Nonflexible 1 Allocations

Nonflexible 1 (NF1): These allocations are unable to be changed. This means that even within a program, change cannot occur. This may be determined by fund source requirements or allowability (grants and MOUs, legal requirements, or other core operational considerations).

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Credit Recovery

Purpose

Credit Recovery is an alternative to course repetition for students who have previously failed a course required for high school graduation. Credit Recovery targets the course standards in which students are deficient and allows students to work through the content in a self-paced, proficiency-based manner. All high school students who fail an eligible course required for graduation (DCPS 24-CU diploma) may be considered for enrollment in Credit Recovery. Credit Recovery allows students an opportunity to earn course credit by demonstrating mastery of content at the same level of rigor as the original course, consistent with DCPS curricula. This allows students who fail a graduation-required course to continue to stay on-track or get back on-track for a timely graduation.

How Funds Are Allocated

In FY26, a total of 17 schools will receive Credit Recovery funds as a program grant. Funding allocations are based on size of school, number of failures and anticipated course recovery needs, and program and funding usage during the prior year. Typically, schools receive a similar allocation year-over-year; however, there can be shifts to allocations if a school used significantly more or less of the allocation in the previous fiscal year and/or demonstrates a change in need (e.g., higher enrollment, high number of failures during the previous school year, etc.).

Opportunity Academies—Ballou STAY, Luke C. Moore, and Garnet-Patterson STAY—will receive Credit Recovery funding as well. They do not offer Credit Recovery classes but have flexibility to use these funds to support other forms of academic recovery. If students need Credit Recovery courses but attend a school that does not offer programming, those students can cross-enroll in an available program at another school upon approval from that program’s coordinator and applicable teacher.

In some limited instances, schools without formal Credit Recovery programming can offer Credit Recovery courses if there is a student need, but they must fund it with their own administrative premium. A program proposal must be submitted and approved by Central Services (STARS and Graduation divisions).

Requirements/Staffing Guidance

The Credit Recovery budget allows schools to provide administrative premium to compensate Credit Recovery teachers. Instruction can take place after school or before school, and students must attend a minimum of three sessions per week. Student enrollment can take place on an ongoing basis throughout the year, and students should be awarded a grade and withdrawn from Credit Recovery once they complete all required elements of the course, rather than at a pre-determined interval. As this allocation is connected to DCPS graduation requirements, funds must be exclusively used for supporting Credit Recovery.

The default staffing model for DCPS Credit Recovery courses shall be as follows:

• Credit Recovery classrooms shall be staffed by teachers certified in relevant content area(s).
• Credit Recovery classrooms may contain students who are working on different courses, provided that the teacher is certified to instruct across all courses within her/his classroom.
• The teacher-to-student ratio should not exceed 1:15 in Credit Recovery classes, if the teacher is teaching up to two courses at the same time. Teachers may be responsible for teaching up to three courses at a time but may only serve a total of 30 students across the three courses.
• Credit Recovery teachers are compensated $60/hour in administrative premium and should be provided 30 minutes of paid planning time for every three hours of teaching time.
• An administrator and security must remain on site during Credit Recovery program hours.
• Each high school will develop its own schedule for Credit Recovery courses and submit that schedule to the Student Engagement division for approval.
• Each school should designate a staff member to coordinate Credit Recovery and monitor the program (see Menu of Options for staffing suggestions).

Budgeting Recommendations

Since Credit Recovery programming has ongoing entry and is self-paced, the length of each class is difficult to determine; however, schools should anticipate that most courses will operate for at least three terms. The table below details the cost (per teacher) for several different scenarios. Please note, the numbers below are estimates and may vary slightly based on the total days in each term, length of course, etc.

Schools should create a plan for Credit Recovery at the beginning of the year to determine which courses they are able to offer. This plan should be based on student need, teacher availability, and the number of courses they can afford within their budget allocation.  

Menu of Options

Schools have the following scheduling and staffing flexibilities:

• Length of class: It is recommended that Credit Recovery courses take place for 60 to 120 minutes per day.
• Classes per week: Classes can meet three to five days each week. Courses must meet for at least three days a week, but it is recommended that classes meet at least four days each week.
• Multiple teachers: School can choose to hire multiple teachers to co-teach a course. Depending on budget and student need, a school could have two full teachers for the course, or the teachers could “split” a class (e.g., each teacher teaches two days per week).
• Teacher aides: Schools also have the option to hire an aide (e.g., ESOL teacher or SPED support) to provide targeted support to students as needed.
• Courses per teacher: One teacher can teach multiple courses within the same content area simultaneously, as long as they are certified in all subject areas and do not exceed a 1:30 teacher-to-student ratio across all courses.
• Program coordination: It is highly recommended that each school have a designated staff member to monitor and coordinate the program. This can be a teacher, administrator, Pathways Coordinator, or other support staff member.
  • If the coordinator is a WTU member and is supporting Credit Recovery outside of, or in addition to their tour of duty hours, they are eligible to earn administrative premium.
  • If the coordinator is not a WTU member, they should work with an administrator to create a flexible schedule to ensure that they are not working excessive hours.
• Principals may supplement their Credit Recovery allocation by using additional administrative premium funds to expand or improve the program, such as hiring additional staff or purchasing additional resources.  

