A few weeks ago, on November 16, the education committee of our city council held a hearing on amendments to the Healthy Schools Act; school food; and proposed legislation to provide free lunches for all DC students. Not surprisingly, such a wide-ranging hearing encompassed equally wide-ranging testimony, including apparent socioeconomic bias in the distribution of … Continue reading Unhealthy School Acts

Seems that in a burst of activity in the short week before Thanksgiving, instead of addressing the ongoing education crisis of some of our city's most vulnerable kids, Mayor Bowser asked the council to issue $230 million in DC revenue bonds for KIPP DC. The council is considering this as emergency legislation, voting on it as … Continue reading So, While Apparently Not Worrying About Ballou, Our Mayor Requested $230 Million In DC Bonds For KIPP DC

[The following is an email sent by DC schools activist Peter MacPherson, in the wake of the DCPS FY19 budget hearing. It got no response from its direct addressee, Chancellor Antwan Wilson, nor any of the city education leaders copied, which include the deputy mayor for education, the chair of the city council, and the … Continue reading No Response: DCPS Libraries

This summer, the state board of education formed a task force on graduation requirements, to “review, analyze and, as necessary, make thoughtful, implementable recommendations to adjust DC’s high school graduation requirements for all DCPS and public charter students.” Setting aside the odd circumstances of the task force’s formation (see here), the work seems important: our … Continue reading Weigh In On Graduation Requirements

Next Tuesday, November 14, starting at 6 pm, DCPS will hold a budget hearing/debate on next year’s school funding. The forum will be at Stuart-Hobson Middle School, 410 E Street NE, and sign-up is here (deadline to sign up is this Friday November 10 at 3 pm). On the same day that this budget forum … Continue reading Let’s Talk Money! (Or Is It Power?)

[Herein is a letter sent to the heads of the DC public charter school board, with all city education leaders copied (except for the DCPS chancellor, who was not involved). Months later, despite the letter's simple demand for the charter board's illegal action to be reversed, no DC government official addressed or copied here responded … Continue reading No Response: DC Prep Re-Vote

That would be the public. Oh, the planning process itself is well-defined publicly, as far as the actions of agencies and their employees go: --The office of planning is updating the city’s comprehensive plan, including feedback from city education agencies that was submitted in June. The office of planning will be soliciting public feedback when … Continue reading Guess Who Is Missing From DC Public Education Planning?

Well, you probably already missed one of the (not-well-publicized) meetings on the ESSA school report cards, but no worries: As you may recall, earlier this year DC got--courtesy of a phonebanking effort by national pro-education reform and charter advocacy group Democrats for Education Reform--a test-heavy school accountability law. This new DC law, formulated under the … Continue reading Quick! Weigh In On The ESSA Report Cards

So, the city council’s health committee passed unanimously the other week a bill that establishes that each DC public school will have a registered nurse for 40 hours every week. Which is great news--but even if the council votes the bill into law (which is expected), without funding the law cannot be enforced. Worse, the … Continue reading Hey, MAYOR: Why Can’t DC Do What Pediatricians Recommend And Have Full-Time Registered Nurses In Each Public School?

Sponsored by the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, C4DC, and Teaching for Change, a free DC screening of the Matt Damon film Backpack Full of Cash will be held on Thursday, November 16, at 6 pm. RSVP here. The screening will take place at DCPS's Columbia Heights Educational Campus (3101 16th … Continue reading Free Screening Nov. 16: Backpack Full Of Cash