Washington, DC – The DC State Board of Education (SBOE), including the Student Representatives and Student Advisory Committee, today urged Mayor Muriel Bowser to make certain that any candidate for chancellor of DC Public Schools (DCPS) possess at least six qualities. Many of the SBOE recommended qualities have been echoed in community forums and meetings across the District. The SBOE wants every student to be valued and have the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to become informed, competent, and contributing global citizens.
“The State Board is committed to ensuring that the next chancellor is ready to lead from day one. The next chancellor must be transparent and communicative, demonstrate a strong commitment to ethics, and work towards inclusivity and equity alongside a diverse group of stakeholders in our city, with students at the center of their decision-making,” wrote State Board members in a letter to Bowser.
The State Board summarized its list of recommended qualities for the mayor to consider when selecting the next chancellor. The selected candidate must be insightful and proactive, committed to analyzing and sharing data with the public, committed to incorporating public trust from families, willing to innovate, capable and committed to championing DCPS, and focused on building relationships and rebuilding trust.
The State Board is fully committed to working alongside the Interim Deputy Mayor for Education and the Our Schools Leadership Committee as they work on synthesizing findings and recommendations prior to the selection.
About the SBOE
The DC State Board of Education is an independent agency within the Government of the District of Columbia that advises the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), the District’s state education agency. The State Board is comprised of nine elected representatives, each representing their respective wards, with one member representing DC at large, and two appointed student representatives. The State Board approves statewide education policies and sets academic standards, while OSSE oversees education within the District and manages federal education funding. More information about the SBOE can be found at sboe.dc.gov.