Loose Lips Daily: More Fired Teachers? Edition
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Vince or Vincent? What's Wrong With a Forged Doctor's Note
Good morning sweet readers! Be sure and pick up this week's paper edition of City Paper, where we acquaint you with two new (possible) players on the local political scene. In the cover story by Dave Weigel, we're introduced to Congressman Jason Chaffetz, a former college football kicker and beauty product pitchman from Utah who will likely lord over D.C. with an iron fist when the Republicans win control of the House, and Chaffetz runs the all-powerful Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. It's a great read that is sure to piss lots of folks off. LL also introduces Reuben Charles, Vince Gray's possible chief of staff who is personable, smart, and has some unpaid debts in St. Louis. And LDP introduces us to gay real estate agents. News time:
Let Me Just Fire a Few More Teachers, Then I'm Outta Here: Uh-oh. CFO Nat Gandhi and Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee appear to be at it again over who is better at math. LL smirked when he read the Post's Bill Turque lede: "The D.C. public school system, which laid off more than 200 teachers last October to close what Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee said was a budget gap, is facing potential new financial problems in the fiscal year that begins Friday because of a projected $30 million in overspending on special education." If she said it was a budget gap, Bill, then it was a budget gap! Anyway, as to the present situation, Rhee says Gandhi's projections are premature but she's prepared to do whatever it takes to plug the any budget gaps. Councilmember Jack Evans points out that the city spends most of its money on education and human services, so if there are going to be meaningful cuts, they'll have to be there. "The special education spending in question does not involve the nearly $300 million a year spent on private school tuition, transportation and attorney's fees for about 2,500 special needs students who cannot be served by District schools. Gandhi's focus is instead on the $54.2 million allocated to local schools for teachers' aides and support services provided by psychologists, physical therapists, audiologists and other specialists. A 'spending pressure analysis' conducted by Gandhi's office estimates that the programs will cost $85.9 million in fiscal 2011, an excess of $31.7 million. Evans said that according to Gandhi's staff, the overspending has been persistent. 'They do this overspending every year but have been able to cover it with other parts of the education budget,' Evans said. 'That just isn't going to work.' Rhee disagreed and said the problem has been a lack of resources. 'The office of special education has always been challenged by under-budgeting as opposed to overspending,' she said."
AFTER THE JUMP: Gray Feels Depressed, Won't Hire Anyone; Fenty As Independent Fail; No Gangs in Ward 1? ...
That's a Pretty Convenient Excuse For All Those People Now Asking You For A Job, Vince: Gray said yesterday that the worsening economic outlook means the city should institute a hiring and promotion freeze when the new fiscal year starts on Friday. The Post's Tim Craig couldn't get an answer from Mayor Adrian Fenty's office if the lame duck agreed with the idea. Neither could the Examiner's Freeman Klopott, who staked out a presser on a fire in Columbia Heights only to be told that Fenty couldn't make it because he was stuck in traffic. Gray also told about 200 business leaders gathered at UDC that the country feels like it's in a depression. "People have been hesitant to call it a depression, but frankly the qualities and characteristics of it feel like a depression to me," Gray said, per Craig.
Not Going to Happen: Mike DeBonis pours some cold water on the Fenty write-in hopefuls, using a bunch of numbers and graphs and such (see here for a laugh) to show that Fenty probably wouldn't have won if he'd run as an independent. "The poll numbers do indicate that the city's non-Democratic voters are more likely to be white—44 percent, versus 33 percent among registered Democrats—which is meaningful in a race where race was such a powerful predictor. But 46 percent of non-Democrats are black. Bottom line: There's simply no evidence that Fenty would be favored enough among non-Democrats to make a difference."
Jim Graham, Gang Expert: WCP's Rend Smith takes a closer look at Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham's claims that gangs in Adams Morgan have been largely dispersed. "The Ward 1 politician contended that with the help of a police camera at 17th and Euclid streets Northewest, the Metropolitan Police Department had "scattered" what's known as the 1-7 crew. Graham was trying to put constituents at ease about a longstanding, bloody rivalry between the 1-7 Crew and the G-Rod Crew (14th and Girard streets NW). It's an aggravating assertion—seeing that the 17th and Euclid area has seen several shootings of late."
Umm, LL feels like he's read this story somewhere before? Oh that's right, he has.
