[Ed. Note: This new blog series, consisting of tales of missing public education information and active disinformation, arises at a time when both storytelling and truth are at a premium. Recall that on March 17, one of the first actions of our DC council in the current pandemic was to extend the deadline for responses … Continue reading The Education Mysteries, Tale #1: Friendship’s Lottery & Achievement Prep’s Middle School

Here are a few things of interest for this week, as we await both an update on the budget situation (see C4DC’s recent letter to the mayor, demanding balancing of priorities for DCPS) as well as news of when (and/or if) school will reopen this school year. --Starting this week, DCPS has 10 sites that … Continue reading What’s Happening (And NOT Happening)

As the corona virus devastates billions of people world-wide, budgets everywhere are being similarly devastated--including DC’s proposed public education budgets. To address expected shortfalls in revenue, here in no particular order are 15 revenue-neutral (and even revenue-enhancing!) ways that DC could tomorrow cut public education expenses; provide greater oversight; and ensure better public involvement in … Continue reading 15 Ways To Stop DC Public Ed Budget Implosions And Improve Our Schools–Tomorrow

On Tuesday this past week, Mayor Bowser announced that “DC education leaders” were launching a new “digital equity fund.” A “collaboration” between private organization Education Forward DC, the DC Public Education Fund (the private fundraising arm of DCPS), and the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the fund is intended to increase access to the internet and … Continue reading Privilege, Wealth, & The New Digital Equity Fund

In the face of a strange unknown, so many people are doing their best to cope--and while that may fall short of the/an ideal (whatever that ideal may be--cancelling PARCC, staying healthy, locating a treasure trove of TP, etc.), the old saw that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” still remains … Continue reading Our Greatest Strength—And A Few Resources

In less than 10 minutes on February 24, the DC charter board unanimously approved the application of Eagle Academy to abandon its plans to locate at 2345 R St. SE--a property that Eagle bought but never occupied, with a school building that Eagle constructed using DC revenue bonds (approved specifically for that location and paid … Continue reading Muting DC (Public Education Edition)

If proof was needed to show how ill-suited DC's legislative body is for the role of school board (well, beyond the failing closure vote on Wash Met), it came via the February 10 hearing of bill 23-0496, the Fair Access to Selective High Schools Amendment act. The bill outlines how 7th graders will be provided … Continue reading Making Selectivity In Schools An Achievement

--February 12 marked the day a unique and terrible event in DC public education probably occurred. I say “probably,” because no one in the public actually knows when the asset currently owned and used by a DCPS school, Ellington Field, was or will be transferred from DCPS to the department of parks and recreation (DPR), … Continue reading A Not-Stellar Week For DC Public Education

As awful as it is to see a DC public school closed and students and staff blamed for its poor attendance, low test scores, and declining enrollment without any blame attached to the people actually responsible for the school's divestment that resulted in just those conditions, such blatant disrespect for the public (i.e., you), and the public trust, … Continue reading Destroying The Public Trust: FOIA In DC Charter Schools Edition

[Ed. Note: Tomorrow, Tuesday February 4 at 11 am, the DC city council votes on emergency legislation (introduced by at large council member Robert White, along with Ward 1 council member Brianne Nadeau and Ward 8 council member Trayon White) to stop the closure of one of DCPS's alternative high schools, Washington Metropolitan. The following helpful synopsis … Continue reading Reasons Why DCPS Should Support, Not Close, Washington Met