Program Grant Allocations Including At-Risk
Program Grant Allocations
In addition to student- and staff-based dollars, the budget model includes funding allocations for supplemental program grants that are specific to school needs. Schools will receive additional funds to support students with greater needs. One program grant that DCPS schools receive is for at-risk student populations.
Program Grant | School Type |
Afterschool | Select Title I Schools |
At-Risk UPSFF | All Schools |
CTE & NAF | Select High Schools |
Credit Recovery | Select High Schools |
Dual Language | Select Schools |
Global Studies | Select Schools |
International Baccalaureate (IB) | Select Schools |
JROTC | Select High Schools |
Pool Programming | Select Schools |
Ninth Grade Academy | Select Title I High Schools |
Reading Specialists (Title Funded) | Select Elementary Schools |
Safe & Positive Schools | Select Middle and High Schools |
School Office Support | All Schools |
Specialty Payments | Select Schools |
Title I Schoolwide & Parental Involvement | Title I Schools |
Title II | Non-Title I Schools |
Total Non-Personnel Services Funds | All Schools |
Twilight (Title Funded) | Select Title I High Schools |
How DCPS Receives At-Risk Funding From The District
DCPS receives at-risk funding through the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF). Students are designated as “at-risk” if they meet one or more of the following characteristics:
- They are experiencing homelessness.
- They are in the foster care system.
- Their families qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
- They or their families who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); or
- They are at least one year older than the high school grade for which they are enrolled.
Meeting one of these characteristics triggers the per student at-risk funding amount for DCPS.
Calculating Students Designated At-Risk for DCPS
OSSE directly certifies students who meet at-risk criteria via data sharing agreements with the appropriate agencies (DC Department of Human Services for TANF and SNAP, DC’s Child and Family Services Agency for foster care, and the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness for homeless students). DCPS uses audited enrollment data that includes the number of students identified as at-risk in the prior year to project general enrollment and at-risk students for the upcoming school year.
Allocating At-Risk Funding to Schools
In FY23, DCPS is allocating 90% of all at-risk funding received to schools through a program grant in the form of a per pupil allocation. For FY23 this per-pupil dollar amount is $2,683 per student. The Fair Student Funding Act allows DCPS to retain 10% of the at-risk funding centrally for administrative purposes. The total amount of at-risk dollars that a school receives will be based on the projected number of students identified as at-risk. This allocation can be found on the initial allocation worksheet “At-Risk UPSFF” as a flexible allocation.
DCPS provides additional at-risk funding via two at-risk concentration weights that are funded with local dollars outside of the UPSFF at-risk grant. More information can be found in the Student Based Funds section.