Information about DC’s schools and related matters
Changes A-Plenty Coming in School Year 2018-2019: At D.C. Public Schools (Pages 1-4), Board of Education (Pages 4-5), and in this newsletter (Page 6) Very Important update on chancellor search (Page 4)
Some of the changes at D. C. Public Schools:
Central Office Personnel
A search for a permanent chancellor began on June 28. In an email letter of July 23, Interim Chancellor Amanda Alexander named Dr. Melissa Kim as deputy chancellor of Social, Emotional, and Academic Development; Dr. Amy Maisterra– interim deputy chancellor for Innovations and Systems, and Charon P.W. Hines—Senior Advisor to the chancellor.
Rules and regulations
During the spring and into early summer DCPS conducted a process to review and update its policies on Attendance and Truancy, Student Promotion, Secondary Grading and Reporting and Graduation Requirements. They were all signed by interim Chancellor Alexander with a note that says they take the place of any previous policies and are effective August 13, 2018. They are very detailed and run six to eight pages long.
An overview of the process and link to the documents can all be found at https://dcps.dc.gov/page/graduation-excellence-engagement. There are forty-three pages of public comments filled with observations and suggestions.
According to LIMS, the Mayor sent a resolution to the Council for its approval of the rule changes on June 25. On July 26, the Committees of the Whole and Education held a joint roundtable on PR22-0935, “Truancy, Reporting, and Graduation of Students Approval Resolution of 2018.” Dr. Maisterra testified for DCPS. Many other changes were mentioned in the discussion including a “toolkit” that brings them all together available on the dcps.dc.gov homepage. The resolution was “deemed approved on August 11, 2018 without Council action.”
Schools
Tables below and on next page show all 116 D.C. Public Schools by Ward, NOT by feeder pattern, with new principals (NP), extended year schedules (EY), modernization construction starting or ending 2018 (MC), and 2018 PARCC scores in ELA and Math with gains of 2% in Levels 4 and 5 (2G).
Note on grade spans: Some ECs are PK 3-8, some are 6-12, and most MSs are grades 6-8. More information about grade spans and their variations can be found in the feeder pattern document.
School feeder patterns
Changes in the feeder patterns for SY 18-19 are shown in detail at https://dcps.dc.gov/publication/sy18-19-school-feeder-patterns and explain, for example, that Trusdell and Whittier have no sixth grade due to the creation of a new middle school in Ward 4 as part of the planning for Coolidge HS. The document also has a list of selective and city-wide high schools that require application through the school lottery, and lists five city-wide programs with an alternate enrollment/placement process that are not available on the lottery.
Very Important update on chancellor search
On August 14th, WUSA9 reported that a lawsuit has been filed alleging that the Mayor’s search does not comply with the law posing the risk of “imminent harm.” See https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/education/parent-files-lawsuit-against-dc-over-schools- chancellor-search-process/65-584184545 for their report.
November election will change State Board of Education members
Below are the current members and their terms as posted on www.sboe.dc.gov. Seats up for election or re-election are marked with an asterisk. Current members and terms of office: *
Ward 1–Laura Wilson Phalen, 2015-2018 Ward 2–Jack Jacobson, Vice-President, 2017-2020 *
Ward 3–Ruth Wattenberg, 2015-2018 Ward 4—Vacant, 2017-2020 (Due to resignation of Lannette Woodruff.) *
Ward 5–Mark Jones, 2015-2018 *
Ward 6–Joe Weedon, 2015-2018 Ward 7–Karen Williams, President, 2017-2020 Ward 8–Markus Batchelor, 2017-2020 At-Large–Ashley MacLeay, 2017-2020 (Elected in 2016 as Ashley Carter.) (The Ward 4 seat will be filled by special election. Officers are determined by Board members.)
Candidates on the ballot for November: Ward 1: Jason Andrean, Emily Gasol, Callie Koziak Ward 3: Ruth Wattenberg, Dora Currea Ward 5: Adrian Jordan, Bill Lewis, Zachary Parker Ward 6: Joe Weedon, Jessica Sutter (Information from Board of Elections as of August 14, 2018)
As one can see, two current members, Ms. Phalen and Mr. Jones, are not seeking re- election, while two, Ms. Wattenberg and Mr. Weedon, are. If neither of them is re-elected, the nine member Board will have five new members with the inclusion of Ward 4. If the two incumbents keep their seats there will be 3 new members. If only one does, there will be four. Whether by five, four or three, Board membership will change come January 2, 2019.
We hope to have more information about the candidates in coming issues.
Recent activity at the Board of Education Ombudsman’s resignation
On Friday, August 10, Joyanna Smith, who has served as DC’s public education Ombudsman for close to five years, sent out an email letter announcing her resignation. She wrote of some the accomplishments of the office stating that it had become “a venue for parents, students, and families to have a real voice in addressing systemic inequities…” and said she will be taking a position with Rocketship Charter Schools as its regional manager.