Central Support

Central Services provides BOY teacher training and professional development opportunities for program coordinators monthly during the school year. Credit Recovery Coordinators are also included on relevant Central Services newsletters (e.g., College Prep, Counseling Weekly).

Points of Contact

• Oluwaseyi Oseni, Specialist, Academic Recovery, Office of SEAD Strategy – oluwaseyi.oseni@k12.dc.gov
• Glenn Starnes II, Senior Deputy Chief, Office of SEAD Strategy – glenn.starnes@k12.dc.gov

Helpful Resources

DCPS Credit Recovery Policy

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Career & Technical Education (CTE)/NAF

Purpose

DCPS offers career education pathways supported by the Carl D. Perkins Career & Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins) across 18 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. The objective of CTE programming is to ensure that all CTE participants (successfully complete 1 course in a CTE program of study) become CTE concentrators (successfully complete 3 courses in the same CTE program of study), with the ultimate goal of becoming CTE completers (successfully complete 4 courses in the same CTE program of study).

DCPS also established 38 NAF Academies (formerly known as National Academy Foundation) to further support CTE programming. The academy model is embedded with strong college and industry partnerships, internships, and rigorous curricula that culminate in industry-recognized certifications. All academies are supported by Industry Advisory Boards whose members include local business leaders.

Career education programs, including NAF Academies, may receive funding support from both the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins) grant and the Career Academy (formerly known as the DC CAN) grant.

Requirements

CTE

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 appear on school budgets through direct allocations; they are required to ensure the sustainability of the program. Additionally, to access funds from the centrally managed Perkins grant, schools must maintain their specified level of Career & Technical Education (CTE) teachers noted for principals in the budget application. In alignment with the purpose of ensuring CTE participants become CTE concentrators and completers, schools shall schedule the full course sequence in their designated programs of study.

NAF

OSSE requires NAF Academies to have a Director (NAF Academy Director, ET-6). Multiple academies within the same school may share a Director, per the Office of SEAD Strategy approval. The Director positions are locally funded and appear on school budgets through direct allocations; they are required to ensure sustainability of the program.

The Postsecondary Success Programs Division requires NAF Academies to have at least 1 Career Technical Education teacher (CTE Teacher, ET-15, unless otherwise noted) per program of study to sustain a quality program and schedule for required course offerings, as determined by a school’s master schedule. Depending on enrollment, additional teachers may be required to stay in compliance with WTU class size guidance. NAF Academy program requirements are as follows:

• Students participate in 3-4 themed courses in sequence as well as take certain core academic classes in cohorts, at times determined by a school’s master schedule.
• Programs start on the first day of school and end on the last full day of the school year.
• NAF Academies are offered to high school students in grades 9 through 12; schools determine if students begin their NAF Academy experiences and coursework in either 9^th or 10^th grade.
• The curriculum for the 3-4 courses within each program of study is determined by the approved course sequence.

How Funds Are Allocated

CTE

The Postsecondary Success Programs Division in the Office of SEAD Strategy consults with Principals and provides the School Finance Team with the number of CTE and/or Vocational Education teachers required by the school to maintain programming. Schools must go through a sunsetting process to remove CTE programs, which can take between 1 to 3 years to finalize.

NAF

Personnel

All NAF related positions NAF Directors (ET-6), NAF Academy Managers (ET-8), and/or NAF Academy Coordinators (ET-10) are allocated and pre-loaded onto school budgets in the budgeting application based on advisory of the Postsecondary Success Programs Division in the Office of SEAD Strategy and consultation with school leaders.

Non-Personnel

All academies will have access to federal and local grant funds (Career Academy, Perkins, etc.) through Central Services (CTE Department); the amount academies receive will vary based on academy outcomes and compliance. These funds may be spent on identified priorities that may change year over year. Examples may include supplies, professional development, equipment, marketing, and work-based learning activities intended to support the success of students in the program. All non-personnel requests on grant funds are submitted to the District’s CTE Director for review, approval, and submission. In the spring, schools should submit a draft spend plan with potential needs for the upcoming school year to sustain their program.

