[Ed. Note: The following is by Ruth Wattenberg, Ward 3 state board of education representative, on a pending vote (as early as this coming Tuesday November 27) on city council legislation (B22-0776) to establish a research collaborative for education data in DC. In the wake of multiple education scandals involving data, the legislation provides for … Continue reading Save DC’s (Truly) Independent Education Collaborative!

At last week’s November 15 council hearing, on the plan to build a new Banneker high school at the site of the closed Shaw Junior High, dozens of public witnesses testified, advocating for either Banneker or a Shaw middle school of right on the site. But after more than four hours of their testimony, it … Continue reading This Is What Democracy Doesn’t Look Like: Banneker/Shaw Edition

Into the deep well of overlooked news dumped on a Friday evening before a long holiday weekend, the office of the deputy mayor for education (DME) this past Friday released its report on the work of 2+ years of the cross sector task force (CSTF). The somewhat triumphant press release avoids discussing the group's failures, while … Continue reading Cross Sector Task Force Releases Report; Members Resign

This is what happens when elected leaders ignore the public in its own schools: a petition to have the mayor do the right thing and honor the city's promise to have a middle school of right in Shaw *and* renovate Banneker. I'll let the good citizens of Shaw tell it: "[We] support a new middle … Continue reading Fighting Back: Shaw Middle School Petition

On November 8 and November 15, respectively, the city council will hold hearings for our acting deputy mayor for education (DME) Paul Kihn as well as a plan to put an expanded Banneker high school at the site of the closed Shaw middle school. Sign up is here, and more information is here and here, respectively. … Continue reading October Surprises: Bard, Banneker, Shaw & Kihn

How much money have you--as a parent, teacher, or student in DC’s publicly funded schools--given to political causes around public education in 2018: $5? $50? $500? $5000? How much money did your spouse/parents/children/relatives give? How much money did any union at your public school give? It is not easy to know all these answers--but chances … Continue reading DFER DC’s IEC: Pulling Away In 2018

Next Thursday November 1, the DC city council will hold several education-related hearings whose common theme is improving student safety in and around our schools. Sexual Assault and Abuse At 10 am on November 1, the council’s education committee is holding a hearing on two bills, introduced in September, that would require schools to adopt … Continue reading November 1: Accountability Day For Safer DC Schools

The DC Education Coalition for Change (DECC) is sponsoring a question and answer session for state board of education candidates tomorrow evening, Thursday October 25 at the Columbia Heights Education Campus, 3101 16th St NW. From 6 pm-7:15 pm that evening, the organization will discuss education issues and ratify its 2019 agenda. After that, starting … Continue reading Hear State Board Of Education Candidates Tomorrow Night, October 25

[Emilie Cassou is a DCPS elementary school parent and a sustainable food systems specialist. As she details here, she and other DCPS parents are leading an effort to get healthier food served to DCPS students.] By Emilie Cassou DCPS prides itself in having some of the best nutritional standards in the country. Reading about how … Continue reading A School Food Opportunity Too Good To Waste

So, in the wake of Post revelations (see here and here) that candidates for the elected state board of education are raising record amounts of money (hmm: why EVER is this rush of money happening?!? Oh, that’s why), local (and unpaid volunteer) education advocacy group C4DC has published answers that candidates provided to questions from … Continue reading State Board Candidates In Their Own Words (Hard Cash And Hard Drink Edition)