Staff person in charge: Kathleen Coughlin
Committee Co-Chairs: Jacque Patterson (At-Large, Vice President), Ben Williams (Ward 1).
Committee Members: Allister Chang (Ward 2), Eric Goulet (Ward 3), Téa Washington (Student Representative), Benjamin Yarkin (Student Representative), Eboni-Rose Thompson (Ward 7, President, ex-officio*)
About
The State Level and Systemic Policy Committee provides research, outreach, and recommendations related to educational issues requiring Districtwide solutions and intergovernmental collaboration, including:
- The state accountability plan for K–12 education
- State academic standards
- Educator retention
- Statewide literacy
The State Level and Systemic Policy Committee aims to educate the DC community, gather feedback, and provide policy recommendations on issues that require Districtwide solutions and collaboration with other government agencies, the D.C. Council, and the mayor’s office. The committee’s work will help strengthen community voice by organizing public engagement events, drafting resolutions, hosting expert panels, publishing research reports, and more.
DC School Report Card
The State Board is responsible for approving the layout and contents of the DC School Report Card. These report cards, which share information and data about school performance, environment, and other characteristics, are required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and the State Board began discussions about updating what is included on the DC School Report Card in July 2023. The State Board and OSSE held several public engagement sessions in the fall of 2023 to hear community feedback on needed improvements. The State Board anticipates finalizing the planned updates in February 2024.
For more information on the State Board’s work on the ESSA accountability plan prior to 2023, please see the archived Accountability and Assessments Committee page.
Statewide Academic Standards
The State Board approves the DC’s statewide academic standards for each subject area. The State Board is responsible for making sure that those standards:
- Specify what students are expected to know and be able to do
- Contain coherent and rigorous content
- Encourage the teaching of advanced skills
- Are updated on a regular basis
Most recently, the State Board approved updated standards for menstrual health in March 2023 and social studies in June 2023. The committee is currently working with OSSE on financial literacy standards. In January 2024, the State Board transmitted a first round of feedback on the financial literacy standards to OSSE based on the committee's questions, praise, and suggested revisions. This letter is viewable under the Resolutions and Publications tab above. At the February 2024 Working Session, OSSE presented a second draft of the financial literacy standards that are under review. The committee is also in the process of reviewing and seeking feedback on draft social-emotional learning (SEL) standards.
For more information on the State Board’s earlier work on academic standards, please see the archived Education Standards Committee page.
Teacher Turnover and Retention
Teachers are the foundation of a quality education system, and they are vital to the success of our students and our schools. Since May 2018, the State Board has sought to better understand teacher attrition, its effects on District students and schools, and what policies could help educators remain in the classroom. The State Level and Systemic Policy Committee will continue to research and push for solutions to make the District a better place for teachers to work.
For more information on the State Board’s work on teacher retention prior to 2023, see the archived Teacher Practice Committee page.
Literacy
The State Level and Systemic Policy Committee is invested in ensuring District students have access to high-quality reading instruction. To make that happen, teachers need up-to-date and research-based training, lesson materials, and assessments. The State Level and Systemic Policy Committee will work to promote and extend the work of OSSE’s Literacy Task Force and their recommendations which were published in September 2023.
Getting Involved
We encourage DC parents, teachers, students, and other community members to attend our online committee meetings which will be posted in advance on the events page of our website and through OpenDC. They are uploaded afterward to the State Board’s YouTube page.
The committee also invites anyone who is interested in speaking on these topics to testify at one of the State Board’s monthly Public Meetings. To sign up as a public witness, please notify State Board staff by emailing [email protected] or filling out this sign-up form at least 48 hours before the meeting. Written testimony may be submitted at any time to [email protected].