Photo by María Helena Carey
DC Public Schools has released its budget priorities for fiscal year 2017 with millions of dollars in new initiatives going toward students who trail behind in walking across the stage.
With a $4 million investment, the system wants students in traditional high schools to stay on track, while ensuring that students in alternative schools “have a plan to graduate high school prepared for college and career,” said DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson, in a release. “DC Public Schools serves all students and, in that mission, we need to do more for our students taking alternative paths toward graduation,” she continued.
Nine new positions in D.C. public schools called “Directors of Pathways” make up $1.2 million of the $4 million allotment. These staff members are tasked with creating individual plans for students in traditional schools who are defined as over age and under-credited. More than 1,300 of these students are accounted for within the system, and each are at least two years behind typical graduation time.
Half of the allotment will go toward four alternative schools—Luke C. Moore High School, Washington Metropolitan High School, Ballou STAY High School, and Roosevelt STAY High School. Combined, the schools have four administrators and 15 teachers who will get extra resources in “providing formalized social-emotional learning support,” according to the release.
“I’m thrilled that DC Public Schools ensures that each student who comes through our doors—even if that student takes an alternative path—is supported and prepared for high school graduation and beyond,” says Principal Langston of Luke C. Moore High School, which caters to students between 17-20 years old who have either dropped out of school, have legal issues, or can’t adjust in traditional schools.
Other priorities in this year’s budget include $5 million toward extended school years for 11 DCPS schools, and $5.6 million toward new programs and the opening of two new schools, including the city’s only all-boys public high school.