Budgeting Recommendations/Menu of Options

CTE/Vocational Education 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. Schools may use flexible funding to budget for additional CTE teachers to staff their programs and academies if desired, but allocated positions may not be removed.

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.

Additionally, schools can budget for an Assistant Principal to provide school leadership specific to CTE and NAF programs of study. Unlike NAF Directors, Assistant Principals have evaluative authority and are required to hold OSSE Administrative licensure. As there is no specific AP – CTE/NAF position, Principals should select the appropriate Assistant Principal position that fits their program.

Central Support

Financial

Utilizing the centrally managed federal and local grants, the Postsecondary Success Programs Division supports the purchasing of supplies, professional development, equipment, marketing, and work-based learning activities intended to support the success of students in the program. Requested non-personnel services funds must be spent on allowable uses according to each specific grant.

Non-Financial

The Postsecondary Success 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 instructional coaching and training. Additionally, they provide budget management and support to meet annual funding goals.

Point of Contact

Crystal Smith, Director, Career Preparedness Programs – crystal.smith4@k12.dc.gov

Helpful Resources

DCPS CTE Website

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Grade Level Academies

6th Grade Academies

6^th Grade Academies ensure a smooth transition into middle school by providing additional supports and experiences in the following areas: Attendance, Academics, and Sense of Belonging. 6^th Grade Academies shepherd and support students through the most challenging school transition of their lives and put them on a path to academic success in middle school, high school, and beyond.

Effective 6^th Grade Academies provide rich, responsive, and well‐rounded educational experiences for students entering middle school. Teachers provide personalized instruction and frequent feedback to students, ensuring high engagement with cognitively demanding tasks while prioritizing the development of students’ social, emotional, and organizational skills. Students become bonded, confident, and happy in close communities of learners, working toward individual and collective goals.

There are 6^th Grade Academy Academies at all 11 Title I middle schools in DCPS: Brookland, Eliot-Hine, Hart, Ida B. Wells, Jefferson, Johnson, Kelly Miller, Kramer, MacFarland, Sousa, and Stuart-Hobson.

9^th Grade Academies

9^th Grade Academies nurture first-year 9^th-grade students, so they transition successfully to high school, promotion, graduation, college, and career. “First-time 9^th-grade student” is defined as a student whose first 9^th grade year is the current school year. All first-time 9^th grade students are included in the academy model, including students receiving special education services with 20+ hours on their IEPs and all multilingual students beginning in SY25-26. 9GA students should be registered in English 1 in the current school year, since English 1 and at least 6 credits are required for promotion to the 10^th grade and for graduation.

Effective 9^th Grade Academies provide rich, responsive, and well-rounded educational experiences for students entering high school. Personalized instruction ensures that students have meaningful reasons to engage in school and that they experience energetic learning and work toward their individual and shared goals for future studies and careers. Successful academies have strong student-to-adult connections, create clear expectations for all facets of schooling, and maintain a high-quality learning environment. Progress and results are measured by (1) “on-track to promote” rates each term and final promotion rates after summer school each year and (2) school attendance as measured by an average in-seat attendance rate.

DCPS offers this program to increase the number of 9^th graders who graduate from high school in four years. The high schools that currently have this program—Anacostia, Ballou, Cardozo, Coolidge, Eastern, Dunbar, Ron Brown, Roosevelt, and Woodson—have a demonstrated need in this area.

How Funds Are Allocated/Requirements

Every school is allocated an Assistant Principal to oversee academy operations, evaluate staff, and support students. Academy Assistant Principals must be fully dedicated to academy implementation, with additional duties as time permits. Since the Assistant Principal position is prerequisite to the academy work, there are no staffing alternatives to maintain the academy model.

Each academy is also allocated a specific amount of administrative premium and non-personnel dollars relative to its size to fund academy operations and activities. These funds appear on school budget profiles but are managed by Central Services. Schools cannot adjust these allocations but are welcome to budget for extra academy support using flexible funding.

Additionally, the 9^th Grade Academies program is subject to the terms of the Title I grant which funds it. Academy money must go directly to support 9GA students, teachers, and staff, and spend plans must meet the terms of the Title I grant.

Central Support

Financial

Academies should work with Central Services to design, adjust, and implement their administrative premium and non-personnel spend plans. No additional financial support from Central Services is provided.

Non-Financial

The Director of Grade Level Academies leads ongoing, job-embedded professional development for Academy APs focusing on leadership, facilitation skills, feedback to teachers, instructional practices, student engagement, cultural competence, DCPS curriculum and assessments, consistent grading practices, and routine analysis of all data used to measure student progress.

