News & Updates from LWVDC

LWVDC's Annie Rozewski recently attended the DC State Board of Education Monthly Working Session on April 2, 2025. Here is her readout, with a lot of information from the discussion. A recording and meeting materials are also available online.

Office of the State Superintendent of Education Presentation on Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements

• The office wants to increase DC's high school completion rate, particularly for students from historically marginalized communities and backgrounds, and ensure students access courses, experiences, and programs of study that prepare them for fulfilling lives and careers after high school.
• The current guiding vision includes:
• One diploma with multiple endorsement options.
• Embracing post-secondary planning and experiential learning.
• Reassessing which academic units ensure eligibility for and success in college.
• Exploring course flexibility and substitutions.
• During the Spring of 2025, OSSE will continue to engage in data collection activities regarding the proposed graduation requirements recommendations and the development of LEA-level resources for the DC Graduate Profile.
• OSSE is proposing to maintain the total number of high school graduation requirement units at 24 and shift the required units for graduation, as follows, for social studies and science:
• Reduce the required social studies units from 4 to 3. Students would have to take World History, U.S. History, U.S. Government/DC History.
• Reduce the required science units from 4 to 3. Students would be required to take biology and two other science courses.

Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education Presentation DC’s Compact 2042 DRAFT

• Compact 2042 is a guarantee that all children born in DC today will graduate high school on a clear path to a good job. This guarantee needs to be supported by the education and training system, and by employers.
• Compact 2042 aims to strengthen and expand pathways to college and careers for DC public school students.
• The goal is to provide DC employers with access to a robust pipeline of local talent, driving the District's economic growth and prosperity and to make DC an attractive place for employers to locate and grow, due to easy access to talent.
• To measure success, there are 4 key goals:
• Goal 1: DC students graduate high school prepared to enter college and career (By 2042, 100% of DC students will complete at least once OSSE-approved pathway)
• DC high school graduates will earn a post-secondary degree or credential to access the jobs of today and tomorrow (80% of 2042 DC public school grads will complete a postsecondary degree or credential within 6 years)
• DC graduates will access careers that enable economic mobility (80% of 2042 graduates will earn a living wage, and their unemployment rate will be 5%)
• DC graduates will meet the District’s current and future workforce needs (80% of graduates will be hired in priority sectors)

Debrief March Panel on Advanced Coursework

• The DC State Board of Education held a panel discussion on March 19, 2025, to explore strategies for expanding student access to advanced coursework in District high schools.
• The panel discussed barriers to equitable access, including systemic, logistical, and instructional challenges, and considered policy solutions from North Carolina.
• Key points from the discussion:
• Value of Advanced Coursework: Advanced courses provide students with a well-rounded education and broad exposure to future possibilities, allowing them to reach their potential.
• Progress in DCPS: DCPS has made steady improvements in its AP program since 2021, increasing student participation, course offerings, and exam success. They are also working to expand access to dual enrollment through partnerships like the National Education Equity Lab.
• Impact of School Choice: The expansion of school choice in DC, while intended to increase individual choice, has led to ability tracking and limited equitable access to advanced courses due to the high number of small schools.
• Equity and Excellence: Expanding excellence is about providing multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their potential and recognizing and developing talents that may not be immediately apparent.
• Long-Term Benefits: Participation in advanced coursework is linked to better academic performance, stronger problem-solving skills, and a higher likelihood of pursuing careers in high-demand fields.
• Importance of Early Start: Advanced coursework preparation should begin early in a student’s education to ensure they are consistently challenged and ready for rigorous learning experiences throughout their academic career.
• Ongoing Commitment: Expanding excellence requires sustained, intentional efforts focused on changing mindsets, policies, and practices to improve growth and achievement for all students.
• The panelists suggested several strategies to expand access to advanced coursework:
• Initiate automatic enrollment in advanced pathways based on annual assessments, starting as early as elementary school.
• Use objective criteria for student placement to ensure fairness and eliminate bias, with annual public reporting to track placement rates and ensure transparency.
• Create consortiums or expand virtual and dual enrollment options to provide access to advanced coursework for students in schools with limited resources.
• Support scheduling at and across schools to maximize opportunities.
• Strengthen feeder patterns and align specialized programming to provide students with a clear pathway within their local schools.
• Identify and replicate successful learning opportunities that students pursue outside of the classroom, such as DC Youth Orchestra or language classes.
• Explore learning hubs or out-of-school time opportunities for which students can earn credit through demonstrated mastery.
• Develop plans and program standards for academically and intellectually gifted students.
• Remove unnecessary barriers to advanced courses, such as prerequisites or summer homework.
• Create support structures like tutoring, summer bridge programs, and professional development to prepare more students and teachers for advanced coursework.
• Consider adjusting licensing requirements for professionals who can demonstrate competency to teach part-time.
• Communicate clearly with stakeholders to address misconceptions about expanding excellence.

