State Board of Education

March 19, 2025

Panel on Expanding Student Access to Advanced Coursework.

Cathy Reilly- DC Senior Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators

I appreciate you holding this hearing. With 69 different school systems and a focus on individual schools within DCPS, it is overall a piecemeal approach that is expansive and expensive.  Solutions are possible, they can come in the mix of more central guidance on how many schools the city opens as well as from efforts to coordinate and make it easier for students to take advantage of programs in their school or even nearby at other campuses.

Our goal is for Advanced Coursework to support students to be better prepared for postsecondary opportunities for education and work.  This includes a significant financial benefit. These courses are part of our goal to provide students with a well- rounded education, a diverse and rigorous curriculum that gives these young people broad exposure to opportunities and to what is possible for them.

It is an education that meets the advanced needs of higher performing students and provides a tangible path for growth for lower performing students, moving everyone forward. This necessitates equitable opportunities for all, so students can fulfill their potential both personally and as part of our larger civic society.  

The list of opportunities in DCPS is extensive spanning AP/IB, early college, dual enrollment, CTE, World Languages. There is some qualification- for students to take the classes, there needs to be a minimum number of students ready to enroll, the staff prepared to teach and scheduling that will allow them to enroll.

Our wealth as a city, especially over the last 10 years has contributed to making this possible in both academic and career exposure.  As we face more constrained budgets, we will need to pay attention to the impact of fewer dollars.

Three of the multiple challenges to more students having better access to advanced course offerings are:

1-Access is not equitable by location and school type. You can see here the difference in what is offered in DCPS by ward and also between the DCPS neighborhood by right schools and the selective/application schools.  It is a complicated story. These are a few lenses on DCPS and this data does not include the charters or address ELL and Special Education access.  [i] What you can see is that overall selective DCPS schools offer more advanced academic courses, schools in the west and central part of the city offer more options with both career and AP/IB.  World language is a story in itself increased but uneven access. The following table does not show the classes in early college or dual enrollment or the actual number of students enrolled but it does give a snapshot of what is available for these courses onsite at the schools.

2. The level of preparation: Some students do not apply to advanced offerings because they are not prepared to do the work, do not have the support.  Others might not know what is available.  A student’s vision for themselves and motivation are partly determined by what they have been exposed to before arriving at high school.  -This can include being a confident grade level or advanced reader who has taken the prerequisite math or having been exposed to advanced challenges by learning to play a musical instrument, been involved in robotics, travelled, had exposure through outside experiences.   Preparation is also determined by having time to study, do they have a job, are the required to take care of siblings? Do they have the physical space to do homework?  In the earlier grades has their background knowledge grown?  If not from home, from exposure at school?

3. The small size of many high schools is limiting. DC has 39 high schools with more charter applications and expansions possible.  For DCPS, as a system with over 13,000 students enrolled in the 18 schools that serve 9th through 12th graders, they have a better chance of funding at least a minimum number of courses at each site, although as you can see there is a huge range of what is available at any one site.  For the charter schools with about 8,400 and 21 schools with many small (under 400 students) this is more difficult.  It is expensive to offer a broad range of courses that meet students academically where they are and offer a selection of different subject content in a small school.

As a city the policy decision has been to expand the number of schools to try to accommodate increased individual choice, mainly through a lottery or through selective application schools to compliment the by right DCPS system. This has resulted in some ability tracking by school and has limited both what is offered equitably as a right and what can be offered with so many small schools.  

Some Suggestions to explore for moving forward: I put out the word, but I think DCPS and the city could get more suggestions that would address the issues laid out above with more engagement on this from the full community past, present and future. 

Equity:

§  Explore a Consortium like colleges have across schools located in proximity to one another. 

§  Programs like the Pilot with Phelps starting next year for students to attend part of the day at that well equipped facility.  The Advanced Technical Center also allows this.

§  The passion and commitment of a teacher supported by a school administration has created and sustained programs.  It is helping the IB link between Eliot Hine and Eastern. Anacostia with the environmental studies expansion. It takes time.  DCPS can identify and support.

§  Should licensing be adjusted for professionals that can demonstrate competence and teach part time?  Should wages as earned WAE be expanded to meet needs in smaller schools? This could expand instruction in engineering, the arts, world language

§  As a system, more support for scheduling at the school level and perhaps across schools.

§  Recommendation 17[ii] of the Boundary study supported equal programming and rigor across the city- prioritize working with communities on this implementation

§  Strengthen feeder patterns so that students can see a future in the schools geographically close that they have a right to go to, reducing travel time. An example is the strength that is growing in the Coolidge feeder pattern. Students at Houston and Shirley Chisholm should have a clear dual language pathway in their feeder system. 

§  We can do a better job of offering advanced opportunities in the arts at all of our schools. Ellington should not be the only option.  Years ago each DCPS high school student had the opportunity to learn an instrument.  The DC Youth Orchestra serves 600 across both charter and DCPS.  Many schools limit the music to the .5 credit required.  Learn from where students have this opportunity and seek to replicate. 

Preparation

§  DCPS is a system, it can leverage greater sharing.  Students at all DCPS middle schools should have access to being prepared for Algebra in 8th grade and being able to take it or starting a world language in 6th grade.  This could be achieved through a program similar to what Brightwood and Deal had with a shared virtual teacher; through shared teachers, or through part time teachers in the smaller schools.

§  Newcomer students should be advancing in content in their native language simultaneously to learning English in an ESL setting so that they do not lost years of content as its delivered in a language that they do not yet speak. Offer classes taught in Spanish at more middle and high schools as electives and ensure there are enough so that students can still get a period or two of foreign language immersion.

§  Pre AP and Pre IB tracks

§  Explore Learning Hubs, Out of School time opportunities especially for world language.

§  Language options could be tied to CTE pathways (in part to counter any notion of a two tiered or tracked system). Language abilities will enhance student success along any career pathway.

§  Support the technology needed across the system. 

-- Stop the Expansion of High Schools given Excess space available, invest in what we have. 

--Follow and comment on the implementation[iii] of Recommendation 23 for joint planning between the sectors in the Boundary and Student Assignment Plan. 

[ii] https://dcgov.app.box.com/v/2023dcboundaryreport

[iii] https://dme.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dme/publication/attachments/2023BoundaryStudyImplementationPlan%20FINAL.pdf

DC Council Oversight Hearing on the PCSB

March 5, 2025

Cathy Reilly of SHAPPE, C4DC and Ward 4 Ed Alliance

Thank you for this opportunity to testify on the Public Charter School Board.  As we all head into a year with great uncertainty under the new administration, I hope the Council will help facilitate, with your government partners, policy that helps us be more efficient and effective for all of the children in DC. 

We have had the cushion of living in a city that was growing. A city with balanced budgets and the ability to fund 69 separate school systems.  We are heavy on administration in this model. The agreed upon vision both in 2014 and most recently by two different groups including both DCPS and charter is of a core system of high quality DCPS public schools of right complemented by a set of high- quality public charter and DCPS citywide school options.

The new US Secretary of Education has prioritized education freedom.  I want to note that we in the District, including the 52,000 students enrolled in DCPS have chosen to have a public system where we together figure out what is in the best educational interest of all of the children, working to not privilege some over others. This core value will need to be defended.

In order to continue to realize the vision we are going to have to shift, be more strategic. Your hearing today is an oversight hearing of the group that does oversight.  As demonstrated in the hearing on the closing of Eagle Academy, the Council needs to have more understanding of the public money allocated to charters about 1 billion. 

The 68 local education agencies represent a huge range of schools, all with very different financials as represented in the audits on the PCPSB website.  This is not my expertise but I think you should be able to ask how much public money is essentially profit, accumulated year over year.  There are net assets and cash noted of millions of dollars.  I understand there has to be funds held in reserve and there are debt liabilities.  However, this has been a profitable business for some charters, not for all.  To this point you might ask how many CEO’s are paid over the reported 280,000 salary of the Chancellor of DCPS.  We know from the School funding study that there was an excess of 20 million paid for facilities to the charter sector. 

If the commitment is to a public DCPS system complimented by additional options, more scrutiny needs to be given to the opening and expanding of schools.   The PCSB has to distinguish where the need is – is it the need of the operator to increase revenue or is it really in the best interest of the full system of public education here.  (see the permission for BASIS to expand enrollment and open an additional campus not noted in answers to the questions you posed).

The goal of recommendation 23 in the Boundary study is to get to better joint planning at a moment where there is excess space in both sectors.  The last sentence though is this aligned planning process will not change existing legal authority on the part of DCPS or DC PCSB but elevates the expectation of public transparency for increased accountability. How will that accountability occur?  We will continue to engage in this effort noted in the implementation plan [1]and hope that you will consider some guardrails if they are needed to address the inequity and destabilization that we have now with a system that incentivizes expansion and mobility. 

[1] "DME shall work with DCPS and DC PCSB to create an aligned and transparent planning process for opening new schools and campuses and identifying grade configurations in both sectors that considers the full ecosystem…" 1. Working with DCPS and PCSB, the DME will develop a shared planning framework using common data that assesses the impact of a potential new school or campus on the existing schools (the public-school ecosystem), as well as determine whether this potential new school is needed. 2. DME will use the framework to assess the need and estimated impact for potential new schools. Deadline: May 1, 2025, draft planning framework for public comment and revision. By July 31, 2025, final framework published on DME website. Thereafter, publicly release analysis of potential new schools including the DC PCSB charter application process conducted annually in the spring

DC Council Oversight Hearing for the District of Columbia Public Schools

February 27, 2025

Cathy Reilly – Exec Director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators (SHAPPE)

This week is the 28th anniversary of the first meeting of SHAPPE and we have met every month with summer exceptions.  I have seen a lot of changes, as have you.

The city has made a significant investment in its DCPS high schools, all of them have been modernized.  The alumni groups and strength of identification with these public institutions remains strong.  DCPS educates the majority of high school students, enrollment in 2023-2024 was 13,594.  There are 8,391 high school students in the PCSB schools.  The Career and Tech programs have expanded and are thriving reaching close to 6000 students, the early college opportunities have also expanded with a cross-enrollment pilot starting at Phelps.  The latest reform effort, XQ now winding down and leaving some funding gaps, benefitted a number of the schools.  We traditionally come here to tell you what we need help with. It is also important to acknowledge what is being supported and going well.  We need this support to continue and it is to both the schools and to central to be effective. 

I believe that this investment in the by right, democratic public institution of DCPS, and thus in these students now and in the future, is especially important in this moment in our city and country’s history. 

The budgets are released today, so I do not have details on how the salary increases are being covered, what items are being cut from central and from the system, what is being transferred to schools and at what cost.  How stability has been juggled with equity in a tighter fiscal environment. 

Along with strengths, DCPS does need to improve, including

-        Better facility and program planning.  Overcrowding in ward 4, where growth should be encouraged, swing space planning that includes the community earlier, a long- range vision that looks at students not having to travel and invests in equity in opportunity across all feeder patterns.  (#17 in Student Assignment recommendations.) Engaging the broad community where there is extra space with the view of how to enrich the experience of those students. 

