D.C. Councilmembers are now reviewing the mayor’s budget, which included a three percent increase in school operating costs for D.C. Public Schools and the District’s public charter schools, each of which educate about half of all city public school students.
But either increase belies the fact that students at-risk of academic underachievement face the greatest challenges, and are paying the highest price for the health and economic emergencies and the inadequacy of relief funds.
Students most at-risk are currently defined by the District government as homeless; in foster care; in receipt of family income or nutrition support; or enrolled in high school below their grade level.
Almost half of the District’s 128 public charter schools have half or more students who are at-risk, ranging from KIPP D.C. College Prep with 50 percent, to Kingsman Academy with 86 percent at-risk.
The lockdown and prolonged school closures and their associated social isolation and lack of access to school mental health services also have taken a toll on students’ mental health and that of their families.
