D.C. Schools Facilities Chief Allen Lew won't release a master plan for school buildings until September, more than a year after the original deadline, members of his staff told The Examiner.

Initially Lew was charged with releasing the critical planning document at the start of the academic year — so the public and city officials would have a clear understanding of the cost analysis and schedules for school construction.

In the fall, Lew successfully extended his deadline until October 2007, when he officially took over the school facilities office, and then again to May 2008. Now he has delayed once more, meaning the final version of his master plan won't be available for three more months.

The plan is expected to give an enormous amount of detail about projects now under way and on plans to close, modernize and update deteriorating school buildings. Activists who follow school construction funds said the multiple delays were worrisome.

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“I’m very concerned that the DCPS capital budget has become a $200 million-per-year slush fund that the mayor can spend on whatever seems most pressing at the moment. We have no idea how many millions of modernization dollars have already been spent on other projects,” said former teacher Marc Borbely, who runs the oversight Web site fixourschools.net.

“The council said, in its school modernization legislation in March 2006, that no money can be spent until this long-term plan is developed. That was wise,” Borbely added. “We need Allen Lew to release a detailed timeline now... Otherwise, the council should shut off the flow of funds until there’s a detailed plan.” Tony Robinson, spokesman for the facilities office, said he could not release a draft of the plan for a number of weeks.

When that document is made public, Robinson added, community members will be able to weigh in.

dlevitz@dcexaminer.com