Student Representatives selected
On July 12, the Board selected two students from among 20 applicants to serve as the Student Representatives on the Board during the 2018-19 school year. They are Tatiana Robinson, a senior this year at Ballou High School serving for a second term, and Marjoury Alicea, a senior at Capital City Charter School. In addition to sitting with the Board at its public meetings, they will serve as co-chairs of the Board’s Student Advisory Committee composed of 16 students from both DCPS and charter schools.
Vote against OSSE’s proposed credit recovery regulations
The Alvarez and Marsal report on graduation irregularities last January prompted the Board to request that it and the Office of the State Superintendent, OSSE, work together to develop new rules or regulations that would be adopted through regular order—drafts published in the District Register giving notice to the public and providing the time and means for public response before the rules are finalized and become part of the DC Municipal Register, or DCMR, the “rules and regs” handbook that DC government agencies refer to for much of their day-to- day activity.
During Working Sessions in April and May, OSSE presented drafts that would have required the use of emergency rule making, a process with far less public comment, and would have been effective for 120 days after Board approval, while the regular order process continued at the same time, and both going on at the beginning of this school year.
On July 18, after it had heard public testimony in prior meetings, the Board voted against OSSE’s proposal and recommended that the office continue to work with the Board and others to develop credit recovery regulations that could go into effect for the 2019-2020 school year. Board member Jack Jacobson summed it up in these words, “Credit recovery can be very helpful…But the regulations presented to the Board would have created confusion for schools without providing any benefits to students.”
It can also be noted that both DCPS and the Charter School Board took actions on their own to clarify their credit recovery policies. The July 31 issue of the Board’s newsletter, The Takeaway, provides more on the subject including a link to the Charter School Board’s policy that was adopted in April.
Upcoming meetings Wednesday, September 5—Working Session Tuesday, September 11—ESSA Task Force meeting Thursday, September 20—Regular Monthly Meeting
Contact information www.sboe.dc.gov SBOE • 441 4th St. NW Suite 530S • WDC 20001• (202)741-0888 (TTY: 221) • sboe@dc.gov
Past and future Council hearings or roundtables of special note
We have not kept our eye on the Council’s Committee on Tax and Revenue as closely as we should, and therefore only recently became aware of a certain bill in that committee that could have a significant impact on public education, and other matters, in DC.
It is Bill 22-667, the “District of Columbia Education Charitable Donation Amendment Act of 2018.” According to the LIMS info on it, it was introduced on January 23 at the Council’s regular Tuesday legislative meeting by A-L member Elissa Silverman with R. White, Bonds, Allen, Grosso, Nadeau, and T. White as co-sponsors.
It proposes to do two things: to establish a District of Columbia Public Education Investment Fund, and allow those who contribute to it to receive a non- refundable income tax credit against their tax bill, arguing that it would result in an increase in DC’s tax revenue while decreasing the amount of income tax an individual owes.
It got a hearing on July 6, shortly before Council recess on July 15 and the Chief Financial Officer, Jeffrey Dewitt, presented a power point explanation of what its effects would be based on how many people participated, whether the credit was for 85% or 90% of the contribution and other variables, including how the bond rating agencies might see it.
There were two public witnesses—Ed Lazere, now back in his position at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute after campaigning for Council Chair in the June primary, and a gentleman who said that he and his wife live on their retirement income which has become more and more challenging as the cost of living in the city continues to rise. Both witnesses supported the bill.
The CFO’s testimony, including the power point presentation, can be found at www.cfo.dc.gov under Testimonies near the bottom of the home page.
Committee on Education to hold a roundtable on September 27
The purpose of the roundtable, according to www.davidgrosso.org is to confirm the appointment of two people to the Charter School Board—Lea Crusey and Iyon Rosario, and one to the Board of Library Trustees—Monte Monash. The resolutions to confirm these nominees will be considered at 10 am on Thursday, September 27 in Room 120 of the John A. Wilson Building. To testify, contact the committee at 202-724-8061 by September 25th.
Changes at Citizen Reader
We are considering winding up this project with our November issue to devote more time to supporting DCPS in different ways that might be more helpful than this newsletter. We have some ideas that we are looking into, and we will let you know when a final decision has been made about whether or not to continue and if so, how.
In the meantime, our next few issues will be focused less on facts and data type information and more on standing up for our democracy and democratically governed public schools.
Citizen Reader is a project of Livingview Communications—a citizens’ information service that is dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of democracy and the honor of all who have fought and died to equally participate in and protect it.
Sarah Livingston, Publisher & editor Contact ess.livingston@gmail.com with corrections, letters to the editor or request for email subscription. Thanks!
