Washington, D.C.—The D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE) will hold its monthly working session on Wednesday, November 2, at 5:00 p.m. The working session will be held in-person; however, in-person attendance will be limited to members and staff of the State Board. The meeting will be streamed live on the State Board’s YouTube page for members of the public to attend. Materials for the State Board meetings can be found on our meeting website.
“The return to in-person learning after the COVID-19 pandemic was the story of school year 2021–22. With the influx of education recovery funding from the federal government, local education agencies intended to begin recovery initiatives including plans to assess student learning loss, invest in high-dosage tutoring, and lead with a focus on social and emotional learning—understanding that many students experienced trauma and disconnect from their school communities and the resources that school systems provide,” Ombudsman Serena Hayes said. “The Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education continues to remain grounded in its mission—to help resolve and mediate complaints, concerns, and other issues caregivers, families, and schools experience in DC public schools and DC public charter schools.”
“Every day, we provide guidance and resource support to families to assist them in navigating public education in the District of Columbia. Our goal is to ensure that students and families are informed, connected, and equipped to be their own best advocates,” Dan Davis, Chief Student Advocate said. “In school year 2021–22, we focused some of our work on elevating the voices of students as a crucial dynamic in the efforts to obtain educational equity. We look forward to working closely with the State Board to best support students and families in the coming school year.”
The State Board will review the Annual Reports from the Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education and the Office of the Student Advocate and consider recommendations from each.
The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) has launched a new Healthy School Facilities (HSF) Network. The goal of the network is to build and enhance the capacity of states to provide healthy school facilities and help participating State Boards of Education form collaborative teams of state and local experts to analyze state-level data and programming, convene stakeholders, and take targeted, concrete actions toward creating healthy school facilities. The D.C. State Board of Education was selected as one of NASBE’s network states—and members look forward to debriefing the discussions from a recent strategy and goal setting discussion.
Following a Public Safety Panel at its October 19 Public Meeting, the State Board will take a deep dive into debriefing and planning next steps to ensure the safety of District students and communities. The State Board will also receive final recommendations from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) related to the District’s community service requirement for graduating students.
While working sessions are open to the public, individuals and representatives of organizations are not permitted to speak or participate. Individuals and representatives of organizations may submit written testimony for consideration by the State Board at any time. Written testimony must be submitted by email ([email protected]) at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting, in order to be included in the official record.
Materials received after that time will be included in the next official meeting record. To review the agenda, submit testimony, and presentations, please visit the State Board’s meeting documents site.
Working Session Agenda
Please note that the agenda may be altered, modified, or updated without notice.
I. Call to Order
II. Announcement of a Quorum
III. Leadership Report
IV. Interim Executive Director’s Report
V. OSSE Community Service Requirement Proposal
VI. Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education Annual Report
VII. Office of the Student Advocate Annual Report
VIII. NASBE Healthy School Facilities Network
IX. Debrief 10/19 Public Safety Panel
X. Committee Reports
i. Student Advisory Committee
ii. Accountability & Assessment
iii. Administrative
iv. Advocacy & Outreach
v. Board Governance
vi. Education Standards
vii. Teacher Practice and School Support
viii. External Committees
XI. New Business and Other Discussion
XII. Adjournment
About the SBOE
The D.C. 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 made up of nine elected representatives, each representing their respective wards, with one member representing DC at large, and four 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.
The Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education serves as an external, impartial resource for current and prospective public-school students and their parents or guardians in the resolution of complaints and concerns regarding public education in a way that furthers the students’ best interest. The Ombudsman’s Office uses conflict resolution strategies, including coaching, facilitation, and mediation, to assist families and schools experiencing disagreement or conflict.
The Office of the Student Advocate supports students, parents, and families in their advocacy through parent education, one-on-one coaching, resource supports, and trainings in order to amplify the voices of families and communities in processes and decision-making; to provide avenues for access to resources and understanding systems; and to support power families and communities already possess. Contact the Office of the Student Advocate Monday through Friday at (202) 741-4692 for questions or support with charter and neighborhood schools.
For the latest information on the District Government’s response to COVID-19, please visit coronavirus.dc.gov.
Contact: Milayo Olufemi
202-710-4641