-        Examining the assessment and testing schedule to reduce the amount of time spent.  It needs a better balance between accountability and informing instruction. 

-        Support International teachers who need visa renewals, the digital equity recommendations, continue the decoding dyslexia focus on ensuring all of our students are able to read and understand content.  Double down on mental health, supporting all students no matter race, sexual orientation or immigration status as our laws require. 

If stability is the goal, and the vision of a DCPS by right system supplemented by citywide schools stated in both boundary studies, you may need to identify funds that acknowledge the need of this DCPS system.

The Council has chosen the Schools First bill. In its 3rd year, there is a chance to learn from what has worked and what can be adjusted.  No one wants a repeat of the last 2 years, with shifts in personnel in March and then through the summer, once stable schools staffs disrupted as some schools win additional funds and can recruit.  The strong hope is that the Council and DCPS have figured this out. 

DC State Board of Education

December 11, 2024

Cathy Reilly – Ward 4 Education Alliance, SHAPPE and C4DC

I would like to start by extending my appreciation and gratitude for the work of Frazier O’Leary, the Ward 4 SBOE representative for the last 6 years.  Frazier has been assessable, attended tons of meetings to listen and connected with the schools on a regular basis delivering books. I want to thank Carlene for her courageous and informed positions on many issues.  I feel we have all been informed and enriched by her contributions to your work as a State Board of Education.  You will be missed as we welcome T Michelle Colson and LaJoy Johnson-Law.

Perhaps the biggest task coming up for you all is the work on the Graduation Requirements Revisions.

I look forward to seeing a robust engagement plan, how is this going to proceed?  Is the advisory committee for the Grad Profile the same, who is on it, will teachers, parents and others be represented how were they selected, are the meetings open? 

I served on the Advisory Committee for the last revision of the grad standards.  We wrestled a lot with which subjects might benefit from a competency-based approach which decouples the Carnegie unit and time from course completion, and for which subjects it would represent a narrowing of exposure.  We struggled with how to ensure that students would not unknowingly be closing out opportunities by their course choices to post-secondary schools they might aspire to by their junior or senior year.  We tried to assess the quality of internships and alternative experiences and how to measure that quality.  As we tried one option on, we often discovered some unintended ramifications that needed to be addressed.  I hope some of the work and recommendations from that group can be revisited with more information now. 

The Grad record work has been very well received.  So, I was surprised to see a draft of possible graduation requirements presented at your November working session so soon.  I feel it was premature and left out a larger community wrestling with what is necessary in a base academic foundation?  Why were Math, Science and Social Studies expanded to 4 years in earlier years?   It also seemed to define the discussion going forward as how to be for, against or amend these before we had been part of more of the preliminary work.

The graduation requirements drive school budgets and staffing.  What will transferring the course work of electives to dual enrollment or internships out of the school mean at some schools.  Implementation has to be part of the discussion of any changes. 

We absolutely have to examine and seek to solve for lack of engagement, and limited success after high school.  It should not come at the expense though of a strong academic foundation for all students.  How can we prevent tracking by school – can all students have the option for 4 years of math or science?  That is not what has happened with World language. 

For the process to have integrity, there has to be the trust that the decisions are not already made.  I look forward to working with you on this and on all of the issues you will confront in 2025.  Thank you

DC Council Hearing on Eagle Academy

December 5, 2024 11:30am room 412

• The Closure of Eagle Academy

I am Cathy Reilly of SHAPPE, Ward 4 Ed Alliance and C4DC.  This is an abbreviation of my full testimony

As authorizer the PCSB is interested in providing increased exciting school options and protecting autonomy and independence.  As the trade organization and advocate it collects dues from the charter schools. As a regulator it has to look at financial compliance. These three roles are not compatible. This is evident, looking at the timeline and story of Eagle’s founding, decline and then costly closure. 

To demonstrate: The PCSB passed Eagle in the 20-year review in Jan of 2023, approved another 5 years of operation and then in June 2023 they placed Eagle on a financial monitoring list.  It then went through extensions and approvals and a little more than a year later a closure. Valerie Jablow in Educationdc has this fully documented.

With their own assessment of a more challenging education landscape, the PCSB continues to grant expansions and authorization for additional citywide schools. 

A further complication of a privately owned public sector was the building - With its closure there was a building (McGogney) owned by the District, needed by DCPS for swing space, with bank debt that had to be paid.  DCPS is now securing this through a budget transfer from its funds.[i] Grateful for this.

The Council has line- item authority over 1.4 billion of the DCPS budget, you have exercised policy and practice to work on stability and adequacy for the families in the DCPS schools.  You have the power of the purse in allocating the capital budget and this must be weighed with all other capital needs in the city that affect all citizens including families. You have delegated authorizing and regulation to the PCSB over 67 local education agencies, 134 schools and 43,000 plus K-12 and almost 5000 adult students.  The charter school staff, families and DC taxpayers deserve the oversight you are exercising with this hearing and hopefully going forward over the reporting process and decisions of the PCSB. 

Recommendations: 

·   DCPS should get first right on all DC owned buildings closed by charters, prior to deals like the one that was proposed with Friendship. The Charter sector has first right on DCPS buildings.  

·   The Council needs a full report on the leases by charters on DC owned buildings, the provisions, the agreements made for rent waivers in exchange for capital work done.  

·       Charter schools should have a policy path to becoming DCPS schools.  DCPS schools (Paul) have that path to becoming charters. 

·   The Council should hold a hearing on the DME proposal to implement Recommendation #23 from the Boundary and Student Assignment Study on joint planning

·       The Council has to fund on documented need of the charter facilities allowance. The School Funding Study of 2023 noted building costs in the charter sector were 149m and the allotment was 169m. This is a huge outlay of money for which DC has no idea of the return on its investment. Further, there is no requirement that charters explain how this money is used. With tight budgets, this public money going to the private sector has to go for its intended use and be accounted for. 

·   The Council required publication of charter teacher salaries as they increased funding with public dollars to be paid directly to charter staff in line with the WTU contract last spring.  I have not been able to l locate it.

[i] https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/REPROG25-0176

DC Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators (SHAPPE)

Council Hearing on the DCPS Budget

October 23, 2024

Cathy Reilly

I appreciate this opportunity to testify.  My name is Cathy Reilly and I am the Director of SHAPPE and facilitator for the Ward 4 Ed Alliance and C4DC. I too want to honor Mary Levy and her contribution to this process over decades. 

As our public system DCPS has the responsibility and opportunity to ensure schools have enough funds, the services they need, and that it is fair.  The 2 years of Schools First as well as the first years of the DCPS budget model have revealed some unintended consequences that should be remedied with negotiation, adjustments and amendments.   The Council cannot write an agency budget they can however oversee it and ensure there are sound guiding policies in place.  There is not consensus on whether DCPS central services can sustain additional cuts, or on whether there should be reallocation within their budget. There are school leaders that feel well supported now and school staff that feel that more funds belong in the schools.   DCPS could convene a standing committee of school leaders, teachers, staff, parent reps and advocates to review the budget and make recommendations similar to the UPSFF process.  That has not happened. 

In terms of the DCPS budget:

·         Purchasing power is the figure that DCPS should use in ensuring that funding is stable from the prior year not a dollar figure that does not reflect inflation

·         The summer adjustments wreak havoc. It is difficult to hire staff.  This has meant that schools receiving funds sometimes upgrade similar positions to a higher grade or salary and existing staff at schools that were fully enrolled and did not get significant or any additional funds lose staff to those schools– destabilizing a school that was fine. 

·         Schools with additional funds were able to purchase programs like REMIND and other schools just lost the centrally funded program they had come to rely on.  Equity not just stability has to be better addressed in the process between DCPS and the Council

·         Schools that received additional funds did not feel the same impact from central reductions as schools that did not receive additional funding.  These could be fully enrolled schools with larger class sizes like John Lewis who had depended on central in a variety of areas and felt the reduction of support for staff

·         There are evolving strategies to address security including more mental health and prevention however there is also a need for the security personnel. There are ongoing discussions on the contract and what training or specific staff schools want however none of it involved less money. 

·         In this year’s budget DCPS will need to address the recommendations of the Boundary Committee including ensuring that there is parity in rigorous programming across each DCPS high school feeder pathway.  We need the Council to see this in the budget submission.

·         Oversight should include an assessment of how existing programs are being supported before new ones are rolled out.  Supplemental XQ funding has ended for the initial schools- Ballou, Woodson CHEC and Coolidge reported appreciation for the process that it initiated and the opportunities at our meeting last night.   Will remaining schools be funded for re-imagining.  How does this fit in with new proposals. How are athletics and CTE equitably funded with local funds.   

To the city: McGogney has to come back to DCPS - the 14m in outstanding debt is less than the 20 m that demountable structures for swing space cost.  There is woefully inadequate swing space in this part of the city. DCPS is the public system of right. 

DCPS will need to increase the foundation and the stability funds to address some of the concerns. This is all a heavy lift with the existing funds in the education budget.  Easy to demand but hard to make happen ensuring stability as well as equity.

The Council has to oversee the entire Education budget including charters, DCPS, DME and OSSE make sure there is not duplication and that is it coordinated.  With the closing of Eagle there was an acknowledgement that there is a saturation of schools in a number of areas.  Both systems have a large amount of excess space. This is expensive. Yet, the PCSB approved new expansions.  This flies in the face of stability and incentivizes mobility as well as eventual closings.  Our funds are spread too thin.  At the very least we should have a hearing on what happened at Eagle and an examination of the cost of our overall system.  We sent a request on Oct 4th and are waiting your response. Thank you

Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy

June 25, 2024 Council Hearing

Cathy Reilly – SHAPPE

Thank you for this opportunity to testify.  You have heard from a lot of well informed and committed people today.  This is a complicated issue not easily reduced.  While compulsory education is the law, we need the consent of the governed for families and students to take advantage of the opportunities a strong education affords.  Looking at the statistics, that consent or agreement that going to school every day is important is not present. We are in a time when adults are not all going into work, many givens have been upended. 

We have some causes identified but I have not heard a description of where the students are when they are not in school.  And what are they doing?  I suspect the answers will be broad ranging and differ by age group.  This is not remedied by a public campaign urging attendance.  The answers are also not simple, and may point to a broad range of issues including mental health challenges, needed at home, options to be with peers away from school, disengagement from school, safety etc.  We need to know because students are often making rational choices.  Also, how many students are not accounted for at all, how many have dropped out and where are they?

The research on poor attendance highlights the need for stable relationships, a welcoming culture, opportunities for educational exposure both in and out of the classroom, safety and support. This is what school have control over.  We however, have a system that has incentivized mobility, high turnover of staff, and funding challenges for smaller schools.

We can have the long view and implement some systemic changes to the school landscape here in DC and the school experience.  However, the Council has to weigh the housing, health and safety needs of the community and those costs which also heavily influence attendance. 

