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At the June working session, OSSE brought a proposal to the State Board for including high school growth in the STAR Framework. State Superintendent Hanseul Kang and her team reviewed the proposal with Board members and participated in a lively question-and-answer session. The proposal would establish a growth measure in the STAR Framework for District high schools after community input on the proposal, contingent on approval from the SBOE and the U.S. Department of Education.
Over the past few months, the State Board welcomed school leaders and experts from nonprofits, local and national education policy organizations, and universities for public discussions on different ways to measure student and high school growth in public schools. Academic growth, the progress a student makes over a particular time period, is one of the indicators used by the District in its STAR Framework and in its school report card for elementary and middle schools. Growth can be measured in a number of different ways. Over the past few months, the State Board convened expert panels on the topic of growth measurement. The State Board heard discussions on median growth percentile (MGP), growth to proficiency metrics, value-added measurement (VAM), and learned of other methods by which high school growth in the District could be measured. State Board members also heard from District high school principals on how their students’ growth of their students should be represented.
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The task force held its final meeting on June 11 and voted to adopt a final report to the State Board concerning its activities and ESSA implementation. Members from the task force presented the final report to the State Board at this month’s public meeting. This report contains an overview of the activities task force and recommendations from each of the task force’s three committees.
Academic Equity Committee Recommendations
- Support additional targeted research to ensure equitable outcomes
- Encourage the Council to memorialize, via legislation, a plan to adequately fund schools within three years, as there is limited funding available to improve comprehensive support schools
- Call on the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) to draft a comprehensive “equity action plan” that includes analysis of all educational inputs and outcomes to reduce gaps in academic rigor, growth, and achievement between different student groups
Leading for Equity Committee Recommendations
- Offer additional support to lower-rated schools not already eligible for support
- Promote partnerships with external organizations to build capacity and enhance the capabilities of school leadership
- Support rigorous research that identifies cost-effective policies and programs
- Provide additional targeted technical assistance to LEAs and schools regarding creative uses of at-risk and other federal resources
School Resources and Funding Equity Committee Recommendations
- Work to support best practices and more standardized implementation with respect to how school funding and expenses are reported to the public
- Identify high-leverage budget line items tied to equitable outcomes
- Publicly report additional budget data on the DC School Report Card
SBOE will review the task force report and recommendations to determine further action by SBOE or advising other agencies for action. For more information on the work of the task force and copies of minutes and video recordings, please visit sboe.dc.gov/essa.
Student Representatives Tatiana Robinson and Marjoury Alicea, along with members of the SAC, presented a final report to the State Board for consideration at this month’s public meeting. The SAC met monthly over the course of the 2018–19 school year and focused their work on "Teacher Retention" & "Equity Across Schools." The Teacher Retention Committee worked to create solutions to keep more teachers in schools, find the main reasons that teachers leave schools after a short period of time, and advocate and voice the ways in which erroneous retention rates affect students. The Equity Across Schools Committee focused on finding the real reasons behind the inequities in DC schools, looking at the differences in school course offerings, such as languages, extracurricular activities, college tours, and the quality of substitutes at different schools.
Throughout the year, SAC members interviewed students and teachers to gain valuable feedback on issues vital to the work of the State Board. Students looked at how to keep more teachers in schools and focused on finding the real reasons behind the inequities in DC schools. State Board members voted unanimously to accept the report and the SBOE will now begin discussions for next steps on the report’s contents and recommendations.
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Members of the Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program and the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute honored at June public meeting.
At the June Public Meeting, the State Board enthusiastically recognized and honored Dr. Faith Gibson Hubbard, Maya Garcia, Juneteenth Independence Day, College Bound, Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program, and the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute.
The Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education, under the direction of Ombudsman Serena Hayes, presented information on the work completed during the last quarter and discuss opportunities to collaborate with Board members this year. The top two most frequent case types this quarter were special education and school environment. The Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education is an impartial and independent office that uses mediation and conflict resolution to resolve complaints and concerns for parents and families regarding public education.
Led by Interim Chief Student Advocate Dan Davis, the Office of the Student Advocate (OSA) works in partnership to equalize the balance of power between families and schools by increasing family voice, access, and power. In the office’s day-to-day work, OSA supports students and families in their advocacy through parent education, one-on-one coaching, resource supports, and trainings. During the presentation, Davis touted OSA’s recently-released District of Columbia Student Discipline Guide, a great resource for families which is now available for download.
This Latest From Our Blog
Earlier this month, Ashley MacLeay, At-Large Representative, and Alexander Jue, Policy Analyst, shared highlights from Strawberries & Salad Greens Day.
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Policy Fellow Caitlin Peng experienced a snapshot of a public charter school where a strong sense of community permeated the hallways and classrooms.
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Outgoing Policy Fellow Sara Gopalkrishna highlights her five months as a Policy Fellow with the SBOE.
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July Updates
Please be advised that the July SBOE working session will be held on Tuesday, July 2, due to the Independence Day holiday. The SBOE office will be closed on July 4 and July 5.
Upcoming July Events
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