Councilmember Vincent B. Orange
Press release on lack of funding for equipment at McKinley Technology High School
September 30, 2003

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CONGRESS SAYS NO TO DC MCKINLEY TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL

Should the DC voucher program proceed to the detriment of our state of the art technology campus?

September 30, 2003--In 1999, the children of the District of Columbia were promised a state of the art technology high school. The vision was developed and McKinley Tech was dubbed the location for the District's new state of the art technology campus with a capacity of 800 students at the high school.

The fifty million dollar facility is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2004. The plan is for 200 students in the ninth grade and 200 students in the tenth grade to open the technology high school in the fall of 2004. By 2006, the plan is to have 200 students in each grade level, ninth thru twelfth.

However, Congress has failed to provide the $7,000,000 for the technology equipment in the FY 2004 budget. "Thus, instead of providing a laptop computer on every desk, for every student, only the teacher will have a computer. In addition, the new state of the art broadcasting equipment and the information technology equipment will be nonexistent thanks to Congress and the proposed DC Voucher program" stated Councilmember Vincent B. Orange, Sr. (D. -Ward 5). 

Councilmember Orange says he is very disappointed that Mayor Williams, Councilmember Kevin Chavous and School Board President Peggy Cooper-Cafritz have failed to demand from Congress the additional funding. Congress is destroying five years of groundwork, blood, sweat and tears in the name of vouchers. Orange states that the technology campus is designed to operate like DC's academic high school, Benjamin Banneker. McKinley Technology Campus is another source of pride and excellence for the students, city and the nation. Like Banneker, McKinley will present an atmosphere where academic achievement, commitment and advancement are the norm. 

The refusal to fully fund McKinley reeks of hypocrisy by Congress and some DC elected officials. Orange states that the FY 2004 operating budget for McKinley had been set at $2,500,000. However, it has been cut to $1,800,000. Orange also states that there is a correlation between the $13, 000,000 for the voucher program and the $7,000,000 for McKinley. The 13 million dollars for the voucher program is designed to help 1300 to 1700 students, depending on whom you talk to, for five years. The seven million dollars for technology will help at least 800 DC students on an annual basis for a lifetime. Councilmember Orange raises the question, "should the voucher program proceed to the detriment of our state of the art technology campus? The city has made a 50 million dollar investment into, our pride and joy, state of the art, technology high school. Why must our children be left behind for a pilot voucher program? McKinley represents the 'here and now.' I say to Congress, Mayor Williams, Councilmember Chavous and School board President Cooper-Cafritz utilize the same vigor in fully funding and opening, on time in the fall of 2004, McKinley Technology Campus as promised to our children and the citizens of the District of Columbia."

McKinley Technology Campus includes Emory elementary school, Harry Thomas Sr. Recreation Center and Langley Middle School. The campus is being designed to track children from elementary school to high school. The campus would develop programs and pilots to successfully teach our children how to read independently by the end of the third grade. The campus would ensure that all students would master the fundamentals of reading, writing and mathematics. The campus must proceed with its mission.