If the parity in programming for DCPS schools required in Rec 17 of the boundary and student assignment recommendations (page 26) is realized, we could have more socio- economic integration closer to home and less travel.  This would give the opportunity to reduce the time students spend travelling and make an investment in neighborhoods. If there is honest joint education planning between DCPS and the charters sectors as noted in Rec 23 meaning no expansion when it is not needed, it would help us spend our education dollars more effectively and efficiently.  The work on stable funding and reducing teacher turnover is constantly on the Council agenda. 

There is a tension between working with students who are there, need instruction, papers corrected, feedback and support and those who are not there. There are schools with high percentages of students requiring high levels of intervention for not attending.  The students who are there also come with higher needs.  We cannot ask teachers to do the impossible and more pay and acknowledgement that it is difficult is not enough.  This is where an analysis of the system is important. These bills are not coordinated now and there are pieces of research, cost and actual effectiveness missing. I hope this is just the beginning of coming to policy that will make sense and take into account different age levels, as well as vastly different causes and thus appropriate interventions.  Compulsory schooling was instituted to protect young people from having to be the workforce.  We can keep protection and support central.   

Bill 25-740, Truancy Reduction for Student Success Act of 2024, introduced by Councilmember R. White, proposes that the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) publish absenteeism data monthly as opposed to annually, which is their current practice.

Request that if this is passed or part of a final bill - this reporting also include context and that it only be used to inform support services.  Many factors that influence attendance are outside of the control of a school.  While I understand the need and support for reporting and frequency.  I am wary of further ways to brand schools with a rate or score as if they were solely responsible.  While the objective may be to inform to provide help, often the actual result is a sorting of students and the messaging that this is a failing school without quality seats.  This is not true. 

Bill 25-754, Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy Reduction Amendment Act of 2024, introduced by Councilmember Allen, proposes several key changes.

It amends the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula to create a weight for chronically absent students alongside the at-risk weight. School principals, in collaboration with Local School Advisory Teams, would devise public spending plans for these additional funds.

I request further deliberation on this.  While more funds are always welcome, there is a lot that is outside of the control of the school. Will these additional funds be in competition with housing and health?  Will they amount be enough to make a difference?  The causes of truancy and absenteeism are many. What are the programs that make a difference?  Should they be available to schools but not require the school to invent them?

The bill requires the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Department of Human Services (DHS), to report on attendance referrals and program outcomes.  This report should also include the cause and where the students are spending their time when not in school.  What is meant by program outcomes?  Is it merely more students are attending, success with particular students? 

Further, schools are required to proactively share student attendance records with diversion program operators, and vice versa.  I request that the privacy issues be considered here.

The legislation also mandates the Safe Passage, Safe Blocks program to designate priority areas around schools with high rates of chronic absenteeism.  This program should also be included as one that is evaluated.  It is helpful but limited. 

Lastly, it extends the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement’s Leadership Academy program to schools with the highest rates of chronic absenteeism.  Agreed

Bill 25-758, The Showing Up for Students Amendment Act of 2024, introduced by Councilmember Parker, revises absenteeism data reporting and intervention program requirements.

 After schools fulfill their mandated responsibilities, the legislation transfers the responsibility for attendance interventions from Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) and Court Social Services (CSS) to DHS.  I agree with the priority of support first, capacity would need to be confirmed. Even with funds and with mental health support in schools there is a high vacancy rate and a high turnover rate.  It is about more than funding, implementation and capacity matter

OSSE, rather than school staff, would use already collected attendance data to refer students to DHS after 7 unexcused absences in a rolling 120-day period or 7 absences in a school year.  This net will catch far too many students.  In a study of Roosevelt HS students 10 years ago, one absence a week did not negatively affect the grades of most students.  This reference should be used for more extreme cases.  The caseload will be completely unmanageable.  It will mean less help for those that need it more.

If DHS interventions prove ineffective, they will report students and parents to OAG and CSS or CFSA respectively.  What is the definition of ineffective?  The bar should be high, and the time frame realistic for change.  This provision pivots too quickly and with inadequate guardrails to absenteeism being criminal behavior.  This will not lead to greater attendance. 

 For CFSA’s purposes the bill also clarifies the definition of educational neglect.  I disagree with this provision.  Fear and criminalizing this has not resulted in more students being in school. 

The legislation also requires a DHS caseworker or a student support team to provide a home visit to students with 20 or more unexcused absences before the next school year begins.  After the home visit, what is put on place – how will the home be framed?  This makes sense if it is tied to connections and help. 

Similar to Bill 25-740 the Bill requires OSSE to publish reports monthly, rather than annually.

It also places responsibility on OSSE for publishing analyses of attendance data and to work with Local Education Agencies (LEA) to adopt data-based attendance interventions.  The requirement for analysis should be more detailed, why are students absent, where are they when not in school?  There are many different reasons, some by age group, some by concentration of absences.  The gross numbers the Council is working on do not provide enough detail and understanding. 

OSSE is also tasked with expanding the range of possible excused absences.    I support expanding the reasons that qualify for unexcused absence in bill 25-578 but absolutely not punitive measures for missing school – depriving field trips, recess etc.  Rewards and incentives have not been effective and have also had some negative effects.  After missing one or two days, students not eligible feel worse. 

The Bill also requires the Deputy Mayor for Education to review absentee data and coordinate across government agencies and community organizations to address root causes of absenteeism. This makes sense.

Bill 25-791, Utilizing Partnerships, Local Interventions for Truancy and Safety (UPLIFT) Amendment Act of 2024, introduced by Mayor Bowser, focuses on attendance interventions, student discipline interventions and juvenile crime. Like Bill 25-758, it removes the responsibility for secondary attendance interventions from CFSA and CSS and assigns it to DHS along with adjusting the number days absent required for a referral. OAG and CFSA would retain intervention responsibilities following failed DHS interventions. Additionally, OAG is required to take certain prosecutorial or diversionary actions and report their activities annually. Regarding student discipline interventions, the Bill provides District of Columbia Public Schools the option to suspend students for 11 to 45 days to an Alternative Education Setting. It also requires families of students charged with a dangerous crime to meet and develop a rehabilitation plan with the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. Regarding juvenile crime, the legislation limits the diversions and relief available to youth who have committed a dangerous crime or crime of violence.

While truancy, attendance and discipline are interconnected, they should be separated out for the purpose of clear policy and legislation.  Student discipline interventions and suspension are not necessarily attendance.  Suspending students without a plan, having them just out of school has not worked for the community or for the students.  This does not mean the school can handle everything.  It does mean that this bill is not thought through.  The pilot program with DHS could move forward.  All reporting should be linked to how it will be used and with protections for student privacy. I share the concerns with this bill articulated by many youth advocates

DC Council Committee of the Whole

Education Hearing

February 28, 2024

Cathy Reilly

I appreciate this opportunity to testify, I am Cathy Reilly Exec director of SHAPPE and facilitator of C4DC and the Ward 4 Education Alliance. 

I am encouraged by the gains DCPS is making in enrollment and by the fact that the budget is more equitable.  Progress is being made.  I would also like to call out the professionalism and good grace of the school communities as they wrestled with these tough budgets.

As you have heard and will hear this is a tight year for budgets. Schools had to make cuts. Without the availability of the submitted budgets, these are the areas that are of the most concern:

A number of schools were forced to cut school climate positions including restorative justice coordinators, deans of students, behavioral technicians.  These are the positions that are foundational to a more preventative approach to school safety and a better response to trauma.  I know the School Safety task force hopes to release their recommendations in March.  This function has to be funded. Along those same lines the College and Career pathway positions at 10 schools were formerly funded by Central, that passed to the schools so keeping them might necessitate cutting another. 

There was a mandated 7% cap on school climate positions, this was challenging for Opportunity Academies as they serve a wide range group of young adults both those returning to school and those who have been asked to leave other schools for sometimes serious reasons.  We would like to see the funding model for these academies reconsidered, they are different than a standard high school.

We appreciate that the strategic plan highlights certain goals and does not necessarily preclude others – however you and the school system need to continue to prioritize reading and the ongoing and constant training of teachers at all levels in the teaching of reading. 

The Student Assignment Advisory Committee will complete its work next week.  As a member of that group, I would like to stress the importance of these areas in particular.  Predating this administration, as a city we have structural inequity most apparent in wards 7 and 8 where students travel farther to school and have fewer DCPS schools, period.  The recommendations call for beginning to address this by understanding why families are staying and why they are leaving.  And most importantly by an investment that ensures the Ballou, Woodson and Anacostia feeder patterns – middle and elementary schools in these wards, offer at least the same opportunity for programming inclusive but not limited to Dual language, IB, STEM, advanced programming at every level, and the arts. 

This will support socio economic diversity that does not involve disruption and looks at providing resources close to home. This promotes integration and does not involve incentivizing moving north and west. 

Secondly, a recommendation calls for DCPS and the PCSB to provide to the public data on the potential impact to the surrounding community and the broader system of the opening and expansion of schools.  This is part of the two systems working with the DME to have an aligned and transparent planning process.  The vision remains of a core system of high quality DCPS schools of right complemented by a set of high quality DCPS and charter citywide schools.  This process and data have to be public, it’s a start to a more rational system.

In closing I would like to support the letter from the Coolidge, Ida B Wells and Whittier communities on looking for solutions to their joint issues that take into account the advantages of looking at this as a campus with cooperative and comprehensive solutions. 

Council of the District of Columbia

Committee on Facilities and Family Services

Dept of General Services Performance Oversight Hearing

February 26, 2024

Cathy Reilly – Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators

I appreciate this opportunity to testify.  I am Cathy Reilly, I facilitate SHAPPE, the Ward 4 Education Alliance and C4DC. 

First things are improving, for years building and facility concerns have dominated the 3 meetings I convene each month.  For whatever reason that is no longer true.  It does not mean that there is not work to be done, but the huge financial investment of the District and the work of you CM Lewis George and DGS is making progress. The maintenance and repair and modernization of the schools has to be a joint effort between DCPS and DGS

Preventative maintenance is the key.  One recommendation has been to imbed this in the work order system.  Has that been done?  The new buildings are actually more expensive to maintain and require more training. 

Adequate staffing with custodians is also key. The building industry has standards for cleaning levels in school buildings.  Level 2 cleaning recommended is 20,000 gross square feet for an 8 hour shift.  DCPS custodians are not only responsible for cleaning but also level one maintenance.  The raise for RW5 and RW3 custodians is long overdue.  This does mean along with other positions in this tight budget they are more expensive. They are L2 in the DCPS budget which means they are required, rarely flexible but it can be appealed.  For the larger schools in particular according to Industry standards schools were already understaffed.  Keep this on your radar as the submitted budgets come out.  https://www.c4dcpublicschools.org/custodian-allocation-in-dcps

School issues to highlight: Coolidge is one of our newest buildings, yet falling plaster from leaks in the auditorium have been reported.  While it is not a crisis at Roosevelt the promise of this modernization primarily with regard to the HVAC has not been fulfilled.  For CHEC, one of the very first modernizations the outstanding work orders still include doors and lighting identified over the summer, as well as needed repairs to stair treads and gym bleachers.  Roosevelt STAY now Garnet Patterson STAY finally has its own site.  They have been promised an elevator and a childcare center and told there is initial funding.  Even driving by the building it is clear that it needs new windows.  STAY serves over 700 students, I hope you can get an update on Friday on all of this work for these schools. 

