ERN DC Advocates for Mental Health Services in DC Schools

DC Council, Committee of the Whole
Budget Oversight Hearing

Sherri Daniels
Civic Leader
Education Reform Now DC

Honorable Chairman Mendelson and esteemed members of the Committee of the Whole, greetings. My name is Sherri Daniels, I am a proud resident of Ward 8 with a masters degree in psychology, a community caseworker, and a prominent civic leader for Education Reform Now DC. Today, I speak before you as someone who has experienced firsthand the critical importance of mental health services in our schools. As a DC native, my own journey to receiving mental health support began in high school, much like the students I serve today.

Growing up in the District, I experienced the adversities of becoming aware of and accessing the mental health services I desperately needed. It wasn’t until high school that I was introduced to a school clinician who, despite being overburdened and burnt out, inspired me to become a psychologist. This personal encounter underscored a persistent issue in our schools: the overwhelming workload placed on a single clinician is simply too much work for one person to manage effectively.

The connection between trauma and student engagement in DC highlights the importance of school-based behavioral health (SBBH) services for improving academic performance and overall well-being. However, the 2022 DC Health Matters assessment emphasizes the urgent need for workforce development, with a 21% average vacancy rate among DC Behavioral Health Association member organizations.

To address vacancy issues and our urgent need for workforce development, I implore the Committee of the Whole to take the following actions:

1. Increase funding for school-based behavioral health services to $3.45 million to ensure stable compensation per clinician.
2. Convene a hearing on B25-55, the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023.”

This bill will lower the financial barrier for people of color to enter a field that requires more clinicians with cultural competency. A 2020 report found that 22% of new social workers were Black/African American, and 14% were Hispanic/Latino.  Additionally, a 2016 community needs assessment conducted by the District of Columbia Healthy Communities Collaborative identified cultural competency as a priority need, for behavioral health specialists working with children in Wards 7 and 8.  Holding a public hearing would be a step in the right direction to address the District’s long-term
issues.

Our children’s mental health is a critical component of their overall well-being and academic success. By investing in the school based behavior health and supporting initiatives like the :Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023,” we can create a brighter future for every student in the District.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

ERN DC Testimony on the Mayor’s FY 2024 Budget Proposal

Jessica Giles
Executive Director
Education Reform Now D.C.

Committee of the Whole Budget Oversight Hearing:

● District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)
● Office of the State Superintendent of Education
● Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education
● District of Columbia Public Charter School Board
● D.C. State Board of Education
● Office of the Student Advocate
● Ombudsman for Education

Good morning Chairman Mendelson, members and staff of the Committee of the Whole. My name is Jessica Giles. I am a ward seven resident and the Executive Director of Education Reform Now D.C. (ERN D.C.). ERN D.C. is a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all students in Washington, D.C.

The Mayor’s FY 2024 proposed budget prioritizes public education, making it the second largest investment in local operating funds to a tune of nearly $4 billion. There are several investments that we urge the D.C. Council to maintain:

● 5.05% increase to the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) allows for a foundation level of $13,046 per student.
● 3.1% multi-year facilities allotment increase to provide charter schools with educationally appropriate buildings.
● $8M to sustain a multi-year investment in high-impact tutoring, an intervention that can produce dramatic gains in student learning.
● $9M for the Safe Passage Safe Blocks program. With gun violence at an all-time high, it is essential for the District to invest in strategies that will keep our school communities safe.
● A continued investment in restorative justice to allow for restoration, healing, and prevention when harm is caused.
● $17 million investments in Out of School (OST) Time programming to provide fun, safe, and enriching programs for our students, along with $5 million for My After School, $2.5 million for students with disabilities to more fully participate in OST, and $3.4 million for summer activities.
● $1.6M one-time funding to launch DC’s Education to Employment data project to help the District better understand how education programming sets DC students up for career success and ensures continuous career improvement.

Additionally, we would like to highlight three areas of concern:

I. Public charter schools will receive $187 million less than DCPS

DCPS and public charter schools must receive equal funding to provide all of our students with excellent services and support and attract and retain highly effective and diverse educators and school staff. However:

a. $39 million in proposed funding is directed to support DCPS outside of the per funding formula (ex. DCPS stabilization funding, Early Stages funding, and IMPACT bonuses). According to a recent poll, D.C. voters overwhelmingly support (71%) D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools receiving equal funding to support their students. See our press release  and poll here. 

b. $207 million will go to the Washington Teachers Union for their teachers, social workers, therapists, coaches, and other school personnel compared to the $59 million for the public charter school sector for teachers only. 431 (and counting) D.C. residents signed our petition  urging the Mayor and DC Council to provide an equivalent payment to public charter school educators for retropay and forward pay and for future salary increases to be sent to all public schools through the per-student funding formula.

When DCPS and the public charter sector are funded unequally, it sends a troubling message that our DCPS students matter more than our charter students. This funding
inequity is wrong, and the DC Council must make this right, including by ensuring payments are flexible and granted quickly and that future salary increases across both sectors are
reflected in the UPSFF.

II. No increase in investment in structured literacy training

Students have a right to read and we must set the expectation that all students will learn to read well and on grade level regardless of where in the city they live, what school they attend, and their ability or language-learning status. The reality, however, is that the percentage of students in the District of Columbia who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level was only 26 percent in 2022.  This percentage was smaller than that in 2019 (30 percent) and was greater than that in 1998 (10 percent)  . Black and Hispanic students are 69 and 60 points lower than white students, respectively.  The percentage of students in District of Columbia who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level was 22 percent in 2022.  This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2019 (23 percent) and was greater than that in 1998 (11 percent).

We know the science of reading can help make a significant difference in the lives of our students. Currently, OSSE is slated to spend nearly $20M in federal funding on literacy investments between fiscal year 2022-2024. The Mayor allocated $1 million to provide 530 teachers in DCPS and public charter schools with structured literacy training for an additional 1,500 spots. While we appreciate the investment, there are two concerns:

a. If we continue to go at this incredibly slow pace, it will take several years for the District to ensure all elementary school educators receive this critical training. We urge the Committee of the Whole to ask OSSE when does it expect all elementary school teachers will receive structured literacy training?
b. Literacy innovation is funded solely by federal dollars. What happens when this funding is no longer available?

We encourage the D.C. Council to set aside funds to ensure that the District’s commitment to providing all educators with structured literacy training does not falter.

III. No increase in investment in dual enrollment

Every student must graduate from high school and receives a high-quality, affordable college education or the work-based experience and credentials necessary to immediately earn a livable wage. The reality is 51% of students enroll into a two or four-year college. 35% of students with disabilities, 33% of ELL, 35% of students designated as At-Risk. 910 8 out of 100 9th grade students in SY 2011-12 completed an associates or bachelors degree by 2022. 11 OSSE not disaggregated this information.

Dual enrollment has a significant effect on 2-year and 4-year college enrollment, degree attainment, and early labor market earnings 6 years after high school, with stronger effects for students who are traditionally underrepresented.  The DC Council can help ensure students in every high school receive dual enrollment opportunities who want them by expanding the Bard Sequence in the District. The Bard Sequence allows students to earn transferable college credits across a variety of courses taught by college faculty trained in early college pedagogy at the high school. Currently, two high schools offer this to their students, and we could expand it to more school campuses. The District must guarantee families an affordable and high-quality pathway to a college degree for every student who wants one.

Thank you for allowing me to testify.

Barrie’s Testimony for DBH Budget Oversight Hearing

Rabiatu E Barrie, PhD
Civic Leader
Education Reform Now DC

Chairperson Christina Henderson and Committee on Health Members,

I am Dr. Rabiatu Barrie, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, and a civic leader for Education Reform Now DC. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. In this testimony, I will present actionable steps to enhance mental health services in DC Public Schools, supporting the overall well-being and success of our students.

Our primary asks are:

1. Ensure stable compensation per clinician in FY 2024
2. Ask the Committee of the Whole to hold a public hearing on the B25- 0055, the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023.”

We propose the following solution:
Increase funding for school-based behavioral health services to $5.7 million for FY 2024 to ensure stable compensation per clinician
The FY 2023 budget allotted $80,000 per clinician per school to place a community-based organization (CBO) clinician in each of DC’s 253 public schools. Due to staffing cost increases, DBH increased funds for CBOs by over 40%, to $99,000 per clinician per school in December 2022. However, CBOs are still facing challenges in recruiting and retaining clinicians due to a shortage of behavioral health care professionals in the District. We applaud DBH’s efforts and urge them to invest at least $5.7 million in the SBBH program to ensure stable compensation for partnering CBOs in fiscal year (FY) 2024.

We also recommend the following:

1. Ask the Committee of the Whole to hold a public hearing on the B25-0055, the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023.”

Community members and clinicians have been discussing this bill and believe that it is time to take action. Holding a hearing would be a step in the right direction to address the District’s long-term goals. Holding a public hearing will increase awareness of the proposed legislation among the general public and stakeholders, allow for a comprehensive discussion of these provisions, ensuring they are well-designed and effective in attracting and retaining students in this field, and help to ensure that mental health professionals better reflect the communities they serve.

By implementing these measures, the DC Council will send a strong message about its dedication to promoting mental and behavioral health in schools.

In conclusion, investing in school-based mental health services is vital for the well-being and success of our students. The proposed solution, supported by the DC Council’s commitment, can make a lasting positive impact on the lives of countless children and adolescents in the District of Columbia.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

DC Council, Committee on Health Budget Oversight Hearing

Minetre Martin
Organizing Manager
Education Reform Now DC

Chairperson Christina Henderson and Committee on Health Members,

My name is Minetre Martin, I have a bachelor of science in psychology, I am a former classroom teacher, a Ward 4 resident, and Organizing Manager for Education Reform Now DC (ERN DC). ERN DC is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization that advocates for a just and equitable public education system for all students in Washington, DC. Today, I am testifying to advocate for improved behavioral health resources in schools.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), in Washington, DC, suicide is among the leading causes of death for youth ages 10-24,[1]predominantly affecting Black youth.[2]

To put more detailed data into perspective, Let’s take a moment to imagine a classroom of 25 high school students in Washington, D.C. Among these students,

1. About 13-14 of them, which is more than half of the classroom, would have experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness or seriously considered attempting suicide, according to a recent survey.[3]

2. Approximately 2 students in this classroom would have witnessed or experienced violence, reflecting the 7.4% rate in DC, which is nearly double the national average of 3.8%.[4]
3. If the students come from low-income households, the number of those who have witnessed or experienced violence would increase to around 3-4 students, reflecting the 14% rate, more than twice the national average of 6.8%.[5]
4. Among LGBTQ+ students they would have twice the likelihood of reported suicidal thoughts, compared to heterosexual students, showing that LGBTQ+ youth are at a significantly higher risk.[6]

Alarmingly, one of those students could be your child, your child’s friend, your neighbor, or in my case, a former student.

