with the Strategic School Operations (SSO) Team. The SSO Team provides these to ensure the amount budgeted for supplies in FY22 will meet the schools’ needs. Principals should work closely with their custodial foreman and business manager or DSL/MSL (if applicable) to review the supply needs from the previous year to inform the needs for the upcoming year.
Points of Contact
- Sydney Moreau, Manager, School Operations – Sydney.Moreau@k12.dc.gov
- Charlena Murray, Coordinator, Office of the Chief Operating Officer – Charlena.Murray@k12.dc.gov
- Dedra Adams-Johnson, Manager,Office of the Chief Operating Officer – Dedra.Adams-Johnson@k12.dc.gov
- Lisa Putman, Deputy Chief, Strategic School Operations – Lisa.Putman@k12.dc.gov
Helpful Resources
Global Studies
Purpose
DCPS continues to support Global Studies School (GSS) programs across the school district to provide access to rigorous and international programming including opportunities for immersive local and global education experiences and exchanges. Through research-based pedagogy, ongoing professional development for educators, and globally-focused programs and community partnerships, Global Studies Schools cultivate students’ capacity to engage in deep learning across disciplines to investigate the world, recognize perspectives—others’ and their own-, communicate across differences, and take informed action.
Current Global Studies Schools include: H.D. Cooke ES, MacFarland MS, and Roosevelt HS. Schools that are interested in becoming a Global Studies School should contact Bianca Duphey, Director, Academic Innovations and Kirsten Hagen, Manager, Global Education, and their instructional superintendent.
How Funds Are Allocated
Global Studies schools receive an allocation of 1 Coordinator and Non-Personnel funds to support the program.
Requirements
Staffing requirements for SY 23-24 by program and school are as follows:
Program | Global Studies Elementary School | Global Studies Middle School | Global Studies High School |
Global Studies Schools Authorized for SY23-24 | H.D. Cooke ES | MacFarland MS | Roosevelt HS |
Coordinator Requirements | GSS Coordinator (FTE, ET-10 or higher) | GSS Coordinator (FTE, ET-10 or higher) | GSS Coordinator (FTE, ET-10 or higher) |
World Language Requirement | At least 1.0 FTE World Language teacher | At least 2 World Language teachers (must service the whole school, the entire year) | At least 2 World Language teachers (must service the whole school, the entire year), but 3 is necessary to provide a path to AP language courses |
Menus of Options
Schools may budget to repurpose the allocated coordinator position in support of global studies programming for positions such as a global studies electives teacher or world languages teachers. Schools must have a concrete plan for how their staffing will account for a global studies coordination point person. Schools should communicate their plan for repurposing the allocation and Global Studies coordination point person to Kirsten Hagen (see contact information below).
Non-Personnel Services (NPS) Budget Allocations
Schools will receive an allocation line item “Global Studies NPS.” This line is inclusive of the chart below and once budgets are submitted, the Global Studies will be moved into the appropriate budget lines by the school budgeting team based on the below spend plan.
Global Studies Budget Item | How Item is Allocated |
Global Studies Curricular Materials/supplies | Allocated equally to Global Studies Schools |
Global Studies PD | Allocated equally to Global Studies Schools |
Central Support
Financial
Based on available funds, the Office of Teaching and Learning may provide opportunities for NPS supports, such as teacher professional development and curricular resources to support Global Studies Program.
Non-Financial
Central Office provides support for schools by providing professional development and supporting in identifying and securing school partnerships. Central Office also supports schools as they develop and implement plans for school global studies programming. Additionally, Central Office supports the coordination and publicity of district-wide Global Studies Schools showcases and events.
Points of Contact
- Bianca Duphey, Director, Academic Innovation – Bianca.Duphey@k12.dc.gov
- Kirsten Hagen, Manager, Global Education – Kirsten.Hagen@k12.dc.gov
- Caroline Faircloth, Specialist, Global Studies – Caroline.Faircloth@k12.dc.gov
Helpful Resources
- Schools can find more information about Global Studies at DCPS Global Ed
- Contact Caroline Faircloth for the Global Studies Implementation Guide
Safe & Positive Schools
How Funds are Allocated
Schools that were approved and received the Safe & Positive Schools security re-allocation in SY 21-22 (FY22) will receive funding in SY23-24 (FY24). They will receive 1.075 times the amount received in SY22-23 to account for inflation. Schools are required to apply this funding in support of a safe and positive school environment.
Budgeting Requirements
Schools are required to apply this funding in support of a safe and positive school environment.
Point of Contact
Mike Lamb, Deputy Chief, Learning & Development Sciences – Michael.Lamb@k12.dc.gov