Points of Contact

• Tavis Richardson, Director of Grade Level Academies – tavis.richardson@k12.dc.gov
• Greg Dohmann, Senior Director of Graduation Success Initiatives – greg.dohmann@k12.dc.gov

Helpful Resources

• 6^th Grade Academy Handbook
• 9^th Grade Academy Handbook

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International Baccalaureate (IB)

Purpose

DCPS supports International Baccalaureate (IB) programs across the school district to provide access to rigorous and internationally recognized academic programming. IB aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. IB schools receive ongoing, IB-accredited professional development in support of IB’s approach to teaching and learning, including developing students who are global-minded, critical thinkers.

Requirements

The following chart describes staffing requirements for the authorized IB programs. These requirements are mandated by the International Baccalaureate Organization and are required for schools to maintain their IB World School status.

How Funds Are Allocated

Schools will receive an allocation line item titled “IB Funds.” This line is inclusive of the chart below, and once budgets are submitted, the “IB Funds” will be moved into the appropriate budget lines by the School Finance Team based on the below spend plan.

The following chart describes what is funded in the “IB Funds” line allocated to schools. Central Services is responsible for managing procurement through IBO and IBMA for annual fees and IBO trainings. All other IB funds are managed by schools.

Central Support

Financial

Based on available funds, the Office of Teaching and Learning may provide opportunities for NPS support, such as teacher professional development for IB schools.

Non-Financial

The Office of Teaching and Learning provides direct support to IB schools, by serving as an intermediary between IB and the schools as needed, supporting procurement as IB’s central billing contact, submitting IB requisitions for all schools, and coordinating district-wide IB showcases and events. Additionally, the Office of Teaching and Learning supports school IB Coordinators through collaborative IB Coordinator meetings and direct individual support.

Points of Contact

• Rohan Dharan, Manager, Advanced and Enrichment Instruction – rohan.dharan@k12.dc.gov
• Bianca Duphey, Director, Academic Innovations – bianca.duphey@k12.dc.gov

Helpful Resources

Schools can learn more about International Baccalaureate at https://www.ibo.org.

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JROTC

Purpose

Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) or Navy JROTC (collectively, “JROTC”) are dynamic, challenging, and rewarding leadership development partnerships, in the Career and Technical (CTE) Program of Studies, based on the principles of performance-based, learner-centered education that promote development of core abilities: capacity for life-long learning, communication, responsibility for actions and choices, good citizenship, respectful treatment of others, conflict resolution, and critical thinking techniques. They introduce DCPS students to enhanced STEM instruction in the areas of Cyber Security, Drones, and Robotics, offering students a pathway for career and college opportunities.

Requirements

Based on an agreement with the Department of Defense, programs must have two instructors:

• Senior Army Instructor (SAI)/Senior Naval Science Instructor (SNSI) who is a commissioned officer or Warrant Officer (Teacher – JROTC Department Chairman)
• Army Instructor (AI)/Naval Science Instructor (NSI) who is a non-commissioned officer (Teacher – JROTC Instructor)

Unless otherwise noted, both JROTC instructors must be ET-15 positions, with a bachelor’s degree and higher, or EG-9, with a minimum of an associate degree.

If a JROTC partnership has had two consecutive years with enrollment greater than 150 students, a third instructor may be added in the third year, pending approval from DCPS and the appropriate branch of the U.S. Military.

How Funds Are Allocated

The JROTC instructor’s salary is funded through a cost-sharing agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense, unless the program is classified as an NDCC (National Defense Cadet Corps) program. DCPS schools pay the equivalent of a full-time position, and the Department of Defense reimburses per the cost-share agreement.

Under the advisory of the Postsecondary Success Programs Division in the Office of SEAD Strategy and through consultation with school leaders, JROTC instructors will be pre-populated in school budgets according to the requirements above. These positions will appear as Teacher – JROTC (Senior) or Teacher – JROTC (Junior) and cannot be removed without loss of funding.

Central Support

Financial

Central provides support to JROTC for Director’s Office administrative supplies, cadets’ physical training uniforms, the City-Wide Dining Out/Military Ball, transportation support to extracurricular competitions, college visits, and educational staff rides events.

Non-Financial

The JROTC Team within Central Services provides curriculum, teacher support, and IT equipment for JROTC classrooms. The JROTC Team also leads the JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge Summer Camp, available to JROTC students based on availability.

Point of Contact

Colonel (Retired) Martin D. Compton, Director, JROTC, Office of the SEAD Strategy – martin.compton@k12.dc.gov

Helpful Resources

• U.S. Army Junior ROTC Website
• U.S. Navy Junior ROTC Website

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Library Programs

Purpose

DCPS continues to make significant investments in school library programs in reading, technology applications, and online learning tools.  An effective school library program, implemented by a certified School Librarian, has a direct and positive impact on student learning.