These numbers demand that we prioritize the emotional and mental well-being of our children. Our youth face challenges deeply rooted in their development, and childhood trauma can profoundly impact their growth into adulthood. Yet, we are shocked that only 8 out of 100 9th graders in DC will complete postsecondary education within six years after high school.[7]

According to the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) school-based behavioral health services have the highest utilization with 26,681 individuals served. We applaud the Mayor for not cutting school-based behavioral health services during a fiscally challenging year. However, the Mayor only proposed a $113,000 increase, which we know is not sufficient to meet the needs of all of our students. What is the
strategy for improving the pipeline of clinicians?

To improve mental health support in our schools, I ask this committee to consider the following budget
request and suggestions:

Increase funding for school-based behavioral health services to $5.7 million for FY 2024 to ensure stable compensation per clinician

The FY 2023 budget allotted $80,000 per clinician per school to place a community-based organization (CBO) clinician in each of DC’s 253 public schools. Due to staffing cost increases, DBH increased funds for CBOs by over 40%, to $99,000 per clinician per school in December 2022. However, CBOs are still facing challenges in recruiting and retaining clinicians due to a shortage of behavioral health care professionals in the District. We applaud DBH’s efforts and urge them to invest at least $5.7 million in the SBBH program to ensure stable compensation for partnering CBOs in fiscal year (FY) 2024.

We also recommend the following:

1. Ask the Committee of the Whole to hold a public hearing on the B25-0055, the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023.”

Community members have been discussing this bill and believe that it is time to take action. Holding a hearing would be a step in the right direction to address the District’s long-term goals. Holding a public hearing will increase awareness of the proposed legislation among the general public and stakeholders, allow for a comprehensive discussion of these provisions, ensuring they are well-designed and effective in attracting and retaining students in this field, and help to ensure that mental health professionals better reflect the communities they serve.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[1]American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (2021). District of Columbia: Suicide and mental health fact sheet.
[2]American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2022). AACAP Policy Statement: Increased suicide among Black youth
in the United States.
[3]Office of the State Superintendent of Education. (2019). 2019 District of Columbia Youth Risk Behavior Survey: High School
and Middle School Reports. Retrieved from https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/2019%20DC%20YRBS%20Report.pdf
[4]Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. 2020-2021 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) data query. Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Retrieved January 8, 2023, from https://www.childhealthdata.org/browse/survey/results?q=9535&r=10
[5] Ibid
[6] Suicide risk among LGBTQIA students in Washington D.C.: Office of the State Superintendent of Education. (2019). LGBTQ Student Report. Retrieved from https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/page_content/attachments/LGBTQ%20Student%20Report%20FINAL.pdf
[7]DC Policy Center. (2022, October 27). Schools 2021-2022: How DC students, teachers, and parents are faring. Retrieved from https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/schools-21-22/

Testimony for March DC State Board of Education Meeting

March 15, 2023 Public Meeting

Jessica Giles
Executive Director
Education Reform Now D.C.

Greetings Executive Director Butler, Representatives, and staff of the D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE), my name is Jessica Giles. I am a ward seven resident and the Executive Director of Education Reform Now D.C. (ERN DC). ERN D.C. is a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all students in Washington, D.C. I am submitting my testimony for the March 15 public meeting, as I strongly oppose this report and underlying resolution for many reasons and urge State Board members to vote NO.

I. The Governance survey is not a representative sample of D.C.
According to the report, 1,132 community members completed the education governance survey, yet the respondents were not representative of the District’s population. The State Board of Education must always prioritize the voices of marginalized and underserved communities.

For example:

Survey ParticipantsD.C. Residents73% of respondents represented DCPS54% of public students attend DCPS29% of respondents live in Ward 3Ward 3 has 6% of public school enrollment56% of respondents are white42% of DC residents are white

Ironically, takeaway #4 states that “students, educators, and parent/caregivers’ voices need a more streamlined approach to communication, more opportunities to give feedback, and greater transparency for how that feedback is utilized.” Yet, the State Board of Education missed an opportunity to accomplish this goal when targeting who filled out survey responses. It is unclear if the survey participants represented students, educators, and school-based leaders, as the report did not mention these demographics.

II. The feasibility scores fails to explicitly consider how education outcomes for students furthest from opportunity would be improved by the adoption or omission of each recommendation.

The State Board of Education’s adoption of an equity statement/framework is laudable. Still, it appears the agency neglected to utilize this framework in the “evaluating and filtering” of these proposals. I am concerned that the opportunity gaps that persist in public education will remain for Black/African American, English Learners, Hispanic/Latino, and students designated as “at risk” as it appears from this report that their outcomes were never really considered in the first place. A prime example is none of the recommendations explicitly relate back to takeaway #6, which includes “issues that need to be immediately addressed by the education system in D.C.” or fully relate to takeaway #8, outcomes-based areas that should be focused on.

III. Some recommendations and exploratory topics would be overly bureaucratic and ultimately unnecessary 

A.  Authorizing the State Board to initiate and amend policies; affording the State Board with a “great weight” requirement in all government agency decisions that impact schools, students, and education stakeholders; 

a. While well-intentioned, I am concerned that these recommendations will slow down our public education system, making system-level change and innovation less likely to occur. I can imagine situations where the State Board and OSSE are at odds, subjecting every decision to a vote. With half the State Board members up for election every two years, and the Board holding a leadership election every year, its agenda and focus could change drastically. I am also concerned that the State Board’s recommendations would make our public education system process much more complicated, moving the District further away from takeaway #1 which is aimed at providing more clarity.

B. The State Board approves the opening, closing, and siting of schools. 

a. The stated reason for including this recommendation is “There is currently no District-wide body that considers the implications of a school opening, closing, or siting on other school communities/dynamics, particularly across sectors.” The Deputy Mayor for Education currently has the EdScape tool for the public, the Public Charter School Board is the sole authorizer of public charter schools, where that authority should remain, because it already has a rigorous process by which charters applications are considered, renewed, and/or discontinued.

C. Exploratory topics:

a. Expansion of the State Board’s role to include appointing the State Superintendent of Education, with confirmation from the D.C. Council. 

i. The Mayor is best positioned to recruit qualified candidates to be the State Superintendent of Education. The Office of the Mayor has the power to open doors and to pay a good salary. How would making this change transform outcomes for students furthest from opportunity?

b. Creating a structure independent of DCPS that would hear termination appeals from teachers and principals who believe they were terminated because of their views on school and system practices.

i. This seems best suited for the grievance process and it appears to be outside of the scope of the State Board of Education.

One area that I enthusiastically support is creating one website where caretakers and families can find answers to all their questions and helpful resources to navigate care, education, and postgraduate career and college opportunities for youth 24 years old and younger. This website should connect all of the currently existing websites (DCPS, PCSB, OSSE, DME, Special Education Hub, My School DC, DC Report Card, etc. ) and fold into the operations of the Ombudsman and Student Advocate.

Thank you for allowing me to testify. I have included at the bottom a list of ways the State Board of Education can help improve student outcomes.
————————————————————————————————————————

IMPROVING READING PROFICIENCY

Our Vision:
All students reading at grade level by third grade regardless of where in the city they live, what school they attend, and their ability or language-learning status.

Reality:
4th grade reading: The percentage of students in District of Columbia who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level was 26 percent in 2022. This percentage was smaller than that in 2019 (30 percent) and was greater than that in 1998 (10 percent). Black and Hispanic students are 69 and 60 points lower than white students, respectively. 

8th grade reading: The percentage of students in District of Columbia who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level was 22 percent in 2022. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2019 (23 percent) and was greater than that in 1998 (11 percent). 

Recommendation:
Require all elementary educators to receive free & accessible structured literacy training with incentives to strengthen how educators teach reading. How will the State Board ensure that teacher preparation programs offer this training?

IMPROVING COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND COMPLETION

Our Vision:
Every student graduates from high school and receives a high-quality, affordable college education and the work-based experience and credentials necessary to immediately earn a livable wage.

Reality:
Graduation: 75% of students graduated from high school within four years. 58% of students with disabilities, 54% of ELL, 63% of students designated as At-Risk. 

College Enrollment: 51% of students enroll into a two or four-year college. 35% of students with disabilities, 33% of ELL, 35% of students designated as At-Risk. 

College Completion: 18 out of 100 9th grade students in SY 2011-12 completed an associates or bachelors degree by 2022. OSSE has not disaggregated this information.

Recommendation:
Deepen and expand dual enrollment opportunities for students furthest from opportunity. The State Board can put pressure on the Office of the State Superintendent of Education and the Deputy Mayor for Education to change graduation requirements so more students can take advantage of these opportunities.

IMPROVING SHARING OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS

Our Vision:
Equip all families with timely, relevant, easily understandable, and actionable information about assessments. 

Reality:
Many LEAs do not consistently provide assessment results and grades to families. Families must be treated as a valuable partner in ensuring accountability in public education. For the last two election cycles, the D.C. Board of Elections ensured every registered D.C. voter received their ballot before the election, and provided detailed instructions on how to vote by mail, drop box, or in person. There is no reason why we can’t apply this same strategy and practice in public education to all assessments, including PARCC, MAP, iReady, and DIBELS. 

Recommendation:
Require sharing of student assessments with families in a way that is accessible, comprehensible, and actionable for all families.

CREATING FINANCIAL LITERACY STANDARDS

Our Vision:
All students receive training on how to become financially literate.

Reality:
D.C. does not require students to learn personal financial literacy skills. Personal financial literacy teaches essential concepts like saving, investing, debt, budgeting, setting short- and long-term financial goals, and money management. These are integral to the financial well-being of students. The Colorado Department of Education summarizes personal financial literacy as the following “[it] applies the economic way of thinking to help individuals understand how to manage their scarce resources using a logical decision-making process of prioritization based on analysis of the costs and benefits of every choice.” Currently, ten states offer financial literacy as a part of the social studies standards, and the District should do the same at every appropriate grade level. It’s a shame that students will learn about the Global Economy but not how to manage their budget, which is a vital life skill.

Recommendation:
Put pressure on OSSE to create financial literacy standards.

