DC Code 38-916 and 38-917

D.C. Code § 38-916 (2007)

§ 38-916. Funding of public schools -- Declaration of policy [Formerly § 31-2216]

In recognition of:

(1) The critical importance of high quality public education for all students in the District of Columbia;

(2) The need in District of Columbia public schools for smaller classes and supplemental instructional resources to address the needs of the many students requiring special attention;

(3) The need to attract and retain highly qualified teachers and principals;

(4) The need for District of Columbia public school graduates to possess educational skills that render them competitive with graduates of suburban schools as regards employment and higher education;

(5) The need to restore and repair school facilities throughout the District of Columbia; and

(6) The fact that in recent years the budget for the District of Columbia public schools has increased at a rate substantially below that of almost all other District of Columbia agencies:

IT IS HEREBY DECLARED, that funding of the public schools be acknowledged as of the highest priority of the District of Columbia. This priority status for public education funding will be given due consideration by the District of Columbia Board of Education, the Council of the District of Columbia and the Mayor of the District of Columbia in all future proposals, recommendations, and legislative enactments affecting financial support of the public schools.

D.C. Code § 38-917 (2007)

§ 38-917. Funding of public schools -- Public hearings [Formerly § 31-2217]

In furtherance of this declared policy and in order to afford the people of the District of Columbia a full opportunity to express their views on the fiscal needs of the public schools, the following public hearings and transmissions of hearing records are required:

(1) Within a period of not more that 90 or less than 45 days prior to the annual submission by the Chancellor of a proposed budget to the Mayor of the District of Columbia, and upon 15 days public notice, the Chancellor shall conduct a public hearing for the purpose of soliciting the views of the public on programs and levels of public funding to be sought for the public schools. The budget proposed by the Chancellor shall, consistent with the public policy declared in this measure, give due consideration to the record established by the testimony and exhibits on the subjects listed in paragraph (4) of this section. The Chancellor shall transmit the record of this hearing to the Mayor of the District of Columbia and to the Council of the District of Columbia at or before the hearings held by them pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this section.

(2) Within a period of not more than 60 days or less than 30 days prior to the Mayor's annual submission of a budget recommendation with respect to the public schools to the Council of the District of Columbia, and upon 15 days public notice, the Mayor of the District of Columbia shall conduct a public hearing for the purpose of soliciting the views of the public on levels of public funding to be sought for the public schools. In no event shall this hearing be prior to the annual submission by the Chancellor of its proposed budget to the Mayor. The public schools budget recommendation submitted by the Mayor to the Council of the District of Columbia shall, consistent with the public policy declared in this measure, give due consideration to the record established by the testimony and exhibits on the subjects listed in paragraph (4) of this section. The Mayor shall transmit the record of this hearing to the Council of the District of Columbia at or before the hearing held pursuant to paragraph (3) of this section.

(3) At the public hearings required by § 47-304 [repealed], the Council of the District of Columbia, not more than 30 days or less than 15 days before the adoption of the Budget Request Act, shall solicit testimony and exhibits on the subjects listed at paragraph (4) of this section, and consistent with the public policy declared in this measure shall adopt a budget giving due consideration to the record established by the testimony and exhibits on those subjects.

(4) The hearings required by paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) of this section shall solicit and receive testimony and exhibits on the following subjects:

(A) The current and prospective educational needs of pupils in the District of Columbia public schools, educational programs that can address these needs and support systems needed for safety and efficiency;

(B) The relative levels of support provided in recent years and sought in the current budget requests for the District of Columbia public schools and other agencies of the District of Columbia Government. Particular attention will be placed on the levels of funding provided in the past and sought for agencies such as the Department of Corrections and the Department of Human Services, which must address the problems resulting in part from an educational system that lacks sufficient resources to address fully the needs of all of its students;

(D) The levels of funding for public school systems in surrounding jurisdictions that have reputations for providing high quality education to their students.