DCPS fields and pools as well as the buildings are a community asset. Outside groups reserve and pay a fee for their use.  According to the table in the questions, fees are as low as $10 a day to hundreds.  While the website notes that a custodial fee will be charged, reports from schools indicate that school custodians regularly arrive in the morning and have to pick up trash and more.  I would ask that the fees, and the way this is administered be reviewed. I know there was a pilot last year in ward 2, that should be reviewed.  The fee schedule on the DCPS website is from 1990 and the fees recorded are less than those. 

Thank you

Testimony for State Board of Education February 21, 2024

 Members of the State Board of Education, and Superintendent Grant,

My name is Cathy Reilly, I convene 3 meetings a month on education, the Ward 4 Education Alliance, The Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators (SHAPPE) and C4DC Coalition for DC Public Schools and Communities. 

I have heard and read volumes of input on this important instrument over the last years on what should go on the report card, what does not have a place and what the placement should be. I participated and encouraged others to come to the OSSE input sessions.  The considerations for this revision spanned the term of this SBOE as well as the previous board. 

The report card for each school has the potential to show the breadth of opportunity at each of the campuses.  It is our joint goal, all of yours and mine to support lifting up and supporting all of the schools our DC children attend.  It is crucial in the landscape that we have here, that schools not be misrepresented, that the school profile not be biased.  

We can be humble here about how limited our tools are for measuring academic growth and achievement.  They are even more limited at the high school level.   It represents many markers that also align with good fortune and to some extent wealth and background and thus the inequity of our city and world.  The most prominent feedback received was that a school, like the children in it, cannot be reduced to a single number.  One way to acknowledge this is to absolutely insist that this score, whatever  you call it, can be understood for what it is – how to support the few schools that qualify for additional help.  Right now it is called out beyond the buttons and it is included in your resolution in a way that misrepresents it.  This was one of the main drivers for improving the profile.

I am deeply concerned about school level badges and how that will be determined.  There is no measure of inputs. This has the potential of mainly again indicating inequity. This is a school profile.  However this is done; it will be political. The board is being asked to vote on this without even seeing the criteria for rewards.  Please take this out. 

The basics of a school, the stability, diversity, experience of the teaching staff as well as what programs are offered, and how students and families feel about the school should absolutely be prioritized.

School health now encompasses safety.  With this revision to the profile, OSSE can add things like presence of a restorative justice coordinator, support from school passage, social worker, psychologist presence and the ratios. 

There can be more detail on before and after care, times, cost, availability.

For all of us that have encouraged, solicited and participated in giving input into this revision, we need to see that input in this revision.  It is part of the trust that enables you all to continue to get input.  If in the end it doesn't matter, it breaks that trust.  

DC Council Hearing on Academic Achievement in DC

Dec. 6, 2023

Cathy Reilly

I appreciate being here to testify on the Academic Achievement in the District of Columbia

I am Cathy Reilly of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators SHAPPE, the Ward 4 Education Alliance and C4DC. 

You have the beginning of a framework of laws that if funded and implemented and in a number of cases expanded, could expedite the continuous improvement for our students in being fully educated.  The test scores are low, we are recovering from the death and disruption of the last years, enrollment is coming back, students, primarily secondary, have not yet fully transitioned to attending school every day. 

You have the potential of ensuring the response is integrated so we are looking at measures that include but go well beyond limited test scores.   As the oversight, legislative and budgeting authority you have the perspective of ensuring the interventions are respectful of the challenges and the supports for improvement are strategic.   This is not a quick fix, it will require short and long term supports. You can start strategies that will have immediate effects and be in place for the long term.

ü  Fully implementing and expanding DC Law 23-191 Addressing Dyslexia and Other Reading Difficulties Amendment Act of 2020. Being a fluent reader that has a wide exposure to content is fundamental to academic achievement across all of the disciplines.  The OSSE office needs more staffing and we need courses across the full grade span that can catch students up – at the secondary level it can be linguistics.  Here is what is currently in place, a great start but it needs to be more robust. 

ü  Digital Equity has laid out what is needed for students to have the tools they need to have technical fluency.  Having the digital devices will support engagement and motivation if done thoughtfully.  Here are their recommendations.

ü  Review the work and recommendations for teacher wellness, training and professional development of EmpowerEd. 

ü  Look at the recently released SEL landscape recommendations done by the DME.  This is an impressive study that looks at what exists, at all levels and offers a path forward that builds on existing strengths and resources.  It is  systemic look.

This is an opportunity to look at our system and ensure that this is equitable coordinated and builds on strengths. This is not about a few crisis interventions.  You can re-examine the way you evaluate through the work on the School Report Card that with redesign will hopefully be looking at academic growth along with school climate and culture, a broader curriculum, and family and community engagement.  

Schools do not have full control of all the factors that influence education as has been noted.  In addition education and achievement have to be about far more than math and reading and test scores – our aspirations for our young people are much broader as they should be. 

I recommend the work of the UCLA Center for MH in Schools & Student/Learning Supports. It is an example of one way of looking at the task before us.  https://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/   It acknowledges the role of the larger community and of the need for including mental health but also is educationally focused and urges coordination instead of a fragmented approach.

DC Council Testimony on Proposed Bill B25-0501

November 30, 2023

Cathy Reilly Executive Director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators (SHAPPE)

I appreciate this opportunity to testify on the proposed bill to require that DC high school students be required to complete and file a FAFSA form as a pre-requisite to receiving a high school diploma.

I meet monthly with the DCPS high school communities and have for the last 25 years.  There is universal agreement on the benefits of attaining Pell Grants. There are many ways to incentivize the FAFSA completion rates of our students, which are already higher than many jurisdictions according to the narrative in the bill.  We do not believe this has to come at the possible expense of students graduating from high school.  This is one requirement unlike completing the necessary courses and fulfilling the community service hours that is not in their control.  The FAFSA requires the parents or guardian to fill out the necessary income information. The waiver, currently without specifics on whom files it and what the criterion is – is not a sufficient guardrail. 

The bill seems to assume that there is insufficient accountability and motivation for families to fill out the FAFSA, thus this threat to a student graduating is necessary.  The experience in the high schools is that this is not the reason.  More college counselors and support for the transition to postsecondary options, stable relationships, information and understanding would address the reasons. 

There are a number of reasons that challenge families and thus student as the schools work to support a higher FAFSA completion rate. 

There will be a new streamlined FAFSA for school year 2024-2025.  For families who do not speak English the FAFSA requires one on one support to fill out.  The current OSSE workshops on filling out the FAFSA were excellent for those that could attend.  Many are not able to make those times and for others there are also additional barriers. 

Challenges that could be addressed with additional support, a number of students are also not eligible through no fault of their own.  A waiver is another layer, another point at which they may fall through unintended cracks in implementing something with this heavy of a consequence.     

·         Students who are not citizens are not eligible. We welcome these students into our schools. 

·         Unaccompanied minors are also handicapped with this requirement; it requires a family or guardian willing to submit this information for a young person under 18. 

·         Concern with the effects for students with special needs and the high numbers that are not now earning a diploma.  Will that ironically increase with a requirement like this – it will require more one on one staff time, and puts in a potential additional barrier to graduation.               

·         Parents for many different reasons are reluctant or will not submit their social security #, identity, income, lack of income information.  For immigrant parents and those here without legal status, the FAFSA and the waiver are deeply problematic and potentially for them pose a threat. 

·         Grandparents, legal guardians and more informal guardians find the process challenging and are also reluctant to participate- more information on this barrier is necessary as well as how many are affected. 

·         While the intent is to address equity – this will potentially widen the gap. Those families who understand the consequences will attain outside help or leverage the resources within the system.  Schools with a high number of families that will need extra support to either fill out the FAFSA or the waiver are understaffed to take this on. 

Instead of an offering of support this requirement comes in the form of a threat. While a waiver may apply to those entering the military or going straight to a job opportunity, the way the requirement is worded this is a ding on the school and LEA.  It also stratifies students.

Other Options

·         Expand the personnel that support students in making the transition to post-secondary options.  There are college counselors but there are already too few to adequately serve the population that we have. 

·         Continue to address stability – maintaining relationships and reducing turnover. The individuals who know students and families over years are not simply interchangeable with new staff. 

·         Expansion of the dual enrollment opportunities to all students would increase motivation, confidence and ability to succeed in college. 

o   Concern however with number of colleges not accepting credits from dual enrollment

o   Does participation in dual enrollment courses affect first time college entry opportunities? 

·         DC TAG remains at 10,000 – for many in state colleges and universities this is no longer sufficient.  While this is a federal program, can DC advocate for an increase that reflects the rising costs of college?

We do not have control over how you vote on this – at a bare minimum implementation of any requirement of this magnitude cannot happen this year as the law states.  Besides the outstanding question on the criterion and process for the waiver, there is a question on whether a student who fills out a waiver will still be able to file a FAFSA at a later date? 

In conclusion, we appreciate the intent to ensure more DC high school students have access to federal funds for post-secondary opportunities.  We believe graduation requirement changes should be with the advice, consent and vote of the DC State Board of Education.  We do not believe this bill should move forward, however the intent for greater support and focus on high schoolers is deeply appreciated and we would like to continue to work with you on this.   Thank you. 

B25-0218 the Work Order Integrity Amendment Act of 2023.

Testimony of Cathy Reilly

Ward 4 Ed Alliance, SHAPPE

October 12, 2023

Thank you for this opportunity to testify.  I facilitate the Ward 4 Education Alliance, C4DC and SHAPPE, the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators.  This gives me the opportunity to attend many meetings and hear from many school communities. 

I am in full support of the B25-0218 the Work Order Integrity Amendment Act of 2023.  It has been a consistent complaint over years that work is reported as completed and there are immediate issues like the leaks in a new Whittier roof.  We have heard stories over the years from multiple schools on this issue.  This effort on your part CM Lewis George working with Delano Hunter as DGS head to add this layer of accountability and local connection is appreciated and welcome. 

Primary for the high schools is the Woodson elevator.  This is a three story school building where DCPS serves disabled students, it cannot be without an elevator at the start of school.  Hard to stress this enough.

Many of the modernized buildings have more complicated systems and this includes the locks (CHEC) and the HVAC systems (Roosevelt), they actually require more maintenance, and more training. With high staff turnover, Salesforce training and support in all DCPS schools has to be constant. 

For Start of school the new Raymond building is beautiful and the community is thrilled and grateful.  Truesdell is now in 2 swing spaces one on site and one at Sharpe shared with Dorothy Height.  They are grateful or the accommodation on swing space but still working on it all working smoothly.  There was no provision made at the Truesdell site for staff parking. This site is where students are bussed from and return to for after school programs. The parking spots at Raymond are also limited. I support the District’s effort to reduce emissions and encourage public transportation.  We just are not there yet.  The neighborhood parking program will help but it is not enough. 