Testimony for February DC State Board of Education Public Meeting

February 15, 2023 Public Meeting
Jessica Giles
Executive Director
Education Reform Now D.C.

Greetings Executive Director Butler, Representatives, and staff of the D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE), my name is Jessica Giles. I am a ward seven resident and the Executive Director of Education Reform Now D.C. (ERN DC). ERN D.C. is a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all students in Washington, D.C. I am pleased to submit my written testimony for the February 15 public meeting.

There are several ways for the Social Studies standards to be strengthened.[1][2]=

1. Include financial literacy as a critical content area within the Social Studies standards.

D.C. does not require students to learn personal financial literacy skills.[3] Personal financial literacy teaches essential concepts like saving, investing, debt, budgeting, setting short- and long-term financial goals, and money management. These are integral to the financial well-being of students. The Colorado Department of Education summarizes personal financial literacy as the following “[it] applies the economic way of thinking to help individuals understand how to manage their scarce resources using a logical decision-making process of prioritization based on analysis of the costs and benefits of every choice.”[4] Currently, ten states[5] offer financial literacy as a part of the social studies standards, and the District should do the same at every appropriate grade level. It’s a shame that students will learn about the Global Economy but not how to manage their budget, which is a vital life skill.

2. Provide more clarity on how teachers implement the Social Studies standards in practice.

Currently, the Social Studies standards provide little guidance on how teachers might implement the standards. I recommend adding a section under each grade level that includes context for interpreting, connecting, and applying the content and skills of each standard. Some states already have this essential information in their standards, including California (with a narrative description)[6] and Colorado[7] (through Academic Context and Connections).

3. Review the Social Studies Standards to ensure ample opportunities for students to receive dual high school and college credit.

The District must make higher education quality, affordability, and opportunity an absolute priority for our students furthest from opportunity. Therefore, OSSE should take every measure to ensure the updated Social Studies standards allow for dual high school credit and college credit with the institutions of Higher Education (IHE) the District currently has partnerships with and even future ones.

4. Include important context to various sections within the standards.

I would be remiss if I did not mention how shameful it was for the College Board to water down the AP African American Studies.[8] I encourage the SBOE to ensure that African Americans’ history, culture, and contributions are taught to students in full and unfiltered by including (where appropriate ) such topics as womanism, intersectionality, Black queer studies, and reparations in the Social Studies standards. I recommend a few areas below.

Include: Georgetown University and the Maryland Jesuit’s history of “selling” more than 272 enslaved African Americans in 1838 and other documented institutional wealth accumulation from chattel slavery.

●      DC.Hist.DHC.8 Evaluate the geographic, economic, and political factors that resulted in the location and design of the nation’s capital, including the role of slavery; or

●      3.Geo.HC.19 Describe the lives, experiences, culture, and communities of free and enslaved Black Americans in the Chesapeake Bay region during the 18thcentury.

Include: Black, Chicana, and Asian American feminist scholars and thought leaders such as Alice Walker, Audre Lorde, Dolores Huerta, Angela Davis, and Yuri Kochiyama.

●      US2.Inq.DP.65 Analyze the writings of different perspectives of the Women’s

liberation movement from women from diverse backgrounds, such as, but not limited to, Gloria Steinem, Elaine Brown, Phyllis Schlafly, and Gloria Anzaldúa

Include: Movements against police brutality.

●      5.Hist.DHC.52 Evaluate the impact and influence of historical movements on modern social movements and organizations.

●      US2.Civ.CE.72 Evaluate the tactics of modern social, labor, political, and environmental activist movements in America, measuring their success.

Further, I encourage the SBOE to take action to improve transparency in AP data and exam passage rates. I testified about a few issues, and provided solutions in my testimony before the D.C. Council on this issue last September. [9]

Lastly, I recommend that the D.C. State Board of Education and OSSE review education standards every ten years, at the minimum. Thank you for allowing me to testify.

 ——————————————————————————————————–

[1] I have already submitted my public comment to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).

[2] I have a B.A. in History from Furman University and a Master in Public Policy from American University, if a helpful reference point for my public comment.

[3] Seven schools currently offer financial literacy as a course, and 10 city schools offer an Algebra class that includes similar concepts. Source: https://wtop.com/education/2022/06/school-zone-how-financial-literacy-is-making-its-way-into-dc-area-school-curricula/

[4] Pg 6  Colorado Department of Education. Social Studies Standards https://www.cde.state.co.us/cosocialstudies/cas-ss-p12-2022

[5] Civics Alliance. https://civicsalliance.org/financial-literacy/#:~:text=Five%20states%20offer%20a%20standardized,stand%2Dalone%20personal%20finance%20course.&text=States%20with%20stand%2Dalone%20personal,approach%20to%20financial%20literacy%20education.

[6] California Department of Education. https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/hs/cf/documents/hssfwchapter4.pdf

[7] Colorado Department of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/cosocialstudies/cas-ss-p12-2022

[8] February 9, 2023. The New York Times. “The College Board Strips Down Its A.P. Curriculum for African American Studies” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/01/us/college-board-advanced-placement-african-american-studies.html

[9] The Committee of the Whole Public Hearing on: B24-0665 – Access to Advanced Placement Exams Amendment Act of 2022. https://edreformnow.org/2022/09/27/ern-dc-testifies-on-the-access-to-advanced-placement-exams-amendment-act-of-2022/

Committee of the Whole Performance Oversight Hearing: Literacy and the NAEP and PARCC Assessments

Jessica Giles

State Director

Education Reform Now D.C.

December 7, 2022

Good afternoon Chairman Mendelson, members, and staff of the Committee of the Whole; my name is Jessica Giles. I am a Ward Seven resident and the State Director of Education Reform Now D.C., a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all D.C. students. With limited time here, I am providing testimony on improving PARCC, NAEP, and academic achievement in the District of Columbia. My colleague Joshua Hodge will recommend ways to improve literacy.

D.C. NEEDS A BOLD VISION FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE. Either we believe all students can learn, and we set high standards for them, and schools, or we do not, and we keep getting the same results – or worse – year after year. A bold vision for educational excellence means the District must:

1. Assess student learning across the District of Columbia;

2. Equip families with timely, relevant, easily understandable, and actionable information about these assessments; and

3. Hold our schools accountable for ensuring every student receives a high-quality education.

(FIRST) We must assess student learning across the District of Columbia. Why is the PARCC and NAEP exam important?

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam provides key information about how D.C. students are performing against grade-level academic standards. The PARCC exam is specifically designed to measure whether D.C. students are reading and doing math on grade level, and it is the only assessment we have to compare the academic achievement of students across D.C. Public Schools and public charter schools. Knowing how students are performing toward grade-level standards helps everyone understand where schools and students are excelling, and where they are not so we can identify struggling schools and drive additional support to them. The PARCC exam can also give families a fuller understanding of their child’s academic performance beyond grades which is critical for ensuring students are on track for graduation, identifying potential areas for growth, and advocating for any needed academic supports.

On the otherhand, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the Nation’s report card, is the largest continuing and nationally representative exam. It is considered the “gold standard” of exams because it provides “high level of academic rigor” and acts as a “neutral referee” in comparing states to one another.More often than not, states vary widely in how closely their proficiency rates on state tests track with those on NAEP. This is called the “honesty gap.” D.C. has a very small honesty gap, which is a good sign of academic rigor. For example in 4th grade reading, there is a 4% honesty gap (PARCC – 30%, NAEP 26%). Only two states have a smaller honesty gap.2In 4th grade math, D.C. has a 1% honesty gap. Only one other state has a smaller honesty gap, at zero.3

(SECOND) We must equip families with timely, relevant, easily understandable, and actionable information about these assessments. 

How can OSSE ensure the PARCC exam is timely and relevant?

While the PARCC exam is not designed to directly influence educators’ daily practice, the District can provide initial results sooner to schools, district leaders, and educators in early summer to allow results to influence plans for the coming year. Parents need scores early so they can advocate for their learners. For example, when parents receive comparable statewide data earlier it allows them the opportunity to evaluate whether or not their student is being served which could lead to school choice decisions or early advocacy with new classroom teachers.

How can OSSE release data earlier?

If D.C. is considering revisiting RFP language or is open to a contract amendment following the RFP decision, the following should be included:

• Test earlier. OSSE administered the PARCC exam in April/May this year. D.C. could commit to testing earlier (a few weeks) to ensure reports come back before the end of the year. Design decisions can be made to where schools volunteer for early testing so initial analyses for the review process can be run with a sample to speed up that part of the process.

• Ensure timeliness of reports. This can be assigned points and prioritized through the overall weight of the points in the RFP scoring process. Any time after August should be seen as unacceptable. Vendor penalties can be written into the contract to double down on prioritizing the timeliness of reports.

• Compile school accountability results later in the process. Multiple states wait to publicly release data until they’ve compiled school accountability results, but this is a policy decision that adds more time between testing and parents getting results.

How can OSSE ensure the PARCC exam results are accessible and actionable?

Currently, it is unclear if families are receiving their PARCC exam results, and if they are it is also unclear whether they are given guidance to understand what the results mean or take action on them. OSSE must proactively release PARCC exam results to every family, and provide resources to families for understanding their child’s score and what to do about it. For the last two election cycles, the D.C. Board of Elections ensured every registered D.C. voter received their ballot before the election, and provided detailed instructions on how to vote by mail, drop box, or in person. There is no reason why we can’t apply this same strategy and practice in public education to all assessments, including MAP, iReady, and DIBELS. 

(THIRD) We must hold our schools accountable for ensuring every student receives a high-quality education. 

Student PARCC and NAEP scores plummeted in English Language Arts/Reading and Math and opportunity gaps widened.45 Much of this decline was predicted due to the pandemic. Still, there were schools who made leaps and those who sunk.

1. The District needs to share lessons-learned from the pandemic6 and transparently scale solutions for schools that are struggling.

2. Deepen engagement with families to improve student attendance. 3. Implement a city-wide plan that eliminates systemic inequities for students with disabilities.

3. Require all K-5 educators to be trained in the science of reading.

Educational excellence requires political courage, the innate belief that every student can learn, and the commitment to treat parents as partners. Only then will we be able to ensure students can reach their full potential in the District of Columbia.

