Neighbors,

August is Back to School Month, and we are just a couple weeks away from the first day of school for DC Public Schools students. As school communities prepare for the new school year, I have been conducting school readiness tours to discuss enrollment, hiring and staffing, and outstanding maintenance needs. As I walk the halls of each Ward 3 school and engage with school administrators, their excitement and determination to champion students is clear.

The upcoming school year presents exciting opportunities for DCPS, especially in Ward 3:

• MacArthur High School will welcome its inaugural class of students, reflecting years of planning for a new high school to serve students from Ward 3 and across the city.
• Renovations are underway at Deal Middle School, with an addition and field replacement project expected to be completed by the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
• Stoddert Elementary School will receive an expanded addition thanks to funding I helped secure in the FY 24 budget.

While there is much to look forward to, school readiness tours highlighted maintenance and infrastructure issues at some schools that must be addressed before August 28. I will continue to coordinate directly with DC Public Schools and the Department of General Services to confirm that these concerns are addressed in advance of students returning to school. My focus is on ensuring that every DC Public Schools student has a safe, well-maintained, and supportive learning environment for the 2023-24 school year.

This newsletter includes information about my school readiness tours, expanded school funding in FY 24, and other back-to-school updates. My newsletter is biweekly, so follow me @CMFrumin on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more frequent updates.

Best,

Matt Frumin

Councilmember for Ward 3

In the last two weeks, I toured every Ward 3 DCPS school and Hardy Middle School to engage principals and assess their readiness for the upcoming school year. Most Ward 3 schools are well-prepared to welcome students back, and several principals emphasized improvements in educator hiring processes and retention, as well as the student enrollment system. However, some outstanding maintenance needs remain.

Most Ward 3 schools have filled nearly all remaining staffing vacancies and principals proudly shared that these new educators are better prepared and more experienced than in past years. This success was facilitated by an improved hiring and onboarding process and the resolution of the Washington Teachers Union contract I voted to approve earlier this year. In a national environment where hiring and retaining teachers is difficult, I’m proud Ward 3 schools are nearly fully staffed ahead of the first day of school. We can further improve our hiring and retention efforts with more robust wellness support for educators, which I will continue to advocate for in the upcoming budget process. Similarly, Ward 3 schools are largely meeting their enrollment targets. We don’t see the same overcrowding concerns, especially at elementary schools, that we saw pre-pandemic. I will continue to monitor changes in school enrollment as students register in the final days. If you have not yet enrolled your child, click here for more information.

On my school readiness tours, the top concern I heard from principals was related to facility maintenance. While the Department of General Services appears to be doing a better job of addressing maintenance needs in a timely manner, HVAC remains an issue for several Ward 3 schools. I spoke with principals about the need for routine maintenance of new HVAC systems and systematic replacement of old systems before they break down. My team is working with DCPS and DGS to identify which classrooms need temporary air conditioning units, and I will continue to follow up on installation progress ahead of the first day of school.

Throughout the budget process earlier this year, I prioritized supporting high-quality DC Public Schools in every community to guarantee a predictable and accessible path from pre-school to high school. The Council advanced this goal by approving a FY 24 budget that proactively addresses school infrastructure maintenance and modernization needs and better supports educator wellness and retention. The final budget:

• Included $71 million for DGS to improve DCPS facility maintenance and resolve the work order backlog.
• Added two new teachers for Murch Elementary School to meet critical staffing needs.
• Secured $550,000 for Jackson-Reed High School Auditorium system repairs, which can be used once the ongoing roof repairs across the building are completed later this year.
• Increased budgets for eight Ward 3 schools.
• Dedicated $675,000 for the renovation of Hardy Middle School.
• Provided $6 million over three years to fully modernize Stoddert Elementary School and add two new classrooms.

The fiscal year begins October 1, and I will be tracking it to ensure efficient and impactful implementation of these priorities.

Kids Ride Free

Kids Ride Free is a program that provides DC students between the ages of 5 and 21 enrolled in private, parochial, charter, or public schools with free transportation on Metro and the DC Circulator. Kids Ride Free SmarTrip cards have been sent to all DCPS and DC public charter schools for distribution. Students new to the District will receive their SmarTrip cards first, and students with 2022-23 cards can continue to use them through September 30. Families should contact their school’s main office to connect with their Kids Ride Free ID Administrator for assistance obtaining cards. Click here for additional information about the Kids Ride Free program.

School Vaccination Requirements

All students must be fully immunized to attend school. Students in grades Pre-K 3, kindergarten, 7, and 11 will be excluded temporarily from school if they are not up to date on vaccinations. Click here for information about grade-level requirements and resources to help with accessing vaccines.

WMATA Back-to-School Giveaway

WMATA will host a Back-to-School Celebration and School Supply Giveaway on Saturday, August 19, at the Fort Totten Metro Station. The event, which will be held in the station’s parking lot from 11 am to 3 pm, will feature family-friendly activities, music, food, and free school supplies giveaways. For more information, contact the Metro Community Services Bureau here.

I attended the opening of AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School in Spring Valley on August 11. The school, Ward 3’s first pre-K only public charter, provides tuition-free education to three- and four-year-olds that is greatly needed in Ward 3.

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

(202) 724-8062