[Ed. Note: Below is my submitted testimony on DC's comprehensive plan. As a basis for future planning in DC, the draft comprehensive plan submitted by the mayor is now before the DC council for its consideration and approval. For more information, including how to submit testimony, see here. The public hearing record is open until … Continue reading Last Call For DC’s Comprehensive Plan (And Education Rights)

In part 1 of this series on 2020 campaign donations and DC education, I examined how DC elected and appointed officials, as well as some common education reform donors and DC education leaders, have donated to candidates in this election cycle. This post, the second of three parts of this series, outlines financial support to … Continue reading Education And DC Campaign Money, Part 2: Candidates

Ward 6 Public School Parents Organization (W6PSPO) head Suzanne Wells helpfully compiled the following list of activities this week to show up and shout out concerning DCPS's re-opening plan: --The Parent Advocacy Action Team is holding a rally at 10 am, Thursday, October 22 at the Wilson Building (our city hall! 1350 PA Ave. NW) on how reopening affects DC children … Continue reading Show Up, Shout Out: This Week’s Events Around DCPS’s Re-Opening

So literally a day after DCPS held a public forum on October 6, on its forced march to re-open on November 9, the school system fired (or removed or forced to resign, depending on your source) the principal of School Without Walls HS and and School Without Walls @Francis-Stevens. Together, those two campuses comprise one … Continue reading Good Trouble: Re-Opening DCPS Edition

Hello, DC! Do you know who you are voting for WRT education? At last count, there were more more than 20 candidates for two at large seats on the DC council (!) and 6 candidates for one at large seat on the state board of education--and that's not counting lots more candidates for seats in … Continue reading Education Election Information

--Last Monday, September 21, the DC public charter school board (PCSB) held a discussion of Ingenuity Prep (IP) and allegations that special ed services were not provided appropriately or safely. (See the video here.) Before the meeting, the charter board made clear it is not calling for a revocation of the school’s charter (see its … Continue reading The Waning Weeks Of September: Just Like The Others, Only More So

***Today, Wednesday September 23, at 3:30 pm, the education committee of the DC council will hold a vote on bill 23-0717, which concerns creating an at risk preference for charter schools in the lottery. A hearing was held on the legislation in the summer. More information is here. (Speaking of the council: there’s been a … Continue reading The Week(s) Ahead: Petitions And Hearings And More, Oh My!

Several efforts are well underway in DC to change how money is apportioned to our public schools. The results of either may rapidly change our school landscape. DC’s Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) working group, convened by the office of the state superintendent of education (OSSE), has just had two meetings out of a … Continue reading The School Expense That Must Not Be Named (Or, How DCPS Schools Might Close Faster)

[Ed. Note: On Friday, DCPS parent Danica Petroshius sent a plea for DCPS to cover the (as much as 60%!) shortfall in digital devices and internet access before school starts tomorrow, Monday August 31. Below, Petroshius outlines what has happened since her plea: her school has received needed devices, possibly at the expense of other … Continue reading A Case Study In Inadequate Planning, Budgeting, Communications And Transparency (Digital Devices Update)