Charter school leaders raise equity concerns over DC school funding

D.C. public charter school leaders and advocates are raising concerns over what they call a funding gap in the mayor’s proposed education budget, even as overall funding for public schools is set to increase in fiscal 2027.

Charter school advocates believe the issue is not how much money is to be spent, but how it is being allocated. They argue some funds are being directed outside the city鈥檚 per鈥憇tudent funding formula.

According to D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson the mayor’s proposed budget moved $85 million out of the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula, or UPSFF, used to allocate money to traditional public schools and charter schools.

That proposed $85 million reallocation would now fund only D.C. public schools.

Ariel Johnson, executive director of the D.C. Charter School Alliance, said if charter schools were given the same funds, it would amount to another $2,000 per pupil.

“Which is a huge number when you think about for some of our smaller schools, our schools that might only serve, you know, 300 or 400 kids.听That could be $2 million of funding for those students that they’re not going to see this year,” Johnson said.

She said this difference could force tough decisions at charter schools.

鈥淲e are going to see 鈥� teachers maybe being laid off or specialty programs being curtailed or cut,鈥� she said. “That’s not hyperbole, that’s going to happen.”

Mendelson said the mayor鈥檚 proposed budget created the issue.

鈥淲hat the mayor did with this budget is she funded two important initiatives for DCPS outside the formula, and that’s what has the charter sector upset 鈥� rightfully upset,鈥� Mendelson said.

Mendelson said moving that money back into the formula would be difficult due to overall budget constraints.

鈥淚 don’t like the policy choice the mayor made, but to be able to fully correct it is very costly,鈥� he said.

At a council hearing on Tuesday, students and families also made their voices heard.

Andres Itogutierez Meajia, a Cesar Chavez Public Charter School student, said funding should be equal.

鈥淓ducation is education, it shouldn’t matter what charter school or public DCPS school you go to,鈥� he said.

Kendall Ramsey, a sixth grade student at Center City Public Charter School, said more funding would improve school resources.

鈥淚 believe charter schools deserve to have, like, more funding, would help school provide with better desks, like rebuild the school a little bit, food, and better bathrooms,鈥� she said.

Some parents said the impact could go beyond the classroom.

鈥淚 believe that fair funding is equal rights, and all the schools deserve fair funding, no matter what school it is,鈥� said Joi Burriss, whose children attend The Sojourner Truth Public Charter School.

District officials argue the budget still increases funding for charter schools.

In a statement, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education said the proposal adds more than $50 million for public charter schools and increases funding for all public schools. The office said the budget also keeps more than $187 million in facilities funding for charter schools in place.

鈥淟ast year, the Council-approved financial plan shifted multiple items outside of the UPSFF in order to respond to declining revenues and balance the budget. In the Mayor’s FY27 proposal, she was able to put teacher pay back into the formula, plus grow the UPSFF by 2.55%, resulting in more money for D.C. schools, including charters,鈥� the statement read.

The deputy mayor’s office also said putting additional costs back into the funding formula cannot be done.

“Putting the DCPS fixed costs back through the formula would have required an increase of $100 million into the budget which the District simply doesn’t have available at a time of declining revenues,” the statement said.

The D.C. Council is expected to take its first vote on the budget next week.

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