Council hearing on DCPS RIFs and school budget

City Council Chair Vince Gray has announced that the Committee of the Whole will hold a public oversight hearing in October on the District of Columbia Public Schools Annual Equalization Process and the reduction-in-force (RIF) that is underway.   Equalization aligns resources and funding with actual student enrollment.   (More on the equalization process here on the DCPS Web site.   Also check out the DCPS Budget Fact Sheet prepared by the City Council.)

An October 2 DCPS press release, "Schools Across the District Finalize Budget Adjustments", presented a brief summary of the budget shortfall and school-level budget adjustments.   Additional information was attached to the release:

• October 2, 2009:   Letter to Staff from Chancellor Michelle Rhee
• October 2, 2009:   Letter to Parents from Chancellor Michelle Rhee
• Frequently Asked Questions and Additional Information for Separated Employees

You would have to be living under a rock to not know that there is significant disagreement between the legislative and executive branches on the equalization process and the DCPS FY 2010 budget.   Council Chair Vince Gray appeared on the Kojo Nnamdi show on October 2.   If you missed the show, you can watch the "Vincent Gray (D) on School Reform and Teacher Firings- Part 2" segment on YouTube or listen to it here.   Kojo and Mike DeBonis, sitting in Tom Sherwood's chair (only Mike was sitting in the chair, not Mike and Kojo), framed the conversation with Mr. Gray this way:   "Is the D.C. Council micromanaging the school reform process?   D.C. Council Chair Vincent Gray (D) discusses the Councils relationship with Mayor Adrian Fenty (D) and D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee."

Expect the debate to heat up on Monday, October 5 when Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers president, joins Kojo Nnamdi at Noon.   You can listen to the program via the WAMU Web site, or The Kojo Nnamdi Show Web site or on the radio, 88.5 FM.