DC Council, Committee of the Whole Public Oversight Hearing on Attendance, Chronic Absenteeism, and Truancy in the District

DC Council, Committee of the Whole 

Public Oversight Hearing

Attendance, Chronic Absenteeism, and Truancy in the District 

Community Organizer, Minetre Martin

Education Reform Now DC 

Good afternoon Chairman Mendelson, Councilmembers, and staff of the Committee of the Whole. My name is Minetre Martin. I am a ward four resident, former classroom teacher, and a Community Organizer for Education Reform Now DC. (“ERN DC”). ERN D.C. is a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all students.

Recent attendance data has shown an increase in chronic absenteeism since the pandemic. Though the increase was primarily due to excused absences related to Covid, areas that were present pre-pandemic still persist. For example, middle school students, high school students, students designated as at-risk, and students of color still show high rates of chronic absenteeism. Additionally, the Office of State Superintendent’s (OSSE) teacher and principal retention report highlights the correlation between school leadership and student attendance.

These reports are devastating and based on conversations with parents, students, and community advocates, I can attest to the impact of this data. In my previous testimony, I recounted the story of one parent who was reported to (CFSA) the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) after a substitute teacher confused their child with another student. Additionally, a second parent disclosed to me the trauma their child experienced around attendance after being attacked by a group of students, first on school grounds and later after being followed to their residence. A third parent reported that their child was terrified of the behaviors of students experiencing mental health issues. In a more recent conversation, a student at a public school in D.C. affirmed that the school environment, mental health issues, the absence of teachers, and students’ behavior make getting up for school more difficult. Attendance advocates also pointed out the lack of resource allocation for 7th and 8th grade students and families, which has often resulted in students dropping out by 9th grade. None of these stories are okay. We all have a duty to be relentless in maintaining families’ trust and that includes keeping students safe and in school.

How are we addressing this data? 

As a community, under the guidance of the Deputy Mayor or Education (DM), OSSE, and the State Board of Education (SBOE), and partner programs, we have worked to shift from the “80/20 rule” to the “60/40 rule,“, improved safe passage for students, fund programs to provide technology that nudges schools and parents about their child’s attendance, and more.  But we must not stop there. We must ask: How can we make school more meaningful for students? We offer one overarching solution and four ways to achieve that goal.

Reimagine how we make school more joyful and meaningful for students

Recently, two 8th-grade students, an attendance counselor, and a community partner coordinator were individually interviewed by me about attendance. One student had nearly perfect attendance while the other student’s attendance was unsatisfactory prior to this school year. When asked what the one thing that motivated them to attend school was, they both stated “knowing the importance of education and the role it plays in my future.” Additionally, both adults said their most effective conversations were about why school attendance was important for the students’ future. 

Based on students, parents, and educators, we believe that helping students comprehend the significance of education in their life is the first step to making school more joyful and meaningful. 

 Achieving the Goal 

• Continuing to aggressively invest in safe passage and other safety efforts 

On Tuesday, November 28, 2022, Jakhi Snider became the 18th person under 18 to be shot and killed in D.C. this year. Additionally, since 2020, the number of youth suffering from car incidents have increased as well. We can no longer wait for another child to die while waiting for the D.C. Council to take action. The time is now, and we strongly urge you all to take aggressive action towards investing in safe passage effort. A good first step would be to approve amendments to the Safe Routes to School Act.

• Address the mental health crisis

Investment in the Behavioral Health’s school-based behavioral health program (SBBH) is as important as ever, as the behavioral health crisis our children are experiencing continues to grow. In D.C., the rates of children and teens with anxiety or depression in 2020 were the highest in the previous five years of data (11.7% children). Among D.C. high schoolers, 17% reported a suicide attempt, compared to about 7.4% nationally. As of 2020, 48.7% of D.C. youth with Major Depressive Disorder (MDE) did not receive mental health services.

To increase attendance rates, we must prioritize students’ mental health challenges and social and emotional needs. With investments that raise the at-risk weight of the uniform per student funding formula, schools are better situated to provide critical services that increase their capacity for supporting students with chronic absenteeism. To ensure every school has a clinician, the D.C. Council should continue to invest in the SBBH program to:

• Build a pipeline of mental health providers. 

• Maintain stable funding for SBBH, including robust grants to Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) – adjusted for inflation – so that every school has a clinician;

• Expand information-sharing and family engagement efforts by directing DC education agencies and LEAs to make the implementation of SBBH a top priority and providing any necessary resources; and

• Ensure inclusive and actionable data collection and program evaluation by providing the resources needed to bring all stakeholders into these processes.

• Take advantage of the multimillion-dollar investment from XQ-DC Institute to reimagine high school and to help improve attendance

In SY 23-24, XQ-DC will be partnering with two schools in D.C. to help them dream big about what high school could be, turn their innovative ideas into action, and create a more rigorous and equitable school. It would be unfortunate if we didn’t take advantage of this opportunity to prioritize what attendance could look like at all schools in the District. XQ mentions in a number of articles that school attendance has been a major factor in remaining high school. We highly recommend Chancellor Ferebee use this opportunity to ensure that our two pilot schools prioritize improving attendance in their plans.

• Consider incentivizing 7th and 8th students financially for attending class and doing well in school.

Education is the primary work of young people. DC has tried many strategies to increase school attendance, but incentivizing students had not been considered as a quality solution.  

​​In 2008, D.C. paid 6th-8th grade students for a combination of attendance, behavior, and academics through private funding via participation in a study from Allan and Fryer (2011). The intervention distributed $3.8M in D.C., paying students up to $100 every two weeks, or up to $1500 for the year. While the intervention in D.C. was not associated with statistically significant gains on the state assessment, it was successful in getting students to school. After many disruptions in school, D.C. may want to explore incentivizing students and families in DC in raising attendance at a critical time of year.

While there are several ways we can continue to improve attendance, we believe that reimagining how to make school more meaningful again will move us all closer to closing the attendance, and eventually the opportunity gap. 

My previous testimony related to school attendance can be found here. Thank you for your time and consideration.

B24-355, “Statewide Data Warehouse Amendment Act of 2021” & Teacher and Principal Turnover vs. Retention in the District’s Public Schools

Minetre Martin

Community Organizer 

Education Reform Now DC

October 25, 2022

Committee of the Whole Public Hearing:

Good afternoon Chairman Mendelson, Councilmembers, and staff of the Committee of the Whole. My name is Minetre Martin. I am a ward four resident, former classroom teacher, and a Community Organizer for Education Reform Now DC (“ERN DC”). ERN DC is a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all students in the District of Columbia.

As a former classroom educator, teacher and principal retention is a very important topic for me. Because the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) published a comprehensive Teacher Workforce Report in May, I believe we must use this time to understand this data to advance solutions where needed. 

Overall facts about numbers of teachers and principals

• In the 2021-22 school year, the District of Columbia reported 251 schools in 70 local education agencies (LEAs). These LEAs employ 8,669 teachers, 219 principals, and 7,391 other school-based staff (190 school counselors, 737 special education support staff, and 6,464 other school-based staff) that serve 93,934 students.

• In the 2021-22 school year, 74 percent of teachers and 81 percent of principals were retained as teachers and principals in the same school at which they taught in the 2020-21 school year; 88 percent of teachers were retained, and 92 percent of principals were retained in DC altogether.

• Districtwide, the education system supports and retains teachers who are deemed effective by their employer at considerably higher rates than ineffective teachers.

Top reasons why teachers leave

1. Lack of professional support from administration to address challenges (30.3%)

2. Lack of respect from school and/or LEA administration (28.6%)

3. General workload too great/overburdened (28.6%)

4. Dislike reliance on teacher evaluation systems (25.0%)

5. Not enough resources for discipline/behavioral issues with students (24.1%)

While many of the critical levers to improve teacher and principal retention lie at the local education agency (LEA) level. There are three key ways that the D.C. Council can help ensure the District has effective principals and teachers over the long-term.

• Ensure we have a diverse pipeline of highly-effective teachers. 

The District must think creatively about how we incentivize students to become effective teachers and principals. Recently, the D.C. Council passed into law the Budget Support Act of 2021, which included the subtitle “Teacher Preparation Pipeline.” to ensure the District has a “Grow Your Own Teacher Preparation Support Program.” Now that it has been a full year since its passage, I urge the D.C. Council to follow-up on this program to ensure it is moving forward as envisioned. 

Teachers who live or were born and raised in the District or who lived in their school community taught me the most about the students and families I served. They were a major reason why many of us stayed. Better relationships between teachers and students lead to better learning, and those relationships are easier to develop when teachers know their students’ neighborhoods, which brings me to my next recommendation. 

• Continue to create affordable housing options for all educators and school staff in the District of Columbia

It is increasingly expensive for educators and school staff to live in the District of Columbia. In fact, over half of our educators live in Maryland or Virginia. The District should continue to create affordable housing options for all educators and school staff.

Recently, the D.C. Council amended the First Responder grant in the Employer-Assisted Housing Program (EAHP) so that all DCPS and charter school educators are eligible. However, during this process, the D.C. Council removed eligibility for charter school employees to participate in the underlying EAHP program. All school staff are vital to the operations of schools, so they should be eligible for the EAHP program as well, particularly because they are often paid the least. 

• Offer free structured literacy training to all K-5 educators. 

Policymakers must support a citywide literacy intervention based on the science of reading to provide educators with a deeper understanding of how students learn to read. With 74% of D.C. students not proficient in reading by fourth grade, according to the 2022 NAEP scores, the District has a responsibility to ensure all teachers are supported during these unprecedented times that have exacerbated deficits and offset our mission to ensure students are proficient in reading. We applaud the D.C. Council for passing into law the Structured Literacy Training Action Plan in the Budget Support Act of 2022. We still have work to do to ensure this expansion happens effectively. 

As the District invests in teacher and principal recruitment and retention efforts, we hope the D.C. Council will work to ensure there is a diverse teacher pipeline development system, all staff can live where they serve, and that all k-5 educators are supported through free structured literacy training.

Bill 24-355, “Statewide Data Warehouse Amendment Act of 2021

We applaud the State Board for endeavoring to strengthen our data warehouse and pushing for more transparency of teacher retention data. However, we believe the legislation under consideration is unnecessary and presents a few issues. OSSE already collects much of this data and makes it available to the public. Annual collection of existing teacher data is challenging to collect and would cause a burden. Unique teacher identifier information should be kept for internal purposes for privacy reasons. Lastly, the State Board already has access to government officials, documents, and data. 

Thank you for allowing me to testify today. I welcome any questions you may have.