Research shows that a strong library program is associated with a myriad of benefits to students, including increased achievement. DCPS Librarians support MTSS by developing programming in STEM, research, digital citizenship, and media literacy and building a culture of reading and achievement throughout the school.

Requirements

Personnel

• School Librarians must be licensed per the OSSE requirements for School Librarians.
• All schools have been allocated at least a 1.0 Librarian, which is a locked allocation.
• The DCPS Library Programs team interviews all applicants to create a pool from which principals must select. The team works with schools to match candidates to schools. 
• DCPS Library Programs also trains and has a master list of qualified school library substitutes.

Non-Personnel

From every school’s non-personnel allocation, $22.04 per student is locked as “Library Funds” for the DCPL MOU and electronic library services. These NF1 funds are restricted—Central Library Programs will collect these specific funds from each school budget account to meet MOU requirements. This is done to provide sufficient resources for all libraries, including books, digital programs, and equipment.

How Funds Are Allocated

All schools are allocated funding for 1.0 Librarian. Due to building and library configuration, CHEC and Oyster-Adams are allocated funding for 2.0 Librarians.

Budgeting Recommendations

Schools should align support for the school library with additional staffing as per the personnel recommendation above. They should also provide funding to include needed supplies and technology resources for the library for student and staff engagement.

• Schools with more than 600 students should budget a Library Tech Aide to support the school library program.
• Schools with more than 1,000 students should budget a second School Librarian position to support the school library program.
• School Librarians will need to secure specific supplies to process donated books and make repairs to the library collection. Recommended supplies may include:
  • Educational/General Supplies
    • Follett Destiny barcode labels available from Follett School SolutionClear waterproof labels for protecting barcodesBookends, 6 inches in height, heavy duty, multiple quantitiesVinyl label protectors, round, 1.5 by 2 inches to cover book spine labels, multiple quantitiesBook binding repair tape, variety of colors, 2-inch by 15-yard, cloth libraryBook hinging repair tape, acid free and archival safeFolding book jacket covers in various sizesScotch book tape, 2.83 inches by 15 yards or longer to repair paperback booksBook display stands
    Furniture/Fixtures
    • Single- or double-sided book cart
  • Printing (if done professionally, otherwise supplies for paper and ink)
    • Library signage
• Recommended Technology
  • All schools’ libraries must have an instructional laptop for use by the School Librarian and a standalone device or desktop to use at the library circulation desk.It is recommended that schools purchase a second device for the library before the start of the SY25-26 school year. In addition to the DCPS laptop provided by Central Services to School Librarians, schools should provide either a second laptop or desktop that meets the DCPS IT specifications to function as a library computerized check-out station (replace out-of-life-cycle library desk main computers with new laptops or desktop stations).
  • Schools should replace or order a second handheld Follett barcode scanner from Follett School Solutions to support the creation of a self-checkout station at the library desk.
• Funds for the library should not be taken from Arts, Music, or World Language programs.
• Schools should follow the scheduling recommendations found on the DCPS Library Programs SharePoint website.

Role of the Librarian

The School Librarian empowers and develops every student through a strong schoolwide culture of reading, information literacy, and technology fluency. The School Librarian is expected to be a collaborative instructional partner with every teacher. The School Librarian should also be an integral part of the school leadership team to develop a library program that is responsive to and supportive of school goals. The School Librarian is to be an effective program administrator, developing and managing the library collection and library programs to support student learning. To achieve this and to provide sufficient access to library resources and instructional partnership, the School Librarian should have a flexible schedule and cannot be a teacher of record for any course. During SY21-24, schools with a designated librarian professional or library aide staff member saw significantly higher utilization of district offered electronic eBooks. The Librarian supports the school and the library by:

• Supporting online learning by working with students and collaborating with teachers to leverage access to quality online reading materials
• Serving as a school-based POC/lead for educational technology resources (e.g., Canvas Sub-Account administrator, Clever Tech lead, school administrator for digital apps such as BrainPOP, Follett Destiny, SORA, Overdrive, PebbleGo, etc.)
• Serving as the liaison between the school and the DC Public Library
• Engaging students and staff in research skills development, digital citizenship, and information literacy strategies as part of the new Digital Literacy and Library Research Skills Curriculum
• Acting as the reading champions of the school, fostering a culture of reading and engagement
• Supporting “reluctant readers” through a variety of interest-based activities such as book clubs, book buddy programs, and individual reading conferences.
• Working directly with DCPS Educational Technology to coordinate access, solutions, and problem-solving for applications
• Serving as the “go-to” knowledge expert for the school, providing answers and/or recommendations to district-wide resources and best practices
• Curating and facilitating the use of knowledge database(s) to support engagement with students and staff
• Managing the school library space, which includes adding resources to the centralized library catalog, repairing library books as needed, inventing the library collection, collecting resources to be used in classrooms, collaborating with teachers to strengthen instruction and increase literacy, and any other duties that sustain and advances the school library program

