FY 2015 Budget Hearing
April 14, 2014 @ 10:00am
Testimony of Mark Jones, President
Good morning, Chairman Catania and honorable members of the Council of the District of Columbia. My name is Mark Jones and I am the President of the District of Columbia State Board of Education. Thank you for the opportunity to testify in regards to our FY15 budget.
The mission of the State Board of Education is to provide policy leadership, support, advocacy, and review of public education to ensure that every student is valued and gains the skills and knowledge necessary to become informed, competent, and contributing global citizens.
The State Board plays a critical role in the District’s education governance system. Not only is the State Board responsible for advising the State Superintendent of Education on educational matters, including state standards, policies, objectives and regulations, but the State Board is also responsible for approving academic standards for students; high school graduation requirements; home school regulations; the state accountability plan, including approval of school “report cards” and the definition of “proficiency;” and the rules for establishing residency.
In collaboration with the State Superintendent and her staff, the State Board has made great strides in these areas, among others, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Office of the State Superintendent (OSSE) in the upcoming next year. A complete list of the State Board’s responsibilities is included with this testimony.
During my testimony, I will focus on our goals for the coming year, our evaluation of the Mayor’s budget proposal, and the status of the Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education.
Performance Goals and Targeted Outcomes
The State Board has set five work goals for the coming year. First, we are on track to approve revised graduation requirements by June 2014. We are continuing to meet with education stakeholders around the District in order to receive as much feedback as possible. By June 2014, we plan to hold a summit to discuss graduation requirements and the State Board’s proposed diploma options. In FY15, we will convene an implementation working group to aid the transition towards new graduation requirements.
Second, with the recent releases of the District’s ESEA Waiver Part B Monitoring Report and Year 3 Review of the District’s use of Race to the Top funds, the State Board will continue to continue to review the implementation of current ESEA Waiver goals and provide advice and guidance to OSSE in the revision of the ESEA Waiver, if required. The State Board will also assist the Office of the State Superintendent of Education with public engagement on these critical elements of the District’s state accountability plan. Despite gains in student outcomes, the State Board continues to be worried about student performance and the widening achievement gap.
Third, after approving revised compulsory attendance rules, the State Board established a Truancy and Student Engagement Committee in response to concerns from the community that there were issues with the approved rules. The committee will review implementation of the existing rules and conduct research on best practices for reducing truancy and increasing student engagement. In addition, as details emerge regarding the disappearance of Relisha Rudd, the State Board will investigate gaps in the current rules to determine if additional improvements are required.
The State Board continues to build capacity to develop as an effective office of policy, research and analysis. In FY14 and FY15, with the support of a grant from the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE), the State Board will initiate development a protocol and process for regular review of policy implementation. In an effort to look in the rear-view to evaluate how well the Board-approved policies are working, the State Board’s Implementation Committee will make such monitoring a part of our annual work plan.
Finally, the State Board is pleased to announce that the Office of the Ombudsman is open for business. The Ombudsman, Joyanna Smith, can be reached at 202.741.0886 or at [email protected]. Students and parents can also file complaints via the State Board’s website at sboe.dc.gov. Over the next year, the State Board will be monitoring the needs of the Ombudsman to ensure that the Office is properly and sufficiently funded, staffed, and supported and we look forward to sharing trends that the Ombudsman identifies with the Council, DCPS, the PCSB, and other stakeholders.
FY15 Proposed Budget
The proposed budget represents a continuation of our current funding levels. While we submitted several enhancements to better enable the State Board in accomplishing its statutory mandates, they were not included in the proposed budget. Consequently, the proposed budget is insufficient to support the State Board in accomplishing its statutory mandates. In order to accomplish these tasks and best serve the students of the District of Columbia, we have compiled a list of items for consideration by the Council:
First, the Office of the Student Advocate was not funded in the FY15 proposed budget. The “Student and Parent Empowerment Amendment Act of 2012” established the Office of the Student Advocate within the State Board of Education. The Office would represent students and parents on issues regarding public education in the District of Columbia, facilitate school enrollment processes by providing information on enrollment policies and procedures, help students access education resources offered by public schools, and recommend opportunities for policy improvements. Further, we have since learned that there is a need for single, one-stop shop for military families looking to enroll in the District’s public schools. This is a function that the Office of the Student Advocate could perform. The Office of the Student Advocate is estimated to cost $297,170.
