The Story Of DGS In Our Schools: Crumbling Infrastructure, Unsafe Conditions, & Work Order Hell

For more than 5 hours on February 28, public witnesses at the DGS performance oversight hearing outlined a variety of physical problems in DCPS schools, which DGS is charged with maintaining. To wit: Nonworking toiletsBroken elevators, preventing any handicap accessNonworking HVACFaulty or missing locks on class and other doorsDCPS deferring to DGS on maintenance decisionsStudents … Continue reading The Story Of DGS In Our Schools: Crumbling Infrastructure, Unsafe Conditions, & Work Order Hell

Some Of What The People Said In 10 Hours On A Wednesday

The mega education performance oversight hearing on March 1 (7 agencies, more than $2 billion annual DC taxpayer $$) lasted slightly over 10 hours and had more than 200 public witnesses, while only a fraction of the council attended—and all for a fraction of the entire hearing’s time. At various points I saw Phil Mendelson, … Continue reading Some Of What The People Said In 10 Hours On A Wednesday

And While DCPS Isn’t Providing Equitable, Stable, And Adequate Budgets . . .

here’s some other recent stuff going down in DC’s largest LEA: --DCPS used covid recovery funds to pay a school bus company even when the company's operating license was suspended. Shortly thereafter, DCPS students were traveling on one of the buses when its inebriated driver had an accident. --Speaking of money mysteries: DCPS has not … Continue reading And While DCPS Isn’t Providing Equitable, Stable, And Adequate Budgets . . .

To Survive DCPS Budget Horrors, Learn From Expert Advocates

[Ed. Note: What follows immediately below is a brief burying of the lede above, for context setting. If you wish, simply scroll down to the bold heading "Powerful Information To Help Advocate For Our Schools," which has some budget resources, including a budget outline by DCPS parent and education researcher Betsy Wolf.] Last Friday, February … Continue reading To Survive DCPS Budget Horrors, Learn From Expert Advocates

Why DC’s Proposed Social Studies Standards Are Troubling–And The Troubling Path Forward

[Ed. Note: At the DC state board of education (SBOE) public hearing on February 15, public witnesses again presented testimony outlining serious shortcomings of proposed social studies standards promulgated by the office of the state superintendent of education (OSSE). We do not know (yet) the content of the more than 5000 comments (!) that OSSE … Continue reading Why DC’s Proposed Social Studies Standards Are Troubling–And The Troubling Path Forward

Unappetizing Food, Unsafe Passages, & Other Unsurprising DC School News

--A few days after the Post ran a story about the shortcomings of the safe passage program, a school safe passage worker was shot to death near Coolidge High school. At the same time, students have been repeatedly left in the lurch regarding mandated DC school buses not showing up on time (or at all; … Continue reading Unappetizing Food, Unsafe Passages, & Other Unsurprising DC School News

Winter Happenings 2023

--The office of the state superintendent of education (OSSE) is now receiving public comment on draft menstrual health education standards until midnight on February 20. You can email OSSE.HYDT@DC.GOV with your comments on the draft standards, available here. See here for additional information. OSSE is apparently hoping the DC state board of education (SBOE) will … Continue reading Winter Happenings 2023