Student Service Hours – D.C. State Board Of Education October Monthly Meeting

Joshua Hodge

Policy and Communications Manager 

Education Reform Now DC

October 25, 2022 

Thank you President Sutter, Vice President Thompson, and Representatives of the D.C. State Board of Education. My name is Joshua Hodge, and I am a Ward 6 resident and public education advocate. I am submitting this written testimony on behalf of Education Reform Now D.C. (ERN D.C.) on the proposed changes to the high school student service hours requirement for all D.C. public school students. For those who may be unfamiliar with our work, ERN D.C. is a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system in Washington, D.C. 

Currently, students are required to complete 100 hours of volunteer community service to graduate. The local education agency establishes the specific community service projects as well. During the pandemic, these service hours were waived. Now, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) proposes the hours be gradually increased in increments of 25 over the next four years back to 100 hours, from 25 in 2023 to 100 service hours in 2026, and to allow additional flexibility for transfer students. 

While we welcome a change to the student service hours requirement, we believe that OSSE’s proposal can be strengthened to better meet the needs of our students. We recommend capping the total number of hours required for graduation from 100 to 50 and allowing students to earn compensation for the service hours they work, and reimagining how students spend their time.

Cap the number of service hours to 50

The current number of service hours required is far too many for students, as some stakeholders have shared. With current Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) data showing a steep decline in English Language Arts and math scores this additional time could be spent on studying, participating in high-impact tutoring, or preparing for life after high school. Recent data from EmpowerK12 shows that “students designated as “at-risk” were an average of 15-18 instructional months behind pre-pandemic national averages, and more affluent students were only 4-5 instructional months behind.” They predict that DC will regain pre-pandemic 2019 achievement levels in 2027 – five years from now. Therefore, we believe the total number of service hours should be lowered to 25 hours in 2023 and capped at 50 hours in 2024 and beyond. This is aligned with the D.C. State Board of Education’s High School Graduation Requirements Task Force recommendation to reduce the number of service hours to 50 in 2017.

Allow students to be compensated

OSSE’s proposal currently bans activities for which students are compensated, which we disagree with. DCPS states that students must complete “community service hours through a 501(c)(3) organization or a federal, state, or local agency” to “ equip students with the necessary skills and abilities for career and educational advancement as well as motivate students to take an active role as leaders in their communities.” We believe these goals can still be achieved through community service that is compensated. D.C. students should have the opportunity to be compensated for their service projects when funding is available. Nearly 50% of D.C. students are designated “at-risk”. Completing 100 hours of unpaid service may not be feasible for students who need to financially support their families. I know from personal experience, growing up in an extremely low-income household any amount of time that I was not in school, studying, or playing baseball was spent working to help support my family. About 30% of high school students have jobs.  

Reimagining how students spend their time

Lastly, we would ask OSSE and the State Board of Education (SBOE) to think more creatively about how the District might use these extra hours to give students a meaningful and rewarding jumpstart on life after highschool. 

• Dual Credit and Enrollment: Provide students with opportunities to receive high school and college credit for dual enrollment opportunities. The District has fallen out of step with other states who award both. 

• Early Career Pathways: Incorporate extended Marion Berry Summer Youth Employment Programming (SYEP), internships, or apprenticeship opportunities.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been hard on everyone, but especially on our students and schools. The last two and a half years have changed the way our students learn. Because of this, we think it is best to modernize and reimagine our high school student service hour requirement to better reflect this change so that students receive a just, equitable, and high-quality public education. Thank you for allowing me to submit my testimony. 

B24-0232 – “Student and Minor Access to Records and Transcripts (SMART) Act of 2021”

Kyle Myers

Community Organizer

Education Reform Now DC

Good morning, my name is Kyle Myers. I am a Ward 5 resident, equity advocate, and a Community Organizer for Education Reform Now DC (ERN DC). We are a non-profit organization focused on providing a more equitable public education system for all students. I am testifying today in support of B24-0232, the Student and Minor Access to Records and Transcripts (SMART) Act of 2021. I believe the DC Council should also consider amending it.

Students must have access to all of their documentation during the school year and post-graduation. Students need these records for a multitude of reasons: transferring to a different school, applying for college, or seeking admissions to trade schools or vocational programs. Despite everyone knowing the significance of having these documents, our students and adults, in some cases, still face challenges when attempting to retrieve them. 

Lower the age of those able to request records from 18 to 16 

The (SMART) Act will lower the age required for minors to request their records from 18 to 16 years old, which I support. Lowering the age will make it easier for students to act independently who are in foster care, victims of neglectful parenting, or experiencing homelessness. Please note that the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) requires a transcript for students as young as 14 years old. The DC Council may want to review if sixteen is the right age cutoff.

Shorten the time to process record requests from 15 to 5 days

The amount of time it takes for a student to receive their transcripts can hinder their decision-making process when applying to colleges and put them at a disadvantage. As I recall my own personal experience, it took weeks for me to receive my documents (2016). I was 18 when I graduated high school. After several attempts of contacting the school, and getting the same response, I physically went to the campus and pleaded with one of the councilors, who then sent me my transcripts the following day. By this time, my options for colleges were limited because I had to submit the documents so late and I fell short of certain deadlines, which also resorted in fees from the colleges. There needs to be a considerably faster turnaround when students request these documents so they do not face the same issues when applying to colleges. These are crucial decisions, so students need all their documents to be returned quickly and made easily accessible. I recommend that this process is shortened from 15 to five days. 

Improve record keeping and sharing

Tyrik Williams, a ward five resident, DC voter, and a friend who attended a High School in DC faced a different challenge after graduating in 2016 at 17. He was, unfortunately, incarcerated for 18 months. After being released in 2017, he attempted to retrieve his transcripts and other documents necessary to pursue new opportunities, such as finding a job and enrolling in a vocational education program. Again it took multiple attempts to contact the school administration just for them to reach a dead end. The administrators informed him that they could not locate his transcript. This was a major hindrance to his goals due to the misplacement of his records and the time it took to retrieve them. It also served as a mental deterrent for a young Black man trying to recover and succeed. 

Additionally, The DCist published a story about how a student named Aaliyah Jones was told she had to take additional classes after she graduated from National Collegiate Prep. The DC Council should continue to push the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to quickly build the student data warehouse so all local education agencies (LEAs), students, and families have easily accessible records. 

Educate students on this new policy

If passed, the DC Council should also require all LEAs to include this policy on their websites and in student handbooks along with information on student privacy. 

Thank you for introducing this legislation and holding a hearing on it. This is the first step of ensuring more strategic thought, planning, and execution goes into sharing student records. Thank you for allowing me to testify. 

B24-0665 – “Access to Advanced Placement Exams Amendment Act of 2022”

Jessica Giles

State Director

Education Reform Now DC

Good morning, Chairman Mendelson and members and staff of the Committee of the Whole. My name is Jessica Giles. I am a ward seven resident and State Director of Education Reform Now DC (“ERN DC”). ERN DC is a non-profit organization that fights for a just and equitable public education system for all students in the District of Columbia. 

I will be testifying today on Bill 24-0665 – “Access to Advanced Placement Exams Amendment Act of 2022,” and my colleague Kyle Myers will be testifying on Bill 24-232, “Student and Minor Access to Records and Transcripts (SMART) Act of 2021.” Overall, we support the intent of Bill 24-0665, which is to provide homeschooled students with a public school location to take the AP exam. However, my testimony will focus on ways to increase transparency in AP data and improve AP exam passage rate.

Why are AP courses necessary?

AP courses offer many benefits to students. Regardless of the score students receive on the AP exam, completing an AP course and exam confers many benefits to students:

• The opportunity to take college-level coursework in high school help sharpen skills needed to transition from high school to college. 

• Students who take AP courses and exams have better college outcomes than their peers. AP courses helps students attract colleges and universities. 

• Students who complete an AP exam, typically with at least a score of three, can earn college credit, which can save students time and money in the future. 

Therefore, it is incumbent upon the District to continue to improve transparency in AP data, strengthen AP passage rate, the access and quality of AP courses because it is an important college readiness tool.

INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN AP DATA

(1.) Not all DCPS and public charter high schools offer AP courses. There are 42 public high schools but only 36 public high schools in DC offered AP courses in 2019 and 2020 according to the College Board data. The DC School Report card reveals a much higher number of schools not offering AP courses.

(2) It is difficult to determine which AP courses are taught at schools. This information isn’t found on the DCPS data set. It’s not on the DC School Report Card. And it is may not be found on the individual school’s website. This makes it difficult for students and families to make the choice to take AP courses, and for the District to determine where there are gaps in subject area offerings. 

(3.) Check how DC schools determine eligibility for AP courses. It is my understanding that the District does not automatically enroll students into AP courses once they’ve demonstrated proficiency in a subject. The District should strongly consider implementing this policy. 

Automatic enrollment is a strong equity strategy that is proven to increase the number of students of color taking advanced coursework because it removes requirements, such as the need for a teacher recommendation or additional testing that often act as barriers to advanced learning. How it works: students who are in ninth grade or higher are automatically enrolled into an advanced course in a subject related to one in which the student demonstrated proficiency on the prior year’s statewide assessment or on another measure that demonstrates the student’s ability to succeed in the advanced course. Parents would be able to decide to remove their children from automatically enrolled classes and exempt their children from any automatic enrollment. Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, Washington, and Illinois have made great strides on this issue. 

IMPROVE AP CREDIT TRANSFER RATE

In 2018, DC’s average AP scores was 2.78, which places us 36th in the nation.

(1.) In 2018, DC was number 1 in the nation for average AP score for white students and number 46 in the nation for average AP score for Black students. This exposes very troubling opportunity gaps in our education system. 

(2) DC does not have a policy mandating that students are awarded credit for minimum scores on AP courses. Any student who scores 3 or higher on the AP exam should receive credit for that course. According to the College Board, a “3” is the equivalent of a C or C+ in a college-level course. Only two higher education institutions in the District accept 3’s on the AP exam. All colleges and universities in the District of Columbia should change their policy to give students credit for making at least a three on the exam. The District can do something about this:

1. 36 states have already passed laws like this, including Virginia. By not implementing this policy, the District incentivizes our students to go out of state to receive credit. 

2. Most students who attend school in the District of Columbia enroll in UDC or Trinity Washington University. While UDC may accept threes, there is no clear information about their policy on their website, and Trinity University accepts mostly 4’s and 5’s on the exam. Both UDC and Trinity should share data with the DC Council on how many students take AP exams each year and how many students receive credit.

3. Many Hispanic, Black, and Asian students in the District of Columbia do not score 4 or 5 on the exam.

The DC Council must urge DC higher education institutions to accept threes on the AP exam to open up opportunities for our students to receive credit in these courses.