Committee Reports

Administrative

• The SBOE office construction timeline has been pushed back to November 2025, and there are two staff vacancies.
• The committee discussed CA Order 2025-1 and agreed to adhere to it as much as possible within their fiscal constraints. They also decided not to include any enhancement requests in their FY 2026 Budget Oversight Testimony and voted to maintain the public meeting panels and witness processes as they are.

College, Career, and Life Readiness

College, Career, and Life Readiness (CCLR) Committee Report

• Education as a Civil Right: The committee discussed how to move forward with President Patterson’s draft resolution, emphasizing community engagement, especially among marginalized groups.
• Graduation Requirements: The committee reviewed a proposed task force framework to ensure inclusive and consistent stakeholder input. OSSE’s partnership was deemed important.
• Special Education Integration: Members agreed special education should be integrated into all committee work, not treated as a separate focus.
• Other Priorities: Graduation requirements are the top focus. There's also interest in civics education, health and P.E. standards, and implementation of previously approved standards.

Proposed Task Force on Graduation Requirements

• Purpose: Update graduation requirements to align with the graduate profile, promote equity, and support diverse pathways including a special education diploma.
• Composition: Up to 20 members, including educators, students, parents, community advocates, and workforce/higher ed representatives. Some seats filled via open application.
• Work Plan: Includes information gathering, public engagement, draft and final recommendations, and performance evaluation based on engagement quality and long-term outcomes.
• Guiding Priorities: Equity, alignment with learning values, flexibility, and career readiness.

Educator Excellence

• The committee members reviewed prior work by the State Board on teacher retention, specifically research and reporting led by Mary Levy in 2018, 2019, and 2021. They chose a recommendation from the 2020 report as their focus: "Develop mentoring programs for teachers at all schools." This recommendation was previously worked on by the committee, including SR24-27, which called for a comprehensive induction and mentoring program for new teachers in DC.
• The committee decided to invite a small group of teachers to their next meeting to discuss their support experiences and recommendations.
• The committee also discussed future meeting topics, such as how other states approach teacher mentorship and the current state of teacher mentorship in Washington, DC.
• The committee's goal is to develop a framework for teacher mentorship with recommendations for leaders across the education sector in DC.

Student Advisory

• The Student Advisory Committee (SAC) met on March 10, 2025. 31 students, including the four Student Representatives, attended the meeting.
• The DC Policy Center debriefed SAC members on their annual DC State of DC Schools Report.
• The SAC discussed school safety and bullying, including online rumors and violent content.
• Students shared that conflict resolution and restorative justice don't always work and suggested more therapists and banning cell phones as potential solutions. They also discussed SR25-5, Promoting DC STEM, with some concern about budgetary strain, and SR25-7, Recommendations for Expanding State Board Authority.
• The SAC nearly unanimously passed SR25-5 and passed SR25-7 with a vote of 33 to 1.

Student Experience and Engagement

Student Experience and Engagement Committee Meeting Report:

• The committee discussed 2025 work plan topics, including chronic absenteeism, indoor air quality, school facilities, special education student experience, student safety, charter school sports, and funding PKEEP.
• Student safety concerns, including retaliation and cell phone use in bullying, were discussed.
• The committee also addressed issues with students' secondary transition, families' struggles with Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), school nurses and student health, healthy school meals, Civics Learning Week, charter school sports funding, and age cutoff issues in early grades.
• The committee considered student listening sessions and discussed a public charter school sports resolution.

DRAFT 2025 SEE Committee Workplan:

• The workplan outlines 12 projects related to student experience and engagement.
• These projects include conducting a study on chronic absenteeism, exploring a partnership with the DC Council on indoor air quality, researching school facilities and special education student experience, and addressing student safety.

New Business:

SR25-7 Calling for Public Funding for the Public Charter School Athletic Association

DC State Board of Education Expanded Authority Amendment Act of 2025

The DC State Board of Education Expanded Authority Amendment Act of 2025 proposes to strengthen the authority of the State Board of Education by amending the 2007 Public Education Reform Amendment Act. Here's a summary of the key changes:

• Initiating Education Policy Actions
• The State Board can request the initiation of education policy actions by submitting a formal letter signed by at least five board members.
• If the relevant DC government entity fails to respond within 90 days, refuses, or does not act within set timelines (1–2 years), the Board may compel action through a resolution passed by a two-thirds supermajority.
• The resolution can mandate that the entity begin action within one year and submit a policy for Board approval within two years.
• Requesting Education-Related Data
• The Board can formally request data via a letter signed by five or more members.
• If not provided within 15 business days or if the request is declined, the Board may issue a supermajority resolution requiring data submission within 15 days.
• Giving “Great Weight” to Board Recommendations
• Government entities must give significant consideration to recommendations passed via Board resolutions.
• Entities must respond in writing, clearly addressing each concern and stating why they do or do not find the Board's input persuasive.
• A copy of the written decision must be sent to the Board within 60 days.