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​
Serving grades K-8​

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.