STRENGTHEN TEACHER PREPARATION

About half of the educators teaching AP courses in DCPS did not major in the subject they were teaching. I strongly urge the Committee of the Whole to follow up on this issue to understand how DCPS is tackling this issue.

In closing, I encourage the Committee of the Whole to strengthen college and career readiness in the District of Columbia by increasing transparency in AP score data and improving the AP credit transfer rate. Thank you for allowing me to testify today. I am available to answer any questions you may have.

From:  James Murphy, Senior Policy Analyst, Education Reform Now

To: DC Council’s Committee of the Whole

Date: September 27, 2022

Subject: Advanced Placement (AP) in DC

1. 36 public high schools in DC offered AP courses 2019 and 2020, according to College Board data. 

2. How many AP tests were taken by Black students in DC schools (public and private) between 2018 and 2020 and what percent passed, from College Board data.

3. AP Performance and Participation in DC Public Schools, taken from DC School Report Card Data.  It is important to note that the participation rate is a share of all students, while the performance rate is a share of all test-takers who got a 3 or higher on the AP or a 4 or higher on the IB.  I calculate the share of the total population with a passing score by multiplying the participation share by the performance share.

In case comparative (pre-COVID) data is useful.

4. Average AP scores by state and median income (2018) and by race/ethnicity. DC is not doing well. These charts include public and private high school students; they can’t be disaggregated. I would ignore the income data. It’s not disaggregated by race/ethnicity.

ALL Students

Asian American

Black:  DC’s Black students’ average AP score ranks 46th in the nation.

Latino

White:  DC’s White students ranked  #1 in the nation for AP scores

Here’s another way to look at average AP Scores.

5. A study of DCPS participation and pass rate showed growth in participation and pass rate, but the pass rate is very, very low.

One problem:  about half the people teaching AP courses did not major in the subject they’re teaching. 

Bill 24-570 “Schools First in Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021”

Jessica Giles

State Director

Education Reform Now DC

Good afternoon, Chairman Mendelson and members and staff of the Committee of the Whole of the DC Council. My name is Jessica Giles. I am a ward seven resident and State Director of Education Reform Now DC (“ERN DC”). ERN DC is a non-profit organization that fights for a just and equitable public education system for all students. I am pleased to provide testimony on Bill 24-570, the “Schools First in Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021.” 

On January 20, 2022, I testified before the DC Council on the first version of this bill and urged the DC Council to adopt three recommendations: review DCPS’ new budget model before making any changes to their budgeting process; create a more transparent and accessible tracking system of expenditures across our public education system; and require the Mayor to complete a new adequacy study of the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) every five years. Thank you for listening and advancing those recommendations. DCPS has implemented a new budget model that is more equitable. The public can see federal investments and expenditures, and the adequacy study will get kicked off in January 2023. Additionally, the DC Council approved a 5.9% increase to the UPSFF in FY2023 and created two new concentration weights for students designated as “at-risk.” These are all critical investments as the District seeks to accelerate learning after the devastating impact COVID has had on our students, families, educators, and schools.

Now, turning to Bill 24-570 itself. We support extending the time the DC Council and the public have to properly review DCPS’ budget calculation and require the local education agency (LEA) to share only one budget document (lines 100-107). These positive process changes will help enhance transparency and clarity during the budget process. Overall, however, we believe the bill is overly prescriptive and would cause negative consequences.

Issue #1: We believe funding must follow the student, with increased spending on students furthest from opportunity. Lines 73-76, however, would allow a school to keep its same level of funding (for up to a classroom of students) at the expense of schools with increased enrollment. We need every school working to enroll and retain students. A provision that would allow DCPS to keep 95% of its prior year’s funding is already codified into law. 

Issue #2: We are concerned that lines 90-94, which replace federal funding with local funding, would cause a multi-million dollar funding hole when federal relief funds are exhausted. There are limits to the number of cuts DCPS could make to the central office to give more to those few schools with rising enrollment while still providing essential services necessary to run a large system. Further, if DC were to increase funding for the UPSFF to help DCPS fund the hold harmless provisions in this bill, it may mean fewer funds for programs that support public education outside the UPSFF. 

School funding must be equitable, flexible, transparent and accessible, and predictable and stable. 

• Equitable, with resources following students and additional spending is on students with higher needs, so all students get the resources they need to meet high standards and thrive.

• Flexible, so that school leaders can invest in a combination of resources that drive student learning and meet the distinct needs of their students.

• Transparent and accessible, with clear, easy-to-understand rule for where, how, and why funds are distributed, so school communities can hold districts accountable for distributing funds equitably and so that principals and families understand changes in their enrollment and student needs.

• Predictable and stable, so that school system leaders understand how changes in their system’s context affect funding, and so that big changes in funding from year to year don’t disrupt strategies and services that are particularly important in high-need schools. 

All of these strategies must work optimally together to ensure that our public education system prepares every student to reach their limitless potential. Thank you for allowing me to testify today. 

ERN DC ESSA State Plan Amendment Public Comment

Dr. Christina Grant, State Superintendent of Education 

Office of the State Superintendent of Education 

1050 First Street NE

Washington, D.C. 20002

Dear Dr. Grant,

We are pleased to submit a public comment to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) regarding its proposed amendment to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plan for Accountability. OSSE must make bold changes and adopt new ways of thinking so that all our students recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and have a just and equitable public education in the District. 

In February, 50 members of our community wrote a letter urging you to adopt five recommendations that would improve accountability in our public education system, namely:

1. Re-strategize and refocus outreach efforts to ensure that families in all eight wards know that the D.C. School Report Card and Transparency and Reporting (STAR) Framework is a tool they can use to help them make decisions about schools.

2. Get buy-in from families and D.C. residents in all eight wards, particularly those furthest from opportunity, on how best to use the D.C. School Report Card and STAR Framework to serve their students better.

3. Improve, but do not eliminate the single summative rating.

4. Administer the district-wide annual assessment exam this spring. 

5. Get serious about innovation and school improvement.  

We are pleased to see the adoption of the first four recommendations and look forward to seeing progress on the fifth. As OSSE considers advancing its proposed amendment to the ESSA State Plan for Accountability, we urge you to ensure all changes are equitable, accessible, and transparent. Therefore, we offer the following eight recommendations to improve the amendment: 

• Increase the weight of the “students with disabilities” student group

• Increase the weight of students of color within the race/ethnicity student group, while holding them to high standards 

• Remove median growth percentile

• Ensure D.C. has an effective statewide annual assessment

• Incentivize the expansion of dual enrollment and dual credit as a school quality & student success indicator

• Include structured literacy training for all educators in elementary schools

• Provide clear information on school quality 

• Harness the accountability system to support schools

Guiding Principle #1 – Equity: 

Increase the weight of the “students with disabilities” student group

We applaud many of the changes OSSE makes to the student groups, including changing the term “at-risk” to “economically disadvantaged” and increasing the “economically disadvantaged” weight from 5% to 40%. With these changes, OSSE is demonstrating an understanding that our accountability system must prioritize and serve student groups who are furthest from opportunity, which is a step in the right direction. Because placing a greater emphasis on serving students furthest from opportunity is the right and smart thing to do, OSSE should also increase the weight of the “students with disabilities” subgroup. Students with disabilities experience the most significant challenges in public education in D.C, particularly students of color who are economically disadvantaged with disabilities. Students with disabilities have the lowest PARCC exam scores in ELA and Math and the lowest graduation rates. They also are more likely to be discriminated against, disciplined, and not attend college. We also know that the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated these inequities. OSSE should increase the weight of the students with disabilities subgroup by taking five points from the “all students” group and applying it to a new subgroup, “economically disadvantaged students with disabilities.”

Increase the weight of students of color within the race/ethnicity student group while holding them to high standards 

Currently, OSSE proposes 15 percent for the race/ethnicity student group, divided evenly between all race/ethnicity student groups. Dividing evenly between all groups undermines the purpose of having the metric there in the first place. We recommend that OSSE keep the overall 15% weight but increase the weight of students of color within the race/ethnicity student group. OSSE must hold students of every race and ethnicity to the same high expectations while acknowledging the harmful impact that racism has on marginalized groups.

Remove Median Growth Percentile

We must hold all schools to high standards when preparing our students for life, school, and career. By using median growth percentage, OSSE focuses on how well a student is doing compared to their peers across the District and the country, rather than whether they are growing towards grade-level expectations. This change will likely hide where our problem spots are in public education by relying on relative, rather than absolute, growth. We recommend placing the entire growth weight in Growth-to-Proficiency and Approaching Expectations and removing Median Growth Percentile. 

Ensure D.C. has an Effective Statewide Annual Assessment

Because there have been hundreds of years of racism, discrimination, and lowered expectations for students of color within our public education, it is vitally important that we have objective academic measures that can be reliably and validly measured within our accountability system. With that said, we are disappointed that OSSE appears to be moving away from the PARCC exam. We urge OSSE to keep PARCC, or at least a high-quality statewide annual assessment with the following crucial features:

• Culturally responsive

• Offer Smarter Balance Assessment

• Assess both problem-solving and critical thinking

• Ensures student learning aligns with the Common Core standards

• Offer numerous accommodations for students with learning challenges and disabilities

• Make the data more useful for students and families by providing rapid results — paired with the key academic standards we should focus on next with our students — along with access to resources explaining how parents can support

Guiding Principle #2 – Accessibility: 

Incentivize the Expansion of Dual Enrolment and Dual Credit as a School Quality & Student Success Indicator

We support the addition of a dual enrollment indicator and would encourage the addition of dual credit. States across the country are moving away from a model which only affords students with dual enrollment courses for college credit towards a model which allows students to receive both high school and college credit for completing the course. Too few students get dual credit opportunities in D.C., and we are an outlier in this regard. By providing dual credit courses, students have more time to devote to other important college and career activities. They are more likely to treat dual credit courses as part of their core academic experience rather than an extra or supplemental enrichment activity. We also encourage OSSE to ensure all schools offer rigorous AP/IB opportunities.

Include Structured Literacy Training for All Educators in Elementary Schools

Because only 30% of students are proficient in reading by fourth grade, we recommend that OSSE add a metric for schools that provide educators serving students K-5 with structured literacy training, which is shown to improve literacy for all students, particularly those with reading difficulties like Dyslexia. This training ensures that the District remains serious about ensuring every student can read on grade level. At the very least, this information should be published on the D.C. School Report Card. 

