Washington, DC - The DC State Board of Education (SBOE) will hold its monthly public meeting on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, at 5:30 pm in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. Members will hear from national and local policy experts, as well as current and former classroom teachers on teacher retention in District public schools. The State Board will also recognize the achievements of former Ombudsman for Public Education, Joyanna Smith, and long-time DCPS administrator, Theodore Hinton. All meeting documents can be accessed on the SBOE information-sharing site. The public meeting will air live on District Knowledge Network (DKN) and will be streamed live via Periscope for those community members who are unable to attend in person.
Earlier this month, State Board members discussed its recently commissioned report on teacher turnover in the District of Columbia with independent education researcher Mary Levy. During this public meeting, local and national experts will offer their guidance and recommendations on ways to improve teacher retention. Additionally, the SBOE will hear directly from teachers in both DC Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools on the effects felt by students when teachers leave their school.
Joyanna Smith was appointed as the Ombudsman for Public Education in February 2014 and served in this role for nearly five years. Ms. Smith made a lasting impact in the District through her work in re-establishing the Office of Ombudsman for Public Education—helping parents, students, and families resolve problems and ensure that the best interest of students are put first. She was a champion for all residents of the District of Columbia and worked to help bridge the knowledge gap between the perceptions and the realities of the public schools in the District.
Theodore C. Hinton, Jr. worked in the District of Columbia Public Schools system for 50 years—serving as a math and science teacher, an administrator, and most recently as Dean of Culture at Powell Bilingual Elementary School. During his tenure, Mr. Hinton was a strong proponent of using positive reinforcement to help all students find direction in their lives.
The draft agenda of the meeting is below. 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 the Agenda
IV. Approval of the Minutes
V. Comments from the President of the DC State Board of Education
VI. Comments from the State Superintendent of Education
VII. Public Comment
VIII. Joyanna Smith Ceremonial Resolution (VOTE)
IX. Theodore C. Hinton, Jr. Ceremonial Resolution (VOTE)
X. Teacher Retention at District Public Schools
XI. Adjournment
All students, parents, educators, and community members are invited to provide testimony at public meetings. Individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to comment at a public meeting are asked to notify Board staff in advance by phone at (202) 741-0888 or by email at [email protected] no later than 48 hours in advance of the meeting. An electronic copy of testimony must be received no later than 48 hours prior to the meeting. Individuals are asked to furnish their names, addresses, telephone numbers, and organizational affiliation, if any. Individuals must also bring at least fifteen (15) copies of their written statements with them to the meeting.
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.