Simultaneously, with the establishment of the Office of the Student Advocate and the ongoing operations of the Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education, the State Board seeks additional funding for a communications director. Both of these offices require exceptional attention to outreach and public engagement. A communications director would also enable the State Board to engage stakeholders throughout the District and ensure that policy decisions truly reflect the public’s voice. A communications director is valued at $81,821.91.
Finally, as we noted before, the Ombudsman has opened more than 50 cases, all before any public rollout. While the Ombudsman will hire an additional staff member by May 2014, a conservative projection suggests that the Office of the Ombudsman may open over 600 to 1,000 cases annually as the public becomes aware of and utilizes the Ombudsman’s services. This will overwhelm even two Ombudspeople. To ensure that the Office is able to research and respond to complaints in a timely fashion while continuing to engage the community, an additional Assistant Ombudsman beyond the one currently funded for FY15 is required to maintain current service levels. An additional Assistant Ombudsman is valued at $81,821.91.
These additional FTEs would advance the mission and crucial initiatives to ensure all students are well-prepared for college, careers, and citizenship.
Office Needs
Even without the addition of these new staff members, the offices of the State Board of Education are insufficient to meet our needs. The re-establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman and the inclusion of the Office of the Student Advocate has increased the need for private office space for not only the Ombudsman and the Chief Advocate, but also for their staff. On a regular basis, these staff members engage in confidential conversations with students, parents, teachers, and school leaders. By Federal law, their conversations are to be confidential. The lack of private space hinders the operation of these offices.
With space at a premium, the State Board’s policy analyst is currently operating in a converted copy room and Board members have only two shared desks in a private office. Any additional office staff, such as a communications director, would be without an office. Just the addition of an Assistant Ombudsman, already funded within our current budget, will exhaust all available desk space for both staff and Board member use.
The Department of General Services (DGS) allocates approximately 200 sq. ft. per FTE. With 11 FTEs and 9 elected members of the State Board, there is only 102.1 sq. ft. available per FTE. Consequently, to meet DGS’ standards, State Board office requires a minimum of 4,000 sq. ft., or an increase of approximately 2,000 sq. ft. to accommodate the State Board and staff. Notably, the State Board does not necessarily have to move as there is space adjacent vacant space available. We would appreciate any support the Council can provide to help alter our current facility.
The Office of the Ombudsman
In late February 2014, the State Board hired an Ombudsman to assist students and parents resolve problems as they engage with the District of Columbia Public Schools and public charter schools. After six weeks, the Ombudsman has laid out an ambitious plan to connect with students and parents to let them know that the Office is available to assist them. The Ombudsman, Ms. Joyanna Smith, has already initiated a community outreach plan in addition to building and strengthening relationships with government and non-profit entities. In addition, the Ombudsman, has already outlined several opportunities for joint initiatives between the Office of the Ombudsman and the Office of the Student Advocate, including advocacy efforts and a Parent Institute.
In the current fiscal year, the Ombudsman will have access to a case management system which will allow the Office to track and manage a growing caseload. What is exceptional about case management system is that it will also form the backbone of the case management system that would be developed for the Office of the Student Advocate, significantly lowering the cost of building two separate systems.
Conclusion
Overall, the State Board seeks to fill a critical niche in the education governance system – as an impartial thought leader and convener. To fulfill this goal, along with important policy objectives, the State Board requires additional capacity, including the funding of the Office of the Student Advocate, a communications director, and an Assistant Ombudsman. In addition, the State Board requests that the Council consider adding funds to reconfigure the offices of the State Board to accommodate additional staff members.
On behalf of the State Board, I wish to express our gratitude at the opportunity to share our testimony before the Council.
We are happy to answer any questions you may have.