Guiding Principle #3 – Transparency: 

Provide Clear Information on School Quality 

We believe it’s important for OSSE to identify struggling schools and support them. Currently, OSSE is considering removing the summative rating for schools and providing an “accountability calculation.” Regardless of whether the District moves away from STARS, we believe it is essential for parents and families to have a single transparent summative calculation for determining how well a school serves each student population across all metrics every year. Even more importantly, OSSE must clearly and effectively explain in an easy-to-understand and accessible manner how it arrived at that calculation and why. 

Harness the Accountability System to Support Schools

ESSA requires states to set aside 7% of Title I funds for schools identified in need of support, and we do not know what happens with the funding. Further, it is unclear what happens to a school after three years of support. OSSE should make its action plan explicit so the public is aware and can play an active role in holding schools accountable for student success. 

In closing, we urge you to adopt our key recommendations to incentivize equitable change within our public education. As always, we look forward to continuing to partner with you to ensure that all students have just and equitable opportunities in the District.

Sincerely, 

Jessica Giles

State Director, Education Reform Now D.C.

CC: 

Rep. Jessica Sutter, President, D.C. State Board of Education

Rep. Eboni-Rose Thompson, Vice President, D.C. State Board of Education

D.C. State Board of Education

Minetre Martin State board of Education SR22-3 Student Attendance Testimony

Good evening, my name is Minetre Martin. I am a ward four resident, former educator, and Community Organizer for Education Reform Now D.C. (“ERN DC”). ERN DC is a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all students. Thank you all for turning your attention to the multifaceted nature of reported chronic absenteeism and truancy in the District of Columbia. 

Clarifying our attendance policies is an important start to adequately supporting DC public school students with attendance. Therefore, we generally support SR22-3, “Approve the District of Columbia’s Amendments to the Compulsory Education and School Attendance Regulations. ” However, our attendance policy enforcement and support system for students would be stronger if we had early warning indicators, clarity on certain terms, adequate attendance training, and appropriate staffing for students with attendance issues. We urge the Office of State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to address these issues, described below: 

1. Include early warning indicators to inform parents of absences in a timely manner at all schools 

DCPS and charter schools have a duty to be relentless in maintaining families’ trust and keeping students safe, that includes being keenly aware of their daily attendance and taking immediate action to contact parents when students are absent. In a conversation with parents in ward 6, they expressed concerns with not being made aware of their child’s absences immediately. Two parents shared that they received an automated call notifying them that their child missed over 40 days of school without being informed. Another parent revealed that their child informed them that their homeroom teachers were often late, resulting in attendance not being taken. Our families cannot afford these kinds of mistakes, especially when they are having to take time off from work to address these problems. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) should adopt solutions for quickly and consistently notifying parents about a student’s attendance record; this may include, allowing time during professional development days to update parents on the state of their child’s attendance, or considering applications or technology that will immediately alert parents when students are late or absent. 

2. Provide clarity on the terms being used, such as “chronic absenteeism”, “truancy”, and “partially present”. 

During your July 6th working session with the OSSE, many board members, as well as Councilmember Trayon White, sought clarification regarding the meaning, purpose and application of attendance. There were many clarifying questions around how we define terms such as chronic absenteeism, truancy, and partially present that will not be changed in this revision. Given that these questions came from individuals who work with education policy daily, we can only imagine how unfamiliar and confusing the terms must seem. In order to ensure school administrators responsible for reporting attendance data can fully understand, clearly articulate, and ensure adherence to the new policy, encourage LEAs to create a chart and visuals that schools can share with their staff, families, and students. An excellent PowerPoint presentation has been provided to the public by the Everyday Counts! Taskforce explaining the policy in detail, and it could be a valuable resource when presenting changes to leaders.1 

3. Provide adequate training to teachers on how to report absences

In your 2021 Teacher and Principal Attrition in the District’s Public Schools Report2, on average, twenty-five percent of DC public schools teachers leave their schools annually and continues to be a persistent problem especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. The process of filling these positions will take time and a great deal of attention for schools severely understaffed. It is important that OSSE make note of severely understaffed schools, especially ones with multiple administrative 1 The Everyday Counts! Taskforce: Chronic Absenteeism PowerPoint2 Teacher and Principal Attrition in the District’s Public Schools Report vacancies and prepare quality materials to support with training new staff on reporting attendance. 

4. Ensure that every school staff includes a variety of specialized support personnel such as school nurses, counselors, psychologists, social workers, or other pupil support personnel for case management and counseling. 

Clarifying school attendance policies are a start to improving our student attendance rates. However, ensuring schools have a robust attendance management system in place and increasing investments in our schools can help to improve attendance, engagement, and overall academic achievement. 

Thank you for allowing me to testify today. I welcome any questions you may have.

Joshua Hodge State Board of Education SR22-4 ESSA Amendment Testimony

Thank you and good evening President Sutter, Vice President Thompson, and Representatives of the D.C. State Board of Education. 

My name is Joshua Hodge, and I am a Ward 6 resident and public education advocate. I am testifying on behalf of Education Reform Now D.C. (ERN D.C.) on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Accountability Plan Amendment. For those who may be unfamiliar with our work, ERN D.C. is a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system in Washington, D.C. 

While there are many positive changes to the State Accountability plan that we support, we believe the plan can be strengthened. On July 7, we submitted a public comment to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) urging the adoption of eight recommendations to ensure the plan is equitable, accessible, and transparent so that all students receive the high-quality education they deserve. The eight recommendations are the following:

1. Increase the weight of the “students with disabilities” student group

2. Increase the weight of students of color within the race/ethnicity student group, while holding them to high standards 

3. Remove median growth percentile

4. Ensure D.C. has an effective statewide annual assessment

5. Incentivize the expansion of dual enrollment and dual credit as a school quality & student success indicator

6. Include structured literacy training for all educators in elementary schools

7. Provide clear information on school quality 

8. Harness the accountability system to support schools

The Covid-19 pandemic has been hard on us all, but especially on our students and schools. The last two years has changed the way our students have learned and the way classes are taught. Because of this, we think it is best to modernize our D.C. school accountability system to better reflect this change and include additional equity measures so that all students, especially those furthest away from opportunity, receive a just, equitable, and high-quality education. Thank you for allowing me to testify. 

Committee on Health’s Budget Oversight Hearing: Department of Behavioral Health

Joshua Hodge

Policy and Communications Manager 

Education Reform Now DC
March 21, 2022

Hello, and good morning Chairperson Gray and the Committee on Health. My name is Joshua Hodge. I am the Policy and Communications Manager at Education Reform Now DC (ERN DC), a Ward 6 resident, and a member of the Strengthening Families Coalition. ERN DC is a non-profit organization that fights for a just and equitable public education system for all students in the District of Columbia. I am pleased to provide testimony at the Department of Behavioral Health’s budget oversight hearing. We are asking for the Committee on Health and the D.C. Council to increase community based organization clinicians grants to $80,000 and to fund a cost study of the school-based behavioral health (SBBH) program so that D.C. can finally right-size the cost of the program.

First, we are very grateful for the Mayor’s continued investment in the SBBH program. The Mayor proposed $3.8 million to support the SBBH program. The $3.8 million includes: $1.76 million to fund additional clinicians; $908,000 to fund 8 FTEs at DBH to support program infrastructure, data oversight, and program evaluation; $829,000 to fund high fidelity wraparound services to support 6-7 schools; and $281,000 to strengthen the SBBH program workforce pipeline. These are crucial investments, and if withheld many students would not have the support they need. 

We are asking for the D.C. Committee on Health and DC Council to raise CBO clinician grant amounts from the Mayor’s proposed $70,000 to $80,000 so that CBOs are able to provide needed services in schools. Without additional funding to permanently stabilize CBO grants, it will be difficult to retain the clinician workforce we have and fill additional open positions. The District should maintain grant levels from the current fiscal year for the next three years and include increases to cover the cost of inflation. The difference in funding from the Mayor’s proposed investment in the program and what is needed is $2.4 million. The D.C. Committee on Health and D.C. Council should also fund a cost study, which is estimated to be $300,000 so that D.C. can finally right-size the cost of the SBBH program.

Behavioral health services have always been crucial for a student’s success in school, but these needs have been exacerbated by the pandemic. These needs will continue to persist as we are not headed towards a post-pandemic world, but instead, we are in a new covid era of life that directly affects schools and students well-being. Since the start of the pandemic, emergency department visits for children with mental health emergencies have risen sharply. Tens of thousands of children have experienced a pandemic-related death of a primary caregiver across the world, country, and right here in D.C. In October of 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association declared a national state of emergency in child and adolescent mental health.[1]

As we know, the pandemic has not impacted communities the same, with more Black, Brown, and low-income households being affected more severely by the effects of Covid-19, ways include; financial losses, housing instabilities, long-term health repercussions, physical sickness, loss of family members, and decreased overall mental health. Increased access to behavioral health services is proven to be transformative for students and their families and can boost the long-term overall health and productivity of communities as evidenced by school outcomes, overall health and well-being, and reduced crime rates. Behavioral health is foundational to the District’s long-term recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. Currently, only about 80% of public schools here in D.C. have a mental health services provider on-site and this needs to change to 100%, as all students have the right to, and need access to a mental health provider. [1] 

In closing, District leaders have an opportunity to deepen investments and focus on students to continue to address some of the most severe issues facing our youth. Presenting the chance to create a behavioral healthcare system that is more just and equitable for DC children, students, and families. Thank you for allowing me to testify today. 

Bill 24-428, School Attendance Amendment Act of 2021 and, more general Update on Improving School Attendance/Reducing Truancy and Chronic Absenteeism

Minetre Martin

Community Organizer

Education Reform Now DC

Good afternoon, Chairman Mendelson, Councilmembers, and staff of the Committee of the Whole. My name is Minetre Martin. I am a ward four resident and Community Organizer for Education Reform Now DC. (“ERN DC”). ERN DC is a non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all students.

