D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10, r. 10-A1207
An important long-range planning objective is to align DCPS enrollment projections with the Comprehensive Plan demographic forecasts. The Comprehensive Plan can aid DCPS by identifying the specific schools that may be most impacted by new development, and therefore most in need of future expansion. 1207.1
In the District of Columbia, the relationship between new housing construction and school planning is complex. The city's policies allow students to travel to schools in other parts of the city, leading to significant out-of-boundary enrollment at many facilities. Figure 12.2 shows the daily migration of students from their homes to out-of-boundary schools often located many miles away. Another complicating factor in projecting enrollment is the large percentage of students attending charters and private schools, rather than the neighborhood DCPS school. 1207.2
Figure 12.2: Daily Migration of Students from Home to Out of Boundary Schools
Moreover, the Comprehensive Plan cannot predict who will actually occupy new housing units and whether they will be singles or families with children. In addition, increases in enrollment may take place in stable neighborhoods as the existing housing stock changes hands-even though very little new construction is occurring. 1207.4
Figure 12.3: DCPS Enrollment Projections, 2006-2013 (excluding charters)
At this point in time, DCPS official projections indicate declining enrollment over the next seven years. Their forecasts assume continued out-migration of families with school age children, and continued low birth rates. Total public school enrollment (including the charter schools) is expected to drop by 2,000 students between 2006 and 2013. When the charter schools are subtracted out, the decline is even steeper. As Figure 12.3 indicates, attendance at DCPS facilities is expected to drop from 58,000 in 2006 to 50,000 in 2012. Public Charter schools are projected to pick up about two-thirds of this reduction.
DCPS is in the process of updating these forecasts, in part to reflect new assumptions about growth and demographics. The reality is that even if only 10 percent of the new homes projected for the District between now and 2025 included one school-aged child, there could be 5,000 new students. If the District can successfully rebuild its educational infrastructure and begin attracting families back to the city, the decline in enrollment could be reversed. Such uncertainty about the future suggests that the District approach the disposition of surplus public school facilities with great caution. Once a facility is gone, it is gone. Given the high cost and limited supply of land, the District should retain as many of its assets as possible, even if they are used for other uses in the short or mid-term. 1207.7
The reality is that some schools will continue to see declining enrollment, while others will see increases. For schools facing decline, it will be an ongoing struggle to provide diverse programs and attract quality teachers. For schools facing growth, measures will be needed to expand facilities and avoid overcrowding. As spatial mismatches between growth and capacity occur, boundary adjustments and grade realignments will be needed to distribute students more evenly. 1207.8
In the short-term, DCPS is already planning to consolidate school facilities and will be eliminating one million square feet of space by July 2007 and an additional two million square feet by July 2008. Recent modifications to District regulations make it clear that DCPS will retain surplus buildings to provide opportunities for Public Charter schools. The updated Facilities Master Plan provides additional direction on the use of excess space, responding to the priorities set by the 2006 Master Education Plan. One factor to be considered in the disposition of school land is that some of the school grounds were formally owned and maintained by the federal government. When their jurisdiction was transferred to District in 1973, the transfers were typically made for "recreational" purposes. Such use constraints must be considered as school properties are re-purposed. 1207.9
Policy EDU-1.5.1: Retention of Public Schools
Retain public school buildings in public ownership to the maximum extent feasible. This will put the District in a better position to respond to future demographic shifts, address long-term needs for public education and special education, and maintain the need for "swing space" which temporarily accommodates students during construction or renovation projects. 1207.10
Consistent with the DC Municipal Regulations, use the following priorities to determine the future use of schools that are deemed surplus and turned over to the Department of Real Estate Services:
Policy EDU-1.5.3: Long-Term Leases
Strongly encourage long-term leases instead of sales so that underutilized school sites and buildings can be retained in public ownership. This approach is necessary due the limited availability of District-owned land for public facility uses, and the need to retain such land to deliver quality public services and anticipate long-term changes in enrollment. 1207.12
Policy EDU-1.5.4: Preserving Sites Near Transit
Preserve school sites located near Metrorail and other locations well served by transit for educational use. 1207.13
Policy EDU-1.5.5: Adaptive Re-Use
In the event that DCPS facilities are surplused, provide a right of first refusal to public charter schools for use of the facilities, and, thereafter, if converted to non-school uses, require the new uses to be sensitive to neighborhood context and to mitigate impacts on parking, traffic, noise, and other quality-of-life factors. Provide for public review of potential new uses and ensure that any issues related to prior jurisdiction over the site by the federal government are addressed.
The provisions of Title 10, Part A of the DCMR accessible through this web interface are codification of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. As such, they do not represent the organic provisions adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia. The official version of the District Elements only appears as a hard copy volume of Title 10, Part A published pursuant to section 9 a of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1994, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1 -301.66)) . In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions accessible through this site and the provisions contained in the published version of Title 10, Part A, the provisions contained in the published version govern. A copy of the published District Elements is available www.planning.dc.gov.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10, r. 10-A1207