For Immediate Release:
November 2, 2015
Contact: Darby Hickey
(202) 724-8105
D.C. Grosso Welcomes Process Changes on School Modernizations
Washington, D.C.--Today, the Committee on Education along with the Committee on Transportation and the Environment held a joint oversight roundtable on District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) modernizations. This followed the Committees' joint oversight roundtable on the topic on July 8, 2015, when the D.C. Auditor released her report on the lack of accountability and transparency within the DCPS modernization program in fiscal years 2010-2013.
"The updates provided today show that we are moving in the right direction with necessary reforms that will better manage expectations, budgets, and accountability," stated Grosso.
DCPS unveiled improvements to and greater control over the modernization process, and School Improvement Teams (SIT). DCPS laid out objectives to improve accountability and transparency, including through better defined responsibilities and roles for stakeholders; more structured communication throughout the process; and timely feedback. The Director of the Department of General Services (DGS) outlined changes to oversight and management of general design, cost estimates, and program and budget planning.
"This is a long process, and we can't change the system overnight. I am committed to ensuring that we have a school modernization process that is thoughtful, transparent, and achieves the maximum value for taxpayer money, while putting our students in the best position to learn," said Grosso. "I am encouraged by the changes announced today, but we must continue to pursue rigorous oversight to see that these system changes are effective. We should expect nothing less than having our schools modernized on-budget, on-time, and on-function."
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