Thank you, Chairman, and the DC Council for turning your attention to an important matter that has been fraught for too long, and that needs reforming. I am happy to provide testimony on how we can improve school attendance since clarifying our attendance policies is just the beginning to solving DC public school truancy issues. Chronic absenteeism effects academic achievement and student well-being. There are many factors that may contribute to poor attendance such as student mental health issues and a lack of student support personnel.[1] Therefore, the DC Council should consider more context regarding accurate attendance reporting and the following questions should be asked;

1. How are substitute teachers being trained to report absences?

On average, 25 percent of DC public school teachers leave their school annually[2]. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a higher shortage in teachers in the district, increasing needs for substitutes who may lack professional training, awareness of attendance policies, and unfamiliarity with students in the building.[3] For example, a parent in ward 6 recently shared with me that their child’s substitute teacher confused their child with another student resulting in them having to attend court to defend themselves against inaccurate attendance reporting. Mistakes like these are not okay, and as schools rush to fill classrooms with substitutes, it is important for the DC State Board of Education and the Office of State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to investigate how schools are preparing substitute teachers to report student attendance with fidelity for accuracy in data and most importantly to protect our students and families and maintain their trust

1. What is the district doing to ensure that there are accurate and robust early warning indicators that inform parents of absences in a timely manner at all schools?

In another check in with parents in ward 6, they expressed concerns with not being made aware of their child’s absences immediately. Two parents shared that they received an automated call notifying them that their child missed over 40 days of school. When asked if their child’s teacher or the school ever tried to contact them, they all said no and that the attendance counselor failed to review the inaccurate reporting until they visited the school. Another parent revealed that their child informed them that their homeroom teachers were often late, resulting in attendance not being taken. Our families cannot afford these kinds of mistakes, especially when they are having to take time off from work to address these problems. DCPS and charter schools have a duty to be relentless in maintaining families’ trust and keeping students safe, that includes being keenly aware of their daily attendance and taking immediate action to contact parents when students are absent.

1. How does diminished student well-being impact school attendance reporting?

As you all are aware, student well-being has dramatically declined since the Covid-19 pandemic.[4]While OSSE has done well to provide guidelines around school personnel training for mental health support, there does not seem to be guidelines around how attendance should be taken for students who may attribute their tardiness or early dismissal to mental health issues. This may also result in inaccurate attendance reporting and should be considered.

I offer two recommendations to help bolster student attendance for further consideration.  

1. Ensure that all public schools have a robust attendance management system in place to identify and provide appropriate support services and interventions to chronically absent students.

All DC public schools and charter schools should have a robust attendance management system in place for identifying and supporting pupils with attendance problems early. Schools should also train all teachers and substitute teachers on how to report attendance, and evaluate staff understanding of the school’s attendance policies and management system. While DC public schools and charter schools have made compliance with attendance a priority, the reality is that staff responsible for reporting attendance have many other duties that make it challenging for them to commit their full attention to ensure attendance is reported with fidelity. By following these recommendations, schools can ensure that students with truancy issues are identified early, and appropriate support can be provided.

1. Ensure that every school staff includes a variety of specialized support personnel such as school nurses, counselors, psychologists, social workers, or other pupil support personnel for case management and counseling.

According to the DC Policy Center’s 2022 State of D.C. Schools report, nearly half of students designated as at-risk were chronically absent.[5]The Mayor and the DC Council should raise the at-risk weight of the uniform per student funding formula to .37 so that schools can provide adequate school staff and support to students.[6] Additionally, the Mayor and DC Council should build on past years’ investments in the School-Based Behavioral Health (SBBH) program because mental health plays a large role in chronic absenteeism.[7]  With these investments and more, our elected leaders will ensure that investments are being made to provide critical services to schools to help increase their capacity for supporting students with chronic absenteeism.

Clarifying school attendance policies are a start to improving our student attendance rates. However, ensuring schools have a robust attendance management system in place and increasing investments in our schools can help to improve attendance, engagement, and overall academic achievement.

Thank you for allowing me to testify today. I welcome any questions you may have.

[1] Chronic Absenteeism is defined as missing 18 or more school days per year.

[2]OSSE and TNTP, “District of Columbia Teacher Workforce Report”, October 2019 (pg. 25)

[3] https://www.washingtoninformer.com/teachers-buckling-under-the-stress-of-staff-vacancies-advocates-say/

[4]  American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association October 19, 2021, available at: Declaration of a National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health

[5] 2021 State of D.C. Schools Report. https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SODCS-2020-21-one-pager_final.pdf?mc_cid=8c78509f36&mc_eid=bb7c8338aa

[6] Recommended level based on the 2014 Adequacy study. https://dme.dc.gov/page/dc-education-adequacy-study

[7]https://edreformnow.org/dc/dc-pens-letter-to-mayor-bowser-urging-continued-progress-toward-educational-equity/

DC Council, Committee of the Whole – Bill 24-428 School Attendance Amendment Act of 2021 and, more generally Update on Improving School Attendance/Reducing Truancy and Chronic Absenteeism

Nikki D’Angelo

Community Organizer

Education Reform Now DC

Thank you and good afternoon Chairman Mendelson and members of the Committee of the Whole. 

My name is Nikki D’Angelo, and I am a Ward 5 resident and DC Public Schools (DCPS) parent. I’ve worked in education in DC for 13 years, initially as an educator and now as a Community Organizer. I am testifying on behalf of Education Reform Now DC (ERN DC). ERN DC is a non-profit organization that fights for a just and equitable public education system for all students in D.C. I am happy to provide testimony about Bill 24-428 School Attendance Amendment Act of 2021, given that I was an attendance coordinator at a high school in DC. 

A few years ago, a high school in DC hired me to organize a team of school staff to address the school’s chronic absenteeism and truancy rates. I worked full-time to design a structure for identifying students that needed support, meeting with parents and the student to develop support plans, and monitoring student progress. I learned a lot about the myriad of barriers that prevent students from arriving to school consistently and on time. Many of those barriers included taking care of siblings, maneuvering and planning for public transportation as a young person, the need for more adult support, the threat of violence walking to and from school, and persistent physical and mental health issues.  Many of my students struggled to get to school on time consistently because they needed more adult support to make what could be a long trek to get to school. Even in high school, we’re still talking about children, with the youngest of this group historically struggling the most in that transition year to high school. This attendance work was some of the most intensive and rewarding student support work I’ve done in my career. This situation raised this question for me: how are we using policy to ensure that schools are poised to best support struggling students to make it to school?

In regards to Bill 24-428 School Attendance Amendment Act of 2021, I have three main points:

1. Lowering the threshold to 60% is not adequate for addressing our complicated attendance issues. Students need to be in school. The DC Council should be focused on helping kids to school, not seemingly trying to lower the bar we hold our students to. As the policy currently is, many of my students struggled with attending 80% of the school day. However, these struggles existed before a dedicated team was indeed in place. After months of intense work, we made great strides with our students, so I know improvement is possible with a dedicated team. I don’t believe that lowering the bar to 60% communicates that we think our students can rise to a much more adequate percentage of in-seat attendance time. In what school is 60% a passing grade? I can’t imagine that simply requiring fewer in-seat hours solves any environmental or social barriers that keep our students from coming to school consistently and on time. 

• I agree wholeheartedly that public transportation delays should be a valid excuse for up to 10% of the school day. When I was an attendance coordinator, I certainly knew students who would have benefited from that policy change. 

• Schools need a dedicated team to support attendance. To ensure students are adequately supported, each school needs to have a group of adults who proactively identify students of concern, work directly with students, families, and other supporting adults to break down attendance barriers, and constantly evaluate programming and attendance data. My former students and families were incredibly grateful for the support my team provided. Additionally, it’s no secret that school staff teams are stretched thin. Many support staff members are pulled in throughout the day to cover classes and fulfill other responsibilities left by daily vacancies. In my experience, this position is a full-time job with no distractions that requires a focused, multi-person team. How can the District provide students with even more adult support around getting to school?

I hope my testimony helped you all think about how to support our students further. Thank you for keeping your attention on this essential matter and allowing me to testify. I welcome any questions you may have.

Letter to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser

The Office of the Mayor

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20004

Dear Mayor Bowser:

Thank you for continuing to prioritize public education in the budget. Your proposed investments: 5.9% increase to the base of the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) for all schools, $36 million in stabilization funding for D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools, a salary increase for substitute teachers, and an updated budget model for DCPS with initial budgets for individual schools – will not only help schools bridge the gap in learning but strive for new heights in public education and supports for all students.

For the past two years, our students have been through extraordinary circumstances which have caused unfinished learning and diminished well-being. As we look to recover from the effects of the pandemic, even more should be done to continue the progress we’ve seen in public education for the past 15 years. Therefore, we respectfully urge you to ensure funding equity, provide educator support, expand access to high education, and invest in behavioral health supports for all students. Our FY2023 budget priorities are the following:

PROVIDE EQUITABLE RESOURCES TO ALL SCHOOLS.

• Raise the at-risk weight of the UPSFF to .37 or higher as recommended by the 2014 adequacy study to provide more significant support to students designated as ‘at risk’—those who qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, are experiencing homelessness, are in the District’s foster care program or are one year or more older than expected for their grade in high school.

• Increase the public charter school facilities allotment by 3.1% beginning in FY 2023. The District government must ensure that all students have safe and educationally appropriate buildings.  

• Conduct an adequacy study every five years to ensure the UPSFF increases adequately for all students. 

ENSURE ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION THAT IS HIGH-QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE.

• Study, expand, deepen, and reform our current dual enrollment opportunities to, at a minimum: expand access to all interested students, particularly students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities; make the application process more efficient; and ensure students receive maximum dual enrollment credit hours for both high school and college classes.

INVEST IN SAFE, STABLE, AND POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS.

• Build on past years’ investments in the School-Based Behavioral Health (SBBH) program by investing in the following: 

  • $300,000 for a cost study to determine what it truly costs to implement the SBBH program now and in the future;

  • $2.4 million to stabilize community-based organization grant funding each year; and

  • Adequately funding the Community of Practice, building a workforce pipeline, and expanding information-sharing and family engagement efforts.

• Maintain the current investment of $920,000 for SY 2020-21 for restorative justice; provide school-wide technical assistance and individual capacity building in DC schools. 

ENSURE ALL EDUCATORS RECEIVE HIGH-QUALITY TEACHER PREPARATION AND SUPPORT. 

• Provide sufficient funding so that all PreK-5 DC leaders and teachers can receive free and accessible structured literacy training with incentives in three years. In 2019, 70% of DC students were not proficient in reading in fourth grade, according to NAEP. The District must ensure all students read at grade level by third grade regardless of where in the city they live, what school they attend, and their ability or language-learning status. They should be confident in their independent reading abilities and enjoy reading. 

• Support educators with housing by creating housing and tax incentives, implementing housing affordability programs, and ensuring eligible educators are connected with the existing programs that can reduce the cost of homeownership. 

Thank you for all you do for our students and families! We look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure we have a just and equitable public education system for all students.

In service,

Education Reform Now DC