Role of the Library Tech Aide

Library Tech Aides supports the school and the library by:

• Assisting the library media specialist in ordering and maintaining library materials, supplies and equipment
• Storing, maintaining, managing, and discarding materials according to standard procedures.
• Maintaining schedules for the use of computers, library media centers, books, and related reference materials
• Helping to maintain an orderly and functional room environment conducive to learning
• Assisting in coordinating events such as book fairs and planning activities that encourage and motivate students to read
• Supporting teachers in the instruction of information retrieval skills using the district’s centralized computerized library system
• Presenting educational information to students under the supervision of the School Librarian or a qualified classroom teacher
• Aiding students in accessing research materials to support units of study
• Assisting in the instruction of staff and students in the use and operation of networked computers, software, and related resources
• Assisting teachers in the supervision of students using the library media center and reviewing the work of student helpers or service students
• Reading aloud as required and provides book talks to groups of students
• Processing, circulating, and shelving books and various learning materials
• Stamping, labeling, mending, and cleaning library books and other learning resources
• Helping to conduct periodic inventories of book collection, materials, software, and equipment as assigned

 Central Support

• The Library Programs team handles the procurement of the library resources on behalf of schools via MOU requirements.
• Library Programs provide monthly PD meetings for School Librarians and support staff.
• Library Programs team provides collection development support through analysis and recommendations for the library collection using computer-based reporting.
• Library Programs will provide limited resources/supplies and professional development to enhance makerspaces during the school year. This information will be directed to the School Librarian or library POC administrator when available. The DCPS Makerspace Guide will be the framework that will drive this process.

Point of Contact

Dr. Kevin M. Washburn, Director, Library Programs, ACE/OTL – kevin.washburn@k12.dc.gov, 202-680-2842

Helpful Resources

• IMPACT Standards for School Libraries and Librarians (Guidebook #9)
• OSSE Licensure Requirements
• Academic and Creative Empowerment Planning
• Library Programs SharePoint

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Pool Programming

Purpose

The ability to swim is an important life skill that should be afforded to as many students as possible. Some schools have athletic facilities that include pools. The information below applies to the following schools, which are part of the DPR Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement: Ballou HS, Cardozo HS, Dunbar HS, Jackson-Reed HS, Marie Reed ES, Roosevelt HS, and Woodson HS.

How Funds Are Allocated/Restrictions

Personnel

DCPS partners with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to manage the safety and operations of the pools. Through this partnership, DPR will hire and staff pool managers and lifeguards. Schools that receive these funds will be responsible for hiring a full-time certified Health & Physical Education teacher with a Water Safety Instructor’s endorsement.

Marie Reed ES will also receive funding for a Recreation Specialist (Aquatics). River Terrace EC is not part of the MOU agreement but will be allocated a Health & PE Aquatics Teacher and a Recreation Specialist (Aquatics) to support pool programming at their school.

Health & PE teachers who teach swimming courses should only teach swimming courses and should not be asked to teach other PE courses. The Health & PE Aquatics teacher can teach PE2 students during their swim unit.

Non-Personnel

Schools will receive $173,326 for the DPR MOU agreement (except Marie Reed ES, which will receive $115,551). These funds are locked into contractual services and moved to the Central Services budget as part of the MOU.

Schools will also be allocated $5,000 in supply funds for pool supplies. These locked funds are also managed by Central Services and are used to purchase the supplies and materials needed for swimming instruction. Pool supplies are only to be used to support swimming instruction.

3^rd Grade Swim Program

Students from the 77 schools below will travel to nearby pools for swimming instruction.

Participating schools will be allocated funding for the following items. Allocated funds appear on school budget profiles but are centrally-managed by the Health & PE Team in the Office of Teaching & Learning.

• ET-15 PE Aquatics teachers
• Aquatics specialists
• Transportation funding
• Supply money
  • Swimming equipment (extra swimsuits, goggles, swim caps, and towels)
  • Instructional materials (kickboards, buoys, noodles, etc.)

These funds cannot be repurposed to support any other programs or positions. DPR will provide lifeguard and pool operator staffing at their pool sites. Participating schools must have one teacher to assist in the pool during instruction.

Points of Contact 

• Miriam Kenyon, Director, Health & Physical Education – miriam.kenyon@k12.dc.gov
• DPR Point of Contact: DPR Aquatics Division, 202.671.1289

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Special Education

Note: This section contains information for both Self-Contained and Inclusion positions. Self-Contained positions (teachers, aides, behavior technicians, and board-certified behavior analysts) are NF1 allocations, while Inclusion positions are NF2 allocations.