Martin Austermuhle reviews Waiting for Superman
Tom Toles sends up Obama
Courtland Milloy on NPR
Examiner looks at Census data some more, says they help explain Gray's win.
10:17 am
I am astounded by the figures Jack Evans is quoted as saying is spent on special education in DC. $300,000,000 divided by 2,500 students is $120,000 per student!!!
That's unbelievable. I'd love to see how much of that is spent on lawyers and transportation. Maybe if DC wants to save some serious money, they can start investigating why Ms. Rhee, as well as Jack Evans and the rest of the DC City Council, think this level of spending is acceptable.
11:29 am
Its amazing millions on special education oops, I mean millions spent on lawyers repersenting a large group of parents who are convince in their minds,that their child will be highly educated and contribute to society. Sad to say some may however, the majority will not. The amazing Rhee did not want to upset these parents, Opps, their lawyers by using these millions to start DCs own Special education program. Am I to understand that DC do not have any qualified Special Education teachers. With this type of expendures, they could go outside of DC and hire them. But then I guess you would upset a lot of delusional parents and their lawyers. Wakeup DC!!
11:31 am
Right, Typical DC BS, vampires have been sucking blood out of DCPS for years with this nonsense. You could education all the spec. ed. students in DCPS at private schools and not spend $300 million a year. We need to start having people empty out their pockets before they leave 1200 First St NE. Where is all this money going???
12:21 pm
Special Education requirements should be by the "reasonable accommodation" standard, not by the "by any means necessary" standard.
1:32 pm
"How much of that money actually benefits each student?" is the question someone should answer, Typical DC BS.
3:43 pm
@ Typical DC BS: The amount in the article was 30 million, not 300 million which is what you based you math on in your comment.
3:50 pm
@ Typical DC BS: The amount I am correcting was that you should add $30 million to the $300 million. In case it is not clear from my first comment. Thus, the math should be based on the fact that they are saying an additional $30 million is needed above the current $300 million. So, in fact, the amount is more per student than you calculated.
3:53 pm
Ironically, we all have Peter Nickles to thank for this. This is how he made his money before becoming AG for DC. He is the one who constantly sued the city in these cases and made the fees so high. So all together now, let's say a big "Thank you" to Peter Nickles as we show him the door.
5:01 pm
@Isn't It Obvious: You're right! New math is $330,000,000 divided by 2,500 students is $132,000 per student! Even more ridiculous.
@AMamiMus: Yes, I'd love to see how much is spent on the students and how much to drive the students around and, especially, HOW MUCH THEIR LAWYERS ARE GETTING! These idiot judges need a slap upside the head too for agreeing with the outrageous amounts the lawyers are getting paid.
Why isn't the DC City Council capping lawyer fees and reimbursements? Why isn't the school system hiring the employees they need to bring these kids in-house? I'd bet they'd save a bundle.
5:31 pm
When is Michelle Rhee leaving town?
5:39 pm
@ Typical DC BS: The 300 mill DC pays each year to house/educate special ed students with private entities could be cut in half if DC had the will/ability to address their needs locally.
That was a key Gray platform plank. Let's see if he does it.
As for capping atty fees, that would simply eliminate the last chance for justice these kids have. Why? Because they and their families can't afford competent attys and the attys get paid ONLY if they win (which means they proved DC violated the law).
How about capping the executive's compensation when he/she screws up? Makes better sense to me.
7:21 pm
Several years ago I worked at a private special ed high school in PG County. Each year approximately 10-20 % of the students came from DCPS because DC had no program. At that time it was close to $64,000 per year for each student.
9:39 pm
This is BS at its finest!!!! They need to do a damn audit! Teachers salaries are responsible for the deficit? If they would stop losing cases, paying for independent evaluations because they are afraid to stand-up to attorneys and parents, provide good sped programs, and hire supervisors that know what they are doing! Teachers and etc. are not to be blamed!!! AUDIT!!!!!
10:31 am
@Truth Hurts: Good point about the will / ability to address this. This has a chance to be a win/win for Gray. He can sell it as a cost saving manuever by bringing these kids "in-house" and hire the specialists (i.e. child psychologists, evaluators and special-needs teachers) to prove his commitment to education. Also, by providing needed jobs here in the District.
I would be interested to see what the hourly rate the attorneys bill at for these cases when they win. My employer uses several law firms for commercial real estate work and the range in hourly rates is amazing.