Opportunities for Budget Stakeholder Input
Budget Hearings
The DCPS budget cycle is a year-round process and one that provides opportunities for stakeholders across our community — including parents, students, and principals, teachers and staff — to be engaged in the development of their school budget.
One of the most meaningful ways for engagement occurs at the school-level through the Local School Advisory Team (LSAT). The LSAT is a group of elected and appointed members that exists for every DCPS school. The team consists of parents, teachers, non-instructional school staff, a community member, and in some cases, students. This team advises the principal on matters that promote high expectations and achievement for all students, including the development of the school’s budget. Ultimately, principals and Instructional Superintendents (who oversee clusters of schools) have the final say on the budget.
Throughout budget development, there are several LSAT-specific education and engagement opportunities between the budget team and LSATs as well as engagements for principals and LSATs facilitated by the budget team. For more general information about LSATs, go to https://dcps.dc.gov/page/local-school-advisory-teams-lsat.
The other annual engagement that is required by DC Law is the Public Budget Hearing. In the fall, DCPS’ Chancellor convenes an annual Public Budget Hearing to hear from DCPS stakeholders about what they would like to see in the upcoming fiscal year budget. Stakeholders provide testimony captured on record. Per DC Code 38-917 this hearing must take place no later than November 30th.
Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Budget Engagement:
The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) will convene the annual public budget hearing on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 from 6:00PM – 8:00PM on Zoom. The purpose of the hearing is to gather input from the public about the upcoming Fiscal Year 2024 (School Year 2023-2024) budget. Members of the public are invited to provide testimony at the hearing. To learn more about the requirements for testimony and to sign up, register online here by 11/14. Individuals or groups wishing to testify should register online by November 14 here. You will receive a zoom link for the meeting to participate.
For Viewers ONLY, watch the Budget Hearing YouTube Livestream link here: https://bit.ly/dcpsbudgethearing24.
For questions, please contact the Office of Engagement and Partnerships by e-mail, ceo.info@k12.dc.gov or (202) 744-0423.
Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Budget Engagement:
For the 2022-2023 school year, DCPS will follow an updated budget model that will help to ensure resources are aligned to the individual needs of the students we serve and allow schools to provide important programs and offerings when enrollments shift.
The revised model was developed based on feedback from principals, parents and guardians, our community, and independent budget experts. The updated model follows best practices that puts the needs of our students first. Funds will be distributed to a school based on its student and staff counts, the needs of special student populations, and a methodology designed to support year-over-year enrollment transitions.
November 17 FY23 Budget Community Information Session PowerPoint Decks [PDF]
- FY23 Budget Community Information Session (English)
- Presupuesto del Año Fiscal 2023 (FY23) Sesion de Informacion a la Comunidad (Spanish)
November 17 FY23 Budget Community Information Recorded Sessions
- DCPS FY23 Budget Budget Community Information Session Recording (English)
- DCPS FY23 Budget Budget Community Information Session Recording (Spanish)
Fiscal Year 23 (SY22-23) Public Budget Hearing
The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) convened a public budget hearing on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 from 6:00PM – 8:00PM. The purpose of the hearing was to gather input from the public about the upcoming Fiscal Year 2023 (School Year 2022-2023) budget. Members of the public were invited to provide testimony at the hearing. Individuals or groups wishing to testify should registered. Testimony was limited to three minutes during the hearing. Witnesses provided their documents, including a written copy of their testimony and any supplemental information, by email to dcps.schoolfunding@k12.dc.gov. All documents are included as part of the official record.
November 9 FY23 Public Budget Hearing
- FY23 Public Budget Hearing Recording
- Audiencia Publica del Presupuesto de DCPS del Año Fiscal 2023
- FY23 Public Budget Hearing
- Audiencia Publica del Presupuesto de DCPS del Año Fiscal 2023
- FY23 Public Budget Hearing Full Transcript
November 8 FY23 High School Student Budget Roundtable
- FY23 High School Student Budget Roundtable Recording
- FY23 High School Student Budget Roundtable Notes
November 3 FY23 Middle School Student Budget Roundtable
- FY23 Middle School Student Budget Roundtable Recording
- FY23 Middle School Student Budget Roundtable Notes (Coming Soon)
Town Hall: Exploring a New School Funding Model Together – Ensuring Equity, Sustainability and Transparency Across DCPS
Date: Thursday, August 12, 2021