Purpose

Special education services ensure eligible students with disabilities can successfully access instruction. Teachers and special education aides support students inside general education classrooms, in resource rooms, and in specialized self-contained classrooms to address individual needs and provide standards-based instruction. 

Requirements 

The purpose of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 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 special education administration roles have this function 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 $1,500 per year.

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 Education Act (IDEA), and DC special education requirements can be found in the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR). 

How Funds 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 classrooms. 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.

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. 

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

Specialized Self-Contained Classroom Staff Allocation Model 

Specialized self-contained classrooms 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 and Education Support (CES) classrooms, they will be allocated two (2) teachers and four (4) special education aides.

Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs)

Schools with at least four (4) Communication and 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. River Terrace EC, DCPS’s only special education school, is also allocated one (1) BCBA position. 

Special Education SBB Weight Allocation  

The special education per student weight is 0.3 times the base weight. Thus, schools receive 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. 

Flexibility

Menu 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 
• Director – Specialized Instruction 
• Manager – Specialized Instruction 
• Teacher – Inclusion/Resource 
• TLI Teacher Leader – Special Education  

Local Education Agency (LEA) Representative Designee 

Under IDEA, each IEP team is required 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
• 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 may 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 special education aides on the implementation of lesson plans
• Overseeing IEP and assessment quality, timeliness, and compliance by supporting case managers to effectively manage their caseloads
• 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.

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
• Dedicated 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 

• Each school has an assigned manager of accountability and manager of inclusion from DSI who participate 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 Classrooms) – Regina Grimmett (regina.grimmett@k12.dc.gov)
• Monitoring and School Support – Sheila Grant (sheila.grant@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 – Courtney Ballard (courtney.ballard2@k12.dc.gov)
• Division of Specialized Instruction (dcps.specialed@k12.dc.gov)

Helpful Resources 

• DCPS Special Education Website
• DCPS Way Special Education Resources

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Title I – Reading Specialists

Purpose

Reading specialists have expertise in diagnosing and responding to students having difficulty with reading or writing at all levels. They are responsible for a caseload of approximately 25-30 students at a time. Reading specialists meet with students on varying schedules and group sizes, depending on students’ needs. They also work collaboratively with classroom teachers and LEAP leaders to support Tier 1 and 2 instruction in the classroom (e.g., collaboratively reviewing student data, providing resources to support needs-based, small group instruction).

How Funds Are Allocated

In FY26, the following schools will be allocated a Title I-funded reading specialist.

Budgeting Recommendations

Personnel

New reading specialists must be hired out of a district-approved candidate pool. Only educators holding a master’s degree in reading are eligible to be hired as reading specialists.

Schools wanting to hire an educator that does not hold a master’s degree in reading for a reading intervention-type role should budget for a reading teacher. The cost for both positions is the same, and the allocated specialist may be swapped through a petition.

Non-Personnel

It is strongly recommended that all schools with a reading specialist/teacher budget between $500 and $1,000 of educational supplies or electronic learning to purchase resources to support their intervention work. For guidance on suggested resources, please contact shareen.cruz@k12.dc.gov.

Central Support

Non-Financial

Reading specialists/teachers are strongly encouraged to attend PD offered by the Office of Teaching and Learning. This includes English Language Arts sessions which are aligned to evidence-based literacy practices and PD that focus on strategies for planning and facilitating Tiers 2 and 3 literacy instruction.

Points of Contact

• Shareen Cruz, Director, Literacy Strategy – shareen.cruz@k12.dc.gov
• Anna Salzberg, Director, Elementary ELA and Social Studies – anna.salzberg@k12.dc.gov

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Twilight

Purpose

Through the provision of Title I funding, the Twilight program offers opportunities for students to participate in original credit courses outside of the traditional school day at selected high schools. The Twilight program allows students who are behind in original course credits to get back on a timely path to graduation by providing more flexibility in scheduling and completing courses. Twilight classes are taken in addition to, and not in place of, a full schedule taken during the traditional school day. This means that any students enrolled in Twilight courses must also be enrolled in a full schedule during the traditional day. All students who need to earn one or more credits to get on-track for graduation may be considered for enrollment in Twilight. Twilight cannot be used to accelerate the academic progress of a student who is on track to graduate. Students earn original credits by meeting the required seat hours and successfully completing assignments, assessments, and expectations consistent with DCPS curricula.

How Funds Are Allocated

In FY26, Twilight programming will be offered at all Title I comprehensive high schools. Central Services also offers virtual course offerings available to eligible students in DCPS. Central Services virtual courses will be funded through the Title I grant, with funds allocated specifically for central programming. Students can also cross-enroll in a Twilight program at another school if programming is not available at their home school. With approval from Central Services, schools can offer virtual Twilight classes as well.

