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sboe

SBOE
 

State Board of Education Seeks Insight on School Quality from Panel

Monday, May 18, 2020
Recognizes Teacher Appreciation Week

Washington, DC—The DC State Board of Education (SBOE) will hold its monthly public meeting on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, at 5:30 pm. As the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak continues to spread globally, the State Board is taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our members, staff, and public. Therefore, this meeting will be held as a video web conference. Members of the public wishing to provide testimony during the public meeting can email the State Board at [email protected] by the close of business on Monday, May 18, 2020.

The State Board will provide updated information on the District’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. On May 14, 2020, Mayor Bowser extended the state of emergency and public health emergency for Washington, DC through June 8, 2020, as the District continues to fight the spread of COVID-19. DC Public Schools (DCPS) will end the 2019–20 school year on May 29, 2020, and DC public charter schools have been encouraged to end on or around this date as well. For the most up-to-date information on the District’s COVID-19 response, please visit https://coronavirus.dc.gov.

Working as educators—especially in these unprecedented times—and facilitating learning is crucial to the success of students. The State Board will take time during its public meeting to recognize the efforts of the District’s principals and teachers by considering a ceremonial resolution in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week. We urge you to reach out and thank the amazing educators in your life!

Following a meeting on May 5, the Teacher Retention Committee drafted a resolution prioritizing the issue of teacher retention and understanding the effects that low rates of retention have on District students, schools, and communities. The State Board introduced the Statewide Education Data Warehouse Amendment Act for consideration

by the Council of the District of Columbia last fall, to help build a foundation of information about the District’s teacher workforce so that schools and policy makers can make the best decisions on policies to support the growth and retention of teachers.

The State Board has also invited a panel to discuss “school quality” in the District. School quality not only encompasses the academic success and learning growth of students, but also the value schools place on school climate, parent engagement, a robust, well-rounded education of students, and culture of equity around diverse students’ needs. Robert Simmons Ed.D, Executive Director for Black Educators Initiative; Kristen Harper, School Climate Expert at Child Trends; Dr. Constance Lindsay, Education Policy Researcher at University of North Carolina; and Josh Boots, Executive Director at EmpowerK12, will join the State Board for a broad discussion. Discussions around school quality serve to frame how the District can evaluate schools, inform parents, teachers, and school leaders, as well as empower education stakeholders to improve their institutions and practice.

Public Meeting Agenda

Please note that the agenda may be altered, modified, or updated without notice.

I.    Call to Order
II.   Announcement of a Quorum
III.  Approval of Agenda & Minutes
IV. Comments from the President of the D.C. State Board of Education
V.  Comments from the State Superintendent of Education
VI. Items for Vote
       i. CR20-8, Teacher & Principal Appreciation
      ii. CR20-9, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
     iii. SR20-7, Supporting Teacher Retention in Our Schools
     iv. SR20-8, Supporting Students with Disabilities
VII. Public Comment
     i. Witness 1
VIII. Measures of School Quality
    i. Robert Simmons, Black Educators Initiative
   ii.  Kristen Harper, Child Trends
  iii. Josh Boots, EmpowerK12
  iv. Constance Lindsay, University of North Carolina
IX. New Business and Other Discussion
X.  Adjournment

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.

For the latest information on the District Government’s response to COVID-19, please visit coronavirus.dc.gov.