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Leaving Children Behind:
The Underfunding of D.C. Public Schools Building Repair and Capital Budget Needs

A Parents United for the D.C. Public Schools
Civic Leader Advisory Committee Report
July 2003

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MASTER PLAN HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN AND BUDGET CUTS WOULD CONDEMN THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS TO CONTINUE TO ATTEND DECREPIT SCHOOLS

As described above, the increased levels of capital funding in the last few years have permitted DCPS to complete or nearly complete modernization of 10 schools.  Although this is a significant achievement, it is only the beginning of the effort and financial commitment required to overcome decades of disinvestment and neglect in District school facilities.  As depicted in the chart below, less than 5% of total DCPS students attend schools where modernization is completed or nearly so, while over 95% of DCPS students attend schools awaiting modernization.

It must be emphasized that most of the schools that have not yet been modernized are in decrepit condition and should be modernized immediately.   In particular, ten schools are currently in the design stages and are slated for ground-breaking ceremonies this year, with another ten entering the initial design phase.  The Master Plan, in grouping schools as described above, simply gives recognition to the fact that not all of the schools in dire need of modernization can, as a practical matter, be modernized or replaced at the same time.  However, this phased approach to modernizing schools over a 10-15 year period requires that funding be provided for the entire period; the premature cutting of funds for this program will condemn thousands of students to remain in badly deteriorating and often unsanitary and unsafe school buildings.

To illustrate these points, the following pages contain photographs from four schools that are not even within the first three groups of 30 schools slated for modernization  -- Stanton Elementary School, Raymond Elementary School, Coolidge Senior High School and Roosevelt Senior High School.  These photographs illustrate the types of problems that exist in many of the District’s school buildings.  These examples are only a small indication of the disrepair that continues to plague an overwhelming majority of D.C. public school buildings.  Most schools are still in need of significant repairs to bathrooms, doors, windows, roofs, and heating and cooling systems.  Structural hazards continue to threaten student safety.  The prevalence of these substandard learning conditions signals that, despite the good start in modernization that DCPS has made in recent years, the current physical state of DCPS schools continues to present an educational crisis.

 Coolidge Senior High School

Coolidge Senior High School

 

Stanton Elementary School 

Stanton Elementary School

 

Raymond Elementary School

 

Raymond Elementary School

 

Roosevelt Senior High School

 

Roosevelt Senior High School