The exact amount of funding available to each school is determined based on past funding usage and projected student need. Typically, schools receive a similar allocation year-to-year; however, since the overall grant funding is spread across all participating schools, there can be shifts to allocations if schools used significantly more or less of the allocation in the previous fiscal year.

Requirements

Twilight programing is funded by Title I funding, and all funds must be exclusively used to compensate time spent in direct support of Twilight programming. A designated Twilight Coordinator or other designated staff member should track teacher time and must certify that all time billed to the Twilight fund was completed in service of Twilight programming.

Budgeting/Spending Recommendations

On average, a Twilight teacher position costs about $9,500 per 1-credit course. This includes 120+ hours of instruction, plus planning time. Full credit courses can be scheduled across 1 or 2 terms and should align with the start and end dates of the term(s). A half (0.5) credit costs roughly $4,700 and can be scheduled across one or two terms. For more detailed information on cost, please see the table below. Please note the numbers below are estimates and may vary slightly based on the total instructional days in each term.

Twilight funding operates on the fiscal year timeline; schools that anticipate offering Twilight courses in term 1 of the following school year should ensure that they maintain ample funding in their budget to support programming through October 1.

Staffing Requirements/Menu of Options

School schedules and staffing will vary across schools. Schools have the flexibility to create a schedule that best addresses the needs of their students and accommodates teacher availability within their budget.

Each high school will develop its own schedule for Twilight courses based on the guidance below.

• Twilight classes can be scheduled across one or two terms. Course schedules and student enrollment should align with the start and end dates of the term(s) and semester.
• Courses must be scheduled such that students are able to meet the minimum seat hour requirement – 60 hours (for a .5 credit course) or 120 hours (for a 1-credit course) – and must be staffed by a certified teacher.
• Twilight classrooms shall be staffed by a teacher certified in a relevant content area.
• Teachers can only teach one Twilight course during a scheduled time block and may not combine courses; teachers are able to teach two separate sections of Twilight (e.g., block 5 and block 6).
• Full (1.0) credit courses can be offered across 1 or 2 terms and can begin in any term.
• Half (.5) credit courses can be offered across 1 or 2 terms and can begin in any term.
• Courses offered across two terms must align with the start and end of the semester. Courses cannot be scheduled across term 2 – term 3.
• The teacher-to-student ratio should not exceed 1:30.
• Twilight teachers are compensated $60/hour in administrative premium and should be provided 30 minutes of paid planning time for every three hours of teaching time to Twilight students that occurs outside of normal school hours.
• An administrator and security must remain on site during Twilight program hours.
• Students can cross-enroll and participate in Twilight programming at other schools, including virtual classes.
• It is recommended that schools designate a Twilight Coordinator to oversee the program, such as the Pathways Coordinator, counselor, or other student support team member.
• It is not recommended that schools staff a Twilight course with more than one full-time content teacher. If necessary, full- or part-time support staff can be hired to support EL students or students with IEPs.
• Principals may supplement their Twilight allocation by using additional administrative premium funds from their own budget to expand or improve the program.
• Twilight funds cannot be used for any other purpose. If schools feel that they will not use their entire Twilight budget or think they may require additional budget to fully fund the program, they should reach out to Central Services to determine if reallocation is possible.

Schools should closely examine their student data at the beginning of the year and use the guiding questions below to help determine which courses they should offer via Twilight each year:

• How many students at the school need the course?
• Are there any potential graduates who need the course to graduate this year?
• Of the students who need the course, can any or all of them be scheduled to take the course during the regular school day without disrupting their schedule?
• Could the student cross-enroll at another school that is offering the course or in central virtual programming?

Schools should prioritize courses with a high student need, as well as any courses needed by student(s) for graduation that cannot be taken at another school, through central virtual programming, or during the school day.

Central Support

Central Services will support schools in monitoring teacher hours and submitting appropriate documentation of time worked per the Title I guidance. This will include providing coordinators with a timesheet for monitoring staff hours, an administrative premium memo, reminders for documentation submission, and monitoring spending with individual follow-up as needed. Central Services will also provide teacher orientation for new teachers and provide support with identifying eligible students, creating Twilight schedules, and trouble-shooting technology needs.

Points of Contact

• Oluwaseyi Oseni, Specialist, Academic Recovery, Office of SEAD Strategy – oluwaseyi.oseni@k12.dc.gov
• Glenn Starnes II, Senior Deputy Chief, Office of SEAD Strategy – glenn.starnes@k12.dc.gov

Helpful Resources

Twilight Program Overview

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