I know Roosevelt STAY forwarded a list to you, just putting on the record their requests as well.  Top among them would be the necessity for Smart Boards, the timeline on starting the work to get the elevator and childcare center construction started.  Basketball hoops are a small item that could be taken care of quickly.

In closing, I want to acknowledge that the start of school this year was really smooth and while this hearing brings to the fore issues that need to be addressed.  So much was done and the whole DGS team deserves thanks and an acknowledgement of that. 

DC Council Hearing on

B25-170, the “School Security and Transparency Amendment Act of 2023”

Thursday, April 13th at 12:00 pm noon

Cathy Reilly of Ward 4 Ed Alliance and SHAPPE

The problems with the security objectives are well documented. However I have been reluctant to publish them in the meeting notes.  Often the way things rise to the top of a priority list is for them to be highlighted and made public.  We support this bill.  The publication of repairs needed to a security system actually put that school community at greater risk.           

The repairs needed are significant. In meetings I have chaired, school leaders have spoken of exterior doors of secondary schools that do not close and securely lock; secondary schools without exterior doors that are alarmed.  In school modernizations there are office spaces that do not have a PA system.  When schools need to re-purpose space this has also been an issue, where the new use does not have any PA system, all offices should be required to have a PA. 

The issue with interior doors has been long standing and is primarily in the newer buildings.  DGS has outlined the 7 step process and noted that this is by far the most frequently reported issue.  Is it at all possible that these repairs of interior locks specifically could be addressed by the custodial staff? 

It is now over 15 years since some of the first schools were modernized.  Their security surveillance systems are not all functional and are outdated to an extent that compromises their ability to keep their building secure. This is a small capital budget issue. 

The DGS response noted that when there is a window longer than 45 days this rises to the level of reporting to the Council. That seems too long for the more serious issues particularly exterior doors. 

While this bill addresses the requirement for DGS to work with each DCPS school’s principal to conduct a comprehensive assessment, the real need is for these things to actually be fixed.  This will be more challenging in an environment where they are not public. There should be some metric where the satisfactory completion rate is noted.  If these issues are not addressed in a timely manner, school communities will be forced to take the issue public in hopes of getting them resolved. 

DGS notes that the inspections were formerly performed by DCPS and in the case of charter schools by the LEA.  There will be cost in requiring this of DGS.  Since they are responsible, it seems correct they should be part of the inspection.  In noting the answers from the PCSB it does present the question: To what extent is the City Government responsible to the families in public charter schools for their safety?  They are public schools. However the LEA is responsible as noted. 

I appreciate your committee working on all of the aspects of this.  Thank you. 

DC Council Budget Hearing for FY24 April 5, 2023 

Cathy Reilly

 Thank you for this opportunity to testify. I am submitting this in writing. I am Cathy Reilly of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators, SHAPPE, the Ward 4 Ed Alliance and C4DC. 

DCPS High Schools Operating: I first want to acknowledge that the submitted budgets of almost all of the DCPS high schools are enabling them to expand what they are doing for their students. Many teachers of English, Math, Science and Social Studies as well as in the arts are being added. Supports for Special education are also being added. High School is our last stop. This investment with added funds for students who are identified under the term at risk will have an impact next year. Allocating more money to acknowledge the challenge of concentrations of students who are overage, homeless, TANF or SNAP eligible has also made a difference. I am not sure what would have happened this year with the Students First budget model. I did want to acknowledge that the funds these students received will make a difference. Budgets are difficult, and this does not suggest that we don’t need funds to support the elementary and middle school students. It does affirm that the choices are hard. 

Capital DCPS is opening a new high school on MacArthur Blvd to address the crowding at Jackson Reed. It is being built with a capacity for at least 800 students with announced room to accommodate those farthest from opportunity. After significant investments in FY23 open the school this fall, there is an additional 71 million allocated. The neighbors have expressed constant concern about a school this large on this site at this location. Is it at all possible to take a careful look at this budget in the context of the other needs, acknowledging that reducing Jackson Reed by less than 800 would matter. Across the park at Garnet Patterson the Roosevelt STAY students are making a new home. This is an opportunity academy that has absorbed the demand after Washington Met closed. They could all claim the title of being far from opportunity. There are 699 students projected to attend next year with and an audited number of 740 for this year. They have been allocated 14m from what I understand. Not nearly enough. There is no elevator and no funding for one, to access their cafeteria or CTE spaces. . Everything that goes in or out of these spaces will be done climbing stairs. The science labs are only equipped with a sink, none of the other essentials for taking, particularly chemistry safely There gym will not have the markings of their teams like every other school. There are no plans to provide them with the day care they had at Roosevelt even with demonstrated need. RSTAY has approximately 40 students who are young parents, 14 who are currently looking for childcare, and 4 expecting parents. The HVAC System is not functioning properly. There is concern with the presence of asbestos. There needs to be additional funds in this capital budget for the STAY program. 

An additional capital need that is not addressed is that of the schools that were first to be modernized. A prime example is the Columbia Heights Education Campus. Here are some of the needs they have. If we don’t support and maintain these costly investments in modernization, we will lose the benefit  

• Install safety egress doors for all 1st floor doors – major student/staff safety concern.  

• Repair all stairwell treads throughout the building as most of them are completely worn out.  

• Install/establish at least 4 gender neutral bathrooms in compliance with DC Council Law  

• Re-key all door – master key has been compromised over the year and need to implement new key distribution system.  

• Replace 118 old/obsolete CCTV – major student/staff concern - no working TV's in the school  

• Removal of all carpets – installed in 2006, major health concern  

• Install bathroom and water facilities on the field  

• Replace all remaining old clocks with new ones in all classrooms (over 15 years old)  

• Installing a new digital PA system with music and WIFI access  Install school marquee – petitioning for 7 years now. 

• FOLLOW UP TASK  There are 191 Heat Pump units that use R22 Refrigerants which are no longer manufactured in the US. As of January 1, 2020, production and import of R22 refrigerant was illegal  

• Also, CHEC is overenrolled by 200 and need trailers 

Charter School Teacher Pay There are many testimonies today from charter schools claiming that their teachers will be underpaid and there is great unfairness. The charter school argument has been that no unions and the freedom to decide their own allocation of funds including teacher and admin pay would produce stronger educational opportunities. It is my understanding that despite no union dues, or participation in the process the mayor has allocated to the charters retroactive pay based on the salary structure they have chosen to set up. There are some conditions as there are for DCPS teachers. As I understand it $20m of an OSSE grant will go to pay the 7.6% back pay for the past two years, and $38m will go towards a raise for the coming year (SY23-24. It may be more appropriate for the charter school teachers to approach their own LEA and to look closely at how the funds they have are allocated for additional pay increases. The Executive and the Council are under no obligation to pay these funds to the privately managed charter LEA’s. While the range is significant among charter schools, as a group they had accumulated unrestricted cash assets of $420 million by the end of FY2021.  Unlike DCPS, a city agency, charters retain funds from year to year.   Operating revenues continue to increase more than operating expenses, according to the DC Public Charter School Board’s FY2021 Financial Analysis Report.  If charter LEAs want to give their teachers pay raises, many have the funds to do so.   

Partnership Schools Having gotten to know the DCPS high schools over the last 25 years, I can attest to the fact that many of them are jewels in our system where the students attending get a quality education preparing them well. As a city we are wrestling with what it means to be part of a system and what it means to be a public school in DC. I can see from the testimonies on Ellington and from my conversations with staff that it has been a difficult road. The following issues actually point to the need and importance of a policy board for DCPS. It also points to the need for there to be clear policy for DCPS partnership schools. Bard also falls into this category. DCPS could welcome some charters into a new partnership category. I ask the Council to look at the ramifications of what they decide on Ellington and to step away from the acrimony and focus on the issues. Ellington does have the crown jewel of a facility as part of DCPS. The Council is now being asked to decide:  What it means to be an employee in a DCPS school, where the students have the right to appeal and avail themselves of the rights within that system. Ultimately DCPS is responsible.  On teacher employment, is it only the arts teachers who are employed by the Ellington fund, as was originally the case?  If not, is Ellington proposing as it seems, that an English teacher can forego licensure and get full salary and benefits, be evaluated and work for the Ellington fund and another English teacher, licensed works for DCPS and be subject to different rules?  Should all schools be granted the option of moving away from licensure as a condition of teaching in DCPS? Are there any requirements for being a teacher in a DCPS school with the right to full pay and benefits? Should there be more avenues for everyone? 

In terms of the funding I ask the Board to look at what Ellington has expressed as their needs in the context of all of the schools in the system. An arts school has additional costs. This is also true of other programs. Is this something that should be evaluated by the adequacy study? Closing: I have covered many different topics here. It is my hope that as you review the budget you take the matters across these areas into consideration. Thank you 

DC Council Oversight Hearing on Education

March 1, 2023

Cathy Reilly- Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Eductors

I appreciate this opportunity to testify.  The number of agencies and functions at this hearing is indicative of the complexity of education in DC.  I think your tenure on the Council has seen the creation of all except DCPS and a former local School Board.  The Council has mandated a Master Facilities Plan this year.  We don’t have an education plan to guide it.  I think it would help you and us for the DME to publish an education landscape that at least showed at each age level what is in place...  Where are all the publicly funded programs that serve 0 to 4 year olds located?  Has the city set them up to compete with one another? Are they located where they are needed?  DCPS is putting 0 to 3 day care centers in a number of elementary schools, is this based on a longer term plan?  How is the funding working? What are the programs we have for high school age young people? Along with charter and DCPS, we have DME centers and dual enrollment with payments to area higher education, are there others? All of this is opportunity and indicative of how rich our city is, but there is not an agreed upon vision, coordinated planning, identification of priorities or a needs assessment that is guiding the investments.

At the meetings I host, mental health supports rise to the top of the list.  With the licensure requirements for social workers changed, there are often not candidates to hire even when the funds are there.   The rise in the number of psychologists, social workers and counselors requested is a sign of the increased demands placed on schools to meet rising needs across the social fabric.  A deeper understanding of what we ask schools to do is needed- it is about more than budget. 

There is not a separate hearing on capital and many others are addressing the DCPS budget. I will note that the DCPS increased funding to the high schools is appreciated and will make a difference. 

High schools were among the first schools modernized:   - for CHEC it was over 16 years ago.  There are no allocated resources or capital funds for furniture, fixture and equipment replacement.  This should be a routine and regular part of budgeting.  Instead like we can see with the Eastern HS field it requires intensive advocacy.

 Roosevelt STAY now has its own building at Garnet Patterson but the 17 m allocated to bring it up to a standard is not adequate. They need handicap access, an elevator to access their cafeteria and CTE spaces.  This is a school that would immediately use a daycare which is not part of the plan.  Their HVAC system needs a complete overhaul.

The core mission for DCPS is the infrastructure of schools where families do not have to enter the lottery; everyone has a school of right.  I would like to see this be the lens that you view the DCPS capita and operating budget through. DCPS most recently has expanded application and lottery schools.  The focus now has to be on how to support students not having to travel. It needs to keep the promise to the SHAW families and expedite the middle school on Euclid in the former Banneker building. This could also relieve crowding at Deal and then at Jackson Reed.

