Finding Alternatives to DCPS Furloughs!

By Candi Peterson

The Balanced Budget Furlough Emergency Act of 2011 which calls for furloughs of DC government employees has caught the attention of all of us. Budget cuts have been no stranger to the District of Columbia public schools (DCPS). Teachers, school personnel and students have often had to bear the brunt of administrator over-spending. In fiscal year 2010, under the Rhee/Henderson administration, 266 educators were wrongfully terminated allegedly due to a budget deficit they didn’t help create.

Displeased with the emergency legislation that only reduces costs through emergency furloughing, WTU Executive Board passed a motion authorizing the union leadership to identify other alternatives that would avoid the need for furloughs. WTU agreed to compile your ideas on how we could achieve long-term cost savings in our public schools. Listed below are many of your recommendations from posts and emails we have received, thus far :

Allow employees to donate sick days in lieu of furlough days

Conduct a forensic audit of DCPS to identify waste/fraud

Close excess schools

Cut back on AP courses and enrollments

Cut printing costs of IMPACT evaluation booklets

Cut the following non-instructional teacher work days:

February 18 – Professional Development day

February 28- Parent Conference day –( this is less desirable than the May 16 Parent Conference day)

March 18 – Professional Development day

May 16 - Parent Conference Day

Discontinue non-essential testing of students

Don't add more International Baccalaureate Programs

Eliminate July 4 as a furlough day as teachers/school personnel are in a non-pay status

Eliminate the partnership between Anacostia SHS and Friendship. We don’t need to pay the salaries of additional administrative staff

Eliminate the August professional development day for teachers/school personnel

End credit recovery

End school one day early when students aren’t in school

Furlough on professional development days, not holidays which will reduce savings in the form of energy costs and closed buildings

Increase computer usage versus excessive paper usage in schools, stop massive copying and worksheets

Place a moratorium on administrator bonus pay

Put an end to DCPS contracts that aren’t justified

Reduce the # of administrative positions in central office

Reduce the # of DC BAS tests given

Reduce the amount of administrative salaries in central office by setting a cap on six figure salaries

Reduce costs through energy savings (i.e. get thermostats on radiators, reduce excessive heat and AC, put hand air-dryers in bathrooms)

Reduce DCPS Executive staff salaries

Reduce Pre-K to half day

Reduce the # of Instructional Coach positions per school

Reduce the # of newly acquired Instructional Superintendent positions

Reduce the # of Special Education Program Manager positions (from 3 per discipline to 1 per discipline)

Reduce out of control spending in the special education budget

Rent out underutilized schools

Review money spent on consultants and organizations (i.e. Kaplan) and cut costs

Stop excessive meetings for DCPS staff at alternative locations by promoting video conferencing

Use vacant school buildings instead of renting space for government administrative offices

Work four- 10 hour days

The WTU will be forwarding all of your ideas to Mayor Gray for consideration. Thanks for your input.