It also means limiting the expansion of the high school on MacArthur which is there to relieve the in boundary crowding at Jackson Reed.  There should not be active recruitment of out of boundary students for this location given the capacity that exists in high schools across the city.  The best way to serve students farthest from opportunity is to provide and invest in opportunity close to where they live, to ensure it is safe and welcoming and rich in programming.  Also, the neighborhood is understandably concerned about expansion at this site.

Oversight of agencies is about improving the systems that we depend on. 

In conclusion I support the Digital Equity asks as essential in both operating and capital investments needed https://drive.google.com/file/d/18VvDL_U0Cw-S-jHEM0BC4fpsuKvwhyGl/view?usp=share_link

We support the DCFPI recommendation that the DME: Stabilize enrollment in neighborhood schools—which are important community institutions—by rejecting plans to open new citywide schools. DC should focus on adequately and equitably supporting neighborhood schools to thrive, particularly those in historically divested areas. 44 or 67 schools are too many to lose funding.  Adopt an explicit plan to right size student migration patterns across geographic boundaries; and facilitate meaningful community engagement within the Master’s Facilities Plan and Student Attendance Boundary Zone Study.

We support teacher wellness and a real discussion and action on the EmpowerEd report and recommendations.  

Further for the Record I am including this memo on the WTU contract funds being allotted to charter school teachers from C4DC. 

We understand that the Executive and the Council are considering allocating the retroactive pay that will be awarded to WTU members this spring to charter schools. 

If this is done, at a minimum these three points should be adhered to. 

1.       These funds are not to an LEA but to specific individuals.  This process for DCPS goes through 6 steps and is validated.  Either through OSSE or the DME this same process would need to take place.  This cannot be a matter of trust, in the same way as it is not for DCPS.  

2.       Thus, each charter LEA should have to submit the names and salaries of all its teachers (or equivalent ET15s covered by WTU contract) their salary and benefits at the start of 2018-2019 school year and their salary and benefits at the start of the 2022-23 school year. 

3.       DCPS is required to pay a portion of the retroactive pay from their ESSER funds.  The charter LEA's should also have to pay a portion.  

I am also including this letter on the funding for the Ellington School of the Arts and the discussion of the contract with DCPS.

It is my hope that despite the current tension regarding the budgets between the Council and DCPS, you will proceed with care and caution.  

The proposals indicate a lot of agreement and a good faith effort by DCPS and Ellington to fulfill the requirements of in § 38–2992 Proposed new funding and organizational model for the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

As noted in the attached funding should be based on need and take equity into account.  I look forward to seeing Ellington’s requested budget in detail to cover the extended day and additional requirements. 

As also noted, I am concerned with the precedent and ramifications, beyond a transitional state, of a double HR System and employment by a private non- profit of core academic teachers in a DCPS school.

Council Oversight Hearing on DGS – February 28, 2023

Cathy Reilly – SHAPPE and Ward 4 Ed Alliance

Thank you for this opportunity to testify.  I have been convening meetings for SHAPPE for 25 years monthly and for the Ward 4 Ed Alliance for close to a decade.  The Department of General Services has a responsibility for all the public buildings. DCPS comprises about half of the inventory.  We are grateful for your oversight and your attention to how some of the systemic issues might be tackled. 

Many school level folks cannot come to these hearings.  The dashboard is eloquent on how many serious challenges schools are facing. 

High schools were among the first schools modernized so for these schools it has been over 10 years.  McKinley in 2004, CHEC in 2006 and Eastern in 2011. There is no allocated resources or capital funds for furniture and fixture, replacement.  This also goes for other parts that need regular maintenance and repair. 

On process issues:

·         The online system in DGS for schools to track work orders is appreciated but also staggering when you look at thousands of open work orders and the timeframe.  It would be helpful to see the plan of regular maintenance and repair with budget for the buildings that the city has invested in.  School leaders would track and support this. 

·         DGS comes on the weekend; enters it into Salesforce and principal and staff will not even know- there is no notification or opportunity to inspect: if it is not fixed and another work order has to be entered, it goes to the bottom of the que.  Notification of the principal should be required.

·         As reported at the Ward 4 January meeting: DGS does come but the waiting, long waiting to have things resolved is extremely stressful. This is long waiting for items that dramatically affect the daily life in the school.  Items like toilets and water fountain repair and go for weeks or months without being fixed.  

·         Question as to which items are listed as routine, which seems to mean not urgent, we also do not see a plan or implementation for routine maintenance - and even when items are listed as more urgent the time to repair is far too long. 

·         Transparency is an issue. Schools can look in salesforce but the accountability for the quality of the work is not an element.  This is basic and would allow for some management of the high number of contractors and the quality of their work.

·         There is Insufficient funding for materials at the school to take care of simpler things.

Health and Safety:

·         Primarily in the newer buildings there is a persistent problem with the ability to safely lock classroom doors and sometimes entrance doors.  This has been ongoing.  There is more known about the details of batteries in the locks but as of yet, a systemic way to repair is not operational.  We need a way that these can be level one repairs taken care of by custodians quickly. Also doors that have broken windows, meaning they are not secure. 

·         Operating PA Systems are still an issue

·         Where there are roof or foundation leaks there is mold, there is also lots of adjacent damage.  These are often listed as routine.  Wilson auditorium, Woodson are some examples, there are plenty more. 

·         HVAC – this is so widespread and persistent – it has been a mild winter, which has spared us all some of the most difficult heat issues. 

Transfer of newly modernized buildings: I was involved at Roosevelt from the beginning.  The audit will be released soon to give us a better idea of why a new building’s HVAC would not function properly so quickly.  Why there would be leaks in the foundation.  What or who was responsible and how has it been avoided since then. 

Thank you,

DC Council Committee of the Whole Oversight Hearing on

 FY24 School Budgets February 24, 2023 

Cathy Reilly 

I appreciate this opportunity to testify on the FY24 Schools Budget. I am Cathy Reilly, Exec. Director of SHAPPE and facilitator for the Ward 4 Ed Alliance and C4DC I am here because I want to see the DCPS public system not only survive but thrive. I value a system that families have a right to in the public sector supplemented by other options. Budgets are choices and they reflect the policy framework we live in. Both DCPS and Schools First in Budgeting try to deal with enrollment fluctuation and stability in a context where the District is opening new citywide schools each year to promote individual choice, regardless of the need for more space. It is a market model that incentivizes mobility. So we have an inherently unstable system within a school, between and within sectors. 

Our system encourages families to change schools. This means that in addition to overall enrollment, the SPED, by level, the ELL and the At Risk enrollment funding can be wildly different from year to year. This should not have the outsized affect it has on a whole school that it does. Whether it is 20, 42, or 56 schools losing, school communities are making cuts and they cut across the school not just within one of these groupings. Schools are building inclusive communities that don’t pivot the way budget allocations do now. Of course stability has become paramount. 

We support equity and the reasons to dedicate more resources to those with higher needs not just in education. The DCPS decision to allocate concentrated at risk funding in addition to the UPSFF dedicated concentration funding is making a difference for many high schools. Just in the second year, it is too early to know what strategies are being used, but this initiative definitely prevents some losses and is contributing to better services. Equity means more than that though. This extra at risk funding is probably allowing these schools to partly cover the cost of there being no budget for planning periods, students in schools without this funding are in much larger classes. Equity is funding agreed upon teacher/student ratios for all students as well as rich programming. 

Neither the current law, Schools First in Budgeting nor the DCPS model gets us to true stability or equity now or over time. The concentration at risk is a win but we see damaging program cuts to schools like Anne Beers, Kramer, McKinley Middle, LaSalle Backus, Takoma– a long list. Coming off of the ESSER funding and eventually adding in the higher teacher pay will also add cost going forward. Enrollment variation is not a one- time occurrence in need of just one time funds from COVID. We haven’t even touched on the buildings and maintenance. Schools First which responds to the cuts would need more funding. 

DCPS central office is under budgeted in its business functions judging from the initial research we have done and witnessing the challenges of HR and Procurement. It should not be immune from cuts, it would take caution. It is not a long term solution for instability. As a city we have exponentially expanded administrative costs with 69 school systems. 

The other fix has been for the council to provide some additional funds, which has been appreciated– it is tough to get that right as well and funds given are taken away from something else. We need a fix that lasts longer than one year. 

We need a plan for stability and equity. I would stop the expansion of citywide schools and permission for grade and enrollment expansions and commit to investing in the public infrastructure. Without policy changes schools will eventually be closed. 

Chairman, you were at Coolidge when the fight was to keep both Roosevelt and Coolidge open and modernized years ago. You were a supporter. Enrollment was low at both. They are both in the neighborhood of 1000 students now. Ward 4 now has a large and growing population of families and of DCPS students. This needs to be supported. This level of change is possible in other parts of the city. However we need to keep the schools open. We are not on a path to do that now. This is difficult, requires a vision and is critical especially for DCPS in wards 5, 7 and 8 

Personal Letter from Cathy Reilly, informed by her capacity as founder and director of SHAPPE

February 22, 2023

Dear Council Members Mendelson and Pinto,

This month marks the 25th anniversary of the Senior High Alliance for Parents, Principals and Educators.  The Ellington principal Robert Sands and the PTSA president Doris Howard were signers on the first letter of March 19, 1998.  For half of Ellington’s history I have been here, through the 2007-08 traumatic cut in staff to the loss of a beloved principal to the District’s historic investment in a state of the art facility for the school.

Ellington School of the Arts (DESA) and DCPS have submitted proposals to you, the Council.  They have come to agreement on most points including the preservation of the dual curriculum and continuation of the current pre-professional arts program.  The DESAP Board of Directors will continue in its role of providing guidance and support of the DESA arts program.  This is good news and hopefully greater trust and a strengthening of the partnership are beginning.

There is no agreement on funding.  Ellington should be able to make its case for additional funding to support the extended day and increased number of credit hours required for graduation.  Currently Ellington (projected enrollment: 564) receives $3,233,529 in specialty funds.  This is about $2.5 million more than is allocated to Banneker (projected enrollment: 587) in specialty funding.  What specifically is the class size, program staffing required for the Arts program taking into account the extended time and credit required?  The budget request for additional funds should be clear and public.  DCPS and the Council have to look at the source of the funds to ensure there is an equity lens as this relates to the larger system of schools and students.  Budgets represent choices. 

I support the Council’s statement in § 38–2992 Proposed new funding and organizational model for the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.   The proposed new funding and organizational model shall address and resolve the following matters:

(1)The conversion of DESAP faculty and staff, other than the DESAP Principal, to DCPS employee status with levels of pay for all such individuals comparable to those of DCPS employees;

OSSE and DCPS have already expanded and provided a transition year to enable Ellington and DCPS staff to become licensed.  They should further expand opportunities for certification with fewer barriers and acknowledgement of experiential knowledge for potential employees across DCPS.  In addition the need for professional artist teachers to receive specific training on teaching pedagogy, if they are not already trained in this area, as part of their alternative certification should be addressed. This is important for all students especially students with special education needs.

With these expansions, school communities may begin to have access to more people with expertise in areas like the arts, as well as world languages, health, medicine and a whole host of areas we have academic pathways for in our high schools. 

Ellington has stated in its proposal that the funding model should include sufficient funding to allow all DESAP educators to receive salaries and benefits comparable with their DCPS counterparts.  If I understand this correctly, this is not parity and it is problematic.  This proposal is not limited to arts teachers who may need a longer time to transition and an expansion in the certification requirements.  Having an unlimited number of academic teachers in all content areas and other school employees working for a non-profit organization within a DCPS school has created a complicated double standard not just for pay.  DESAP employees are not subject to the same rules and regulations as DCPS employees or the provisions of the WTU contract.  They are all however teaching DCPS students who have rights in the DCPS system.  

This does not address the he need for professional artist teachers to receive specific training on teaching pedagogy if they are not already trained in this area as part of their alternative certification. This is important for all students especially students with special education needs, learning differences, 

A separate HR with a separate labor negotiation and contract for employees adds considerable liability and staffing costs as well as layers of management and oversight.  Who is paying the full cost of the double system and why shouldn’t those funds go to the Ellington students? A double HR system for employees to freely choose between, within a DCPS school with a DCPS guaranteed salary structure regardless of comparable qualifications and training is not a solution, and not a precedent that will serve the system as a whole.  This plan has less oversight than a charter is subject to.  Expanded options for becoming a DCPS employee within the DCPS schools are in everyone’s best interest with the rich partnership on program as 50 years of Ellington demonstrates continuing. An expanded transition period and review of what makes sense for certification for arts teachers is fair. 

 This is why the Council specified in 38-2992 the absorption of all of DESA's human resources for DESA employees, staff payroll for DESA employees, and student support functions into the budget of DCPS;

The Ellington Fund and DESAP  have the option of working with DCPS as XQ and EdForward have, to fund positions at Ellington that are paid through the Human Resources department of DCPS on the same salary scale.  They also maintain the option they have always had to supplement and enrich the education of Ellington students. 

Stability and targeted assistance funds are prioritized in the budget process. The need for program and equity funds need to be better addressed in school budgeting across DCPS.  All students should have access to exposure and opportunity in the arts.  The fact that Ellington has 9% of the student body or close to 50 students coming from out of state is a testament to the fact that elementary and middle school students should have more exposure to music and the arts. We have the talent here in DC. Every high school student should also have the opportunities to play an instrument, be in a band, act, dance and progress as an artist.  It would be wonderful and fitting if this new agreement connected Ellington as an inspiration and a resource to the larger DCPS system. 

Thank you, sincerely,

Cathy Reilly,  

Executive Director of SHAPPE

Thank you for this opportunity to testify on the FY24 DCPS Budget – November 16, 2022

My name is Cathy Reilly and I have the privilege and opportunity to facilitate and manage the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators,(SHAPPE) as well as the Ward 4 Ed Alliance and C4DC Coalition for DC Public Schools and Communities. 

We are very pleased that enrollment is up and strongly up in 9th and 10th grade.  DCPS will need to maintain high school funding as well as ensure the elementary and middle schools are invested in and stable to keep these students living in the District and enrolled in DCPS.  DCPS is in a competitive environment.

These are the items that rise to the top of the list now:

·         We need a contract with the WTU with issues of workplace flexibility and safety as well as salary addressed.

·         Safety – locks and alarms, protocols,

o   Buildings have to be secure.  This means alarms on doors in secondary schools; classroom door locks quickly repaired and most importantly front doors repaired to lock automatically upon closure.  Many of the issues are in modernized buildings. This just cannot be alright

o   Collaboration and training for safe passage workers and school staff at hotspots like bus stops and the metro.  Look into having students use their ID number if they do not have their card.  Reduce points of friction as much as possible.

·         The FY24 school budget allocations have to give schools the additional funds for salary and supply cost increases.  A constant budget with inflation and higher salaries is a substantial budget cut.  DCPS can do this regardless of what the Council does.

·         Whether it is XQ or ESSER funds, there has got to be a plan when outside money runs out. DCPS is a system, not a bunch of independent schools. There are advantages.  DCPS can leverage central office and the resources of a whole system.  It is not only about accountability and standardization. It can be about creativity and opportunities across schools like being able to offer advanced language, math or elective options sometimes virtually or with part time teachers with flexible schedules.

·          For the buildings:

o   Maintenance: DCPS is in charge of a number of areas including the equipment in CTE programs.  For example at Roosevelt the freezer and refrigerator periodically malfunction.  Ovens on the stoves don’t work.

o   Advance and fund the digital equity work, for devices and connectivity

o   Modernization- You will hear today from Whittier, the building has deteriorated since its rating in the PACE act.  The organizing effort by this community is in response to conditions that need to be addressed for the health and safety of the students and staff.

o   HVAC and access to drinking water remain as issues that have not been addressed. We need your help, your voice and your advocacy on this. 

·         DCPS is one of 69 Local education agencies however DCPS has over half of the public school students.  DCPS has been underrepresented in a number of citywide settings like budget, lottery for example.  We need you to fight harder, and use staff and advocates strategically on this especially with the Facilities Master plan and adequacy study work coming in 2023.  Ensure that the DCPS voices of over 50,000 students and their families are passionately represented. 

Letter from Cathy Reilly to Axios reporter Cuneyt Dill on 1 big thing: New high school spat

Mr. Dil,

I appreciated you highlighting the issues with the proposed DCPS high school on MacArthur Blvd in this article.  I hope it is something that you will continue to watch because there is more to it than you were able to cover in a brief article. 

The problem being solved by the proposal of the high school on MacArthur Blvd is to relieve the crowding at Jackson Reed which is a neighborhood school of right.  Jackson Reed actually does not accept out of boundary students, these are students that by and large have been accepted to the elementary and middle schools that then have the right to attend Jackson Reed.

The proposal is to establish the MacArthur Site as a school of right for the students at Hardy MS to go on to high school, thereby relieving the crowding at Jackson Reed.  A school of 700-750 would more than accomplish this. 

Those of us concerned with the proposal to build a school of 1000 are looking at the city and its commitments to its students.  Creating a preference for out of boundary or at risk students at a school in far northwest reduces the obligation of DCPS to provide the programming families want close to their homes. Equitable access should mean that regardless of where you live in DC you have access to an excellent, well- resourced school you have the right to attend.  If what families have in ward 3 is desirable, then the goal should be to provide that across all wards.  Not to just expand access in Ward 3.

While it is understandable that Ward 3 residents want to maintain diversity in their walkable schools, this should not come at the expense of students in other parts of the city having to travel.  This is why affordable housing is an important issue in the Ward 3 Council race. Families desiring diversity also have the option of traveling to any of the other DCPS neighborhood high schools.

There is space at all of the other DCPS neighborhood high schools. This is evident from the out of boundary capacity.  Through my work with the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators, SHAPPE –I see what is going on at all of the high schools and see excellent work going on at each of them.   DCPS will be opening a new middle school at the former Banneker site where students will then have the right to attend Cardozo high school.  This should be considered in the planning.   This article by the members of C4DC also gives some details to the larger concerns with planning and priorities.                

The concerns of the residents in the area are partly with the capacity for this area to accommodate both of these schools in close proximity. See their presentation here. It is also with the decision of the Bowser administration to lease the Foxhall DCPS elementary school building to a private school when it was needed by the DCPS public schools.  

All of this to say, there is a lot to consider for any new Council member and for the city about our vision for public education.  

Best, 

Cathy Reilly

Letter on Size and Funding of Proposed MacArthur Ave. HS.   May 20th, 2022

Dear Chairman Mendelson,

We appreciate your focus in this year’s capital budget on the DCPS neighborhood schools. Both those identified through the PACE Act as well as those with additional pressures on crowding. 

The Capital budget has funding for a new high school in Ward 3 at the MacArthur site of the former Georgetown Day School.  This school is planned to relieve the crowding at Jackson Reed HS which is acute. Students from Hardy MS will feed into the new school.  

The PACE Act document identifies the projected capacity of the MacArthur HS as 1000, and the capital budget identifies 45m.  Our request is for the capacity of this high school to be held at 750 and the budget adjusted to fit that number. 

The city is about to embark on both a boundary review and a master education plan.  This effort is to address the imbalances and make adjustments.   We have capacity at DCPS high schools across the city.  They have strong programmatic choices. DCPS has just expanded the capacity of Banneker by 300 students and is building a new Bard HS. Woodson and Cardozo also have space and would welcome more students.  With the decision to move STAY out of Roosevelt, Roosevelt will also have additional space. 

Students leaving Hardy have many choices. Many will attend their new neighborhood HS but it will not be the full cohort.  As they do now, they will take advantage of the application DCPS schools as well as other options.  The master planning process will also be able to look at the effect of the new Center City Middle school as an additional choice for families currently choosing out of boundary in wards 2 and 3.

A high school of 750 will achieve the goal of reducing the crowding at Jackson Reed High School (formerly Wilson HS).  Enrollments fluctuate.  Given the location of this school and the transportation access issues as well as the considerable concern by the neighbors around traffic and parking this is a sound capacity decision.  Build this 750-student school now to alleviate the crowding and not more. DCPS has a rich selection of high schools and it has capacity in many of them. 

Please also ensure that the FY23 CIP includes sufficient funds to appropriately renovate the building in time for the school’s inaugural cohort of students at this lower capacity. Finally, the city should move expeditiously on developing a programmatic plan for the school in answer to Hardy families’ many questions.

Sincerely, 

Cathy Reilly - SHAPPE, Ward 4 and C4DC

Frazier O’Leary - SBOE Ward 4

Ruth Wattenburg- SBOE Ward 3

Allister Chang- SBOE Ward 2

Mary Levy- Ward 2, C4DC

Allyson Criner Brown- Ward 8 Ed Council

Michael Grier - Ward 8 Ed Council

Nzinga Tull - Ward 7 aunt

Laura Fuchs- Ward 5 resident Ward 7 teacher

Marla Dean - Ward 7Ed Council

Beth Sewell- Ward 4 parent and teacher

Suzanne Wells- Ward 6  W6PSPO,

Danica Petrochius  -Ward 6 W6PSPO

Scott Goldstein- of EmpowerEd, Ward 4

Alexandra Simbana- past and future DCPS parent

Vanessa Rubio- Ward 4 resident and parent

Susan Ousley, DCPS student supporter

Anne Louise Taylor Ward 5 resident ,Ward 2 DCPS parent

Thomas Byrd- We Act Radio, Education Town Hall

Erich Martel-Ward 3 

Sandra Moscoso- Ward 6 resident, Ward 2 parent

Cc: Lewis.Ferebee- Chancellor

Melissa.Kim- Deputy Chancellor

chyanne.Eyde School Planning

Sujata.Bhat- Interim Deputy Chief, Strategic School Planning

Andrea Swiatocha Deputy Chief Facilities

Sarah.Parker  Interim Officer, Engagement and Partnerships

Drewana Bey Chief Secondary Schools

Jennifer Comey- Director of Planning, Data and Analysis

Brienne Nadeau- Ward 1 Council Member

Mary Cheh- Ward 3 Council Member

Brooke Pinto- Ward 2 Council Member

Janeese Lewis George - Ward 4 Council Member

Christina Henderson- At Large Council Member

Testimony by the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators (SHAPPE)

Cathy Reilly on Attendance to the SBOE

May 18, 2022

Thank you for this opportunity and for your focus on this issue.  Compulsory Education and Attendance were put in place to support the health and safety as well as the vital access to learning and an education for young people.  While the law applies to students 5 to 18, DC has expanded access to 3 year olds, and also funds adult education and programming for 0 to 3 year olds. 

The emergency legislation you are considering from OSSE proposes a change in the current definition of attendance as being present 80% of the day to a definition of being present 60% of the day.  I did not see the recommended clarification to the truancy policy.  The third issue in the scope of proposed changes is the regulation on virtual learning and attendance. 

I totally support the change from the 80/20 to a 60/40 definition for attendance and hope it will initiate a deeper look at the whole policy.  You as a Board as far back as 2015 have signaled that this was a change you wanted to see brought before you for consideration. 

This will help shift the focus from punishing absence to supporting attendance.  We continue to learn how challenging it is to ensure health and safety and how much lies outside of the control of the schools.  The attendance policy has to be informed by this. It should also inform the list of what constitutes an excused absence.  We know now how important it is for young people who are sick to stay home. 

The Kids Ride Free and meals programs have addressed some significant roadblocks.  The continued increases in funding for social workers and psychologists also reflect efforts to make schools places with resources and support beyond academic learning.  With policies that incentivize choice and travel, safe passage has become a very tough area. 

I have attached 4 testimonies given at the Council hearing on March on the change to 60% of the day including the support for this change by DCPS as well as those from the Children’s Law Center, Advocates for Justice in Education and the Director of the Georgetown Juvenile Justice Initiative. This 80/20 policy sends the message that if you miss first period in most high schools on the four by four schedule you may as well not come, we have to count you absent.  The attendance calculated this way has a weight in the STAR system.  Your first obligation is to do no harm, and I would add to strive for fairness. 

At the time of this change to an 80/20 definition, zero tolerance and the need for stiff penalties to motivate compliance was the ascendant theory.  We testified against it then. It is important to make this change prior to the 2022-2023 school year. 

I would recommend more input on the proposal for situational distance learning for individuals, schools and LEA’s.  I am not sure if 5 banked days is sufficient for the year given the current challenges.  It would seem that there should be also options for individual students with extenuating circumstances.  

Going forward working with the Every Day Counts task force and other groups working directly with students and families we strongly urge OSSE and the SBOE to review the entire policy.   

-          Collect, solicit and do further research on why students are absent. This would allow for a better informed support policy. 

-          We know more now about what was missed when school was virtual, can we expand that understanding to build policy supporting more intrinsic motivation to attend

-          Re-examine the list for excused absences and why excused absences are included in the attendance metrics for schools

-          Re-examine the triggers and resources for support and how effective they have been especially in schools with many students qualifying.  One day a month is far different than 10 consecutive days.

The law for enforcement and punishment will become permanent this fall if I am reading the legislation noted here correctly.  Has this been enforced and is this punitive approach in fact effective in encouraging families to send their children. What is the profile of those getting the fines and misdemeanors: https://code.dccouncil.us/us/dc/council/code/sections/38-203(Perm)

The parent, guardian, or other person who has custody or control of a minor covered by § 38-202(a) who is absent from school without a valid excuse shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(e) Any person convicted of failure to keep a minor in regular attendance in a public, independent, private, or parochial school, or failure to provide regular private instruction acceptable to the Board may be fined not less than $100 or imprisoned for not more than 5 days, or both for each offense.

Thank you again for addressing this now.  There are so many qualified groups and individuals concerned and working on providing the foundation for full attendance and engagement by our young people partnering with you in this effort.

Select testimonies on School  Attendance Amendment Act Bill 24-248 

DC Council Budget Oversight Hearing for FY23

March 28, 2022

Cathy Reilly – Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators

We are a rich city, we are so fortunate and this is a huge budget to ensure gets spent in the best way.

The executive has control and responsibility for the DCPS schools.  Choice in the DC education landscape is a compliment to the DCPS neighborhood schools of right.  This has been stated verbally and in writing by the DME

In this context we would hope to see an Operating and Capital Plan that reflected the importance of investing in and maintaining the DCPS core system of quality neighborhood schools along with the DCPS options.  This requires planning and engagement that looks at decisions through a number of different lenses.  This is articulated here from C4DC.

These decisions in the Capital budget do meet that priority and are welcome and celebrated

·         The Capital investment in a DCPS middle school at the former Banneker HS location on Euclid Street.  This fulfils the promise to the Shaw community and provides the potential for a strong middle school in the center of the city that will feed into Cardozo High School.  The planning on this can get started immediately and should be done with Cardozo, the feeder pattern communities, and in concert with any funds spent on the Francis Stevens swing space which along with the fall of 24 move out date for FS can move the middle school forward sooner.

·         The addition of a cafeteria at Coolidge HS to relieve the crowding at the cafeteria currently shared by both Ida B Wells and Coolidge

·         A new field for Dunbar HS

·         The continued modernizations of the phase 1 elementary schools throughout the city. 

On other fronts however:

We see the consequences of the failure to plan at Roosevelt HS, which is succeeding and thriving with a projection of 868 next year.  This growth along with the decision to convert the co-located STAY program to a day school and then close Washington Met has meant that the expanded enrollment at both schools is now constraining and jeopardizing them in this building built for 1000 as one school.  STAY students deserve their own space and Roosevelt has grown and now requires the full use of its building.  We need the Council to weigh in and ensure there is a remedy prior to next fall.  There are possible solutions.

We are in support of the decision to relieve crowding at Jackson Reed HS but not of the size and the notion that equity is served by opening up equity access selective seats at this level. It assumes that the other by right DCPS high schools do not offer a quality program.  That is just not true. If OSSE adopts the dashboard on the school report card, this will be even more evident.

The Equitable Access designated seats is actually a DCPS policy that was put in place for pre K seats which are all in the lottery. It has not been used at the high school level where there is already considerable unused capacity.[1]  

The expansion should not move forward at this time.  This addition to increase the size of the MacArthur Blvd high school to 1000 students along with the 1800 capacity of Jackson Reed would make Ward 3 home to one of the highest DCPS high school capacities in the city.  Looking at current rates and projections, wards 2 and 3 have the lowest birth rates in the city.  There is something wrong with this picture and this way of making policy. 

I would be remiss to not also mention as the facilitator of the Ward 4 Ed Alliance that Truesdell and then Whittier and LaSalle Backus need swing space closer to home. 

We support the testimony by the Ward 7 Education Council regarding the use of the Winston campus and its possible potential location as a feeder school to Woodson SHS.  These concerns echo the concern on a lack of planning that has a local and a citywide view, one that looks at consequences.

For schools that saw a real increase in operating funds and thus in the ability to hire needed staff- the budget process was laced with hope and even excitement.  There is also cautious hope with the partnership with XQ and re-envisioning DCPS high schools.

For those that have been here awhile, the influx of funds at some schools has also led to anxiety that when the federal funds are gone, there will be an unsustainable loss with a possible RIF.  There are schools that were even told to prepare for a reduction in staff for FY24 because of the use of stability funds. There are still unanswered questions and concerns with the new DCPS model. As you have noted, it is part of the life of a school system that enrollments fluctuate. There has to be a method to ensure stability.  We will work with you on your proposed bill B24-0570 “Schools First in Budgeting Amendment Act on this.   

We support the push articulated by Qubilah Huddleston of DCFPI regarding mental health as well as the asks of EmpowerEd on outdoor learning funding

[1] DC Public Schools is proud to be a national leader in providing early childhood education to our youngest learners. The Equitable Access Designated Seats program is designed to expand access to Prekindergarten seats at DC Public Schools for students furthest from opportunity. Families who meet the criteria will receive additional considerations in the school lottery process when applying for certain schools. https://dcps.dc.gov/page/dcps-equitable-access-designated-seats#:~:text=The%20Equitable%20Access%20Designated%20Seats,when%20applying%20for%20certain%20schools.

Good afternoon,

Thank you Chairman Medelson and the members of the Committee as a Whole for having me to testify. My name is Erich Heckel and I am a Ward 4 resident, DCPS parent, and English teacher and building representative at Theodore Roosevelt High School. I want to testify about the need for Roosevelt and Roosevelt STAY to each have their own dedicated buildings next year.

As an LSAT, we recently finalized our budget proposal to DCPS. Our projected enrollment for next year is 868 students, which is significantly more than the current 820 students that we serve at Roosevelt. We focused our budget proposal around trying to meet the needs of our students through investing in people. We have proposed to add 23 new staff positions - 15 teachers and 7 SEL support positions. Our school is also adding another ILS cohort in our Special Education department. We highlighted our space concerns to DCPS once we received our enrollment projections in the fall and again with our budget proposal.

At the same time, Roosevelt STAY is adding another SPED program. Last year, Roosevelt STAY’s projected enrollment was 695 students. And while we know that much of STAY’s programming is non-traditional, students still use the space for the duration of the school day.

If we combine the coming year’s projections from STAY (590) and Roosevelt (868), we get 1,458 students projected to use a building made for 1,092. 

That many people in one school building is untenable and a recipe for disaster. Both schools have worked tirelessly over the last few years to build up their programming to meet the needs of students. At Roosevelt, we have seen consistent enrollment increases each year (outside of the pandemic year of SY 20-21) as families have come to understand that Roosevelt is a school they want to send their children to. Continuing to expand the number of students we serve without expanding the space for those students will make for larger classes, more crowded hallways, exacerbate safety issues, and lead families to leave our school.

Some of the most important safety concerns that are exacerbated by having two schools in one building that was constructed to house only one school are fights between adult students and minors, inappropriate physical interactions between adults and minors, and gang recruitment by adults of minors in the building. These problems have always existed with the two schools in the same building but will explode with the growing enrollment and lack of space for students to go.

DCPS has known that this would be an issue for years. In 5 and 10 year enrollment projections produced by DCPS in 2018, the Roosevelt/Roosevelt STAY building was projected to be at 155% utilization by SY 23-24 (based on a building capacity of 1,092) and 163% utilization by SY 28-29. Both of these projections are the highest of any building used by DCPS. 

DCPS can’t wait until the issues caused by space get so bad that our enrollment gains begin to reverse themselves. We need to solve this issue now, before the next school year, by giving both schools their own buildings.

Thank you.

DC Education Oversight Hearing of the DC Council on March 2, 2022

Chairman Mendelson and members of the Council I appreciate this opportunity to testify to you on the oversight and budget of public education.

My name is Cathy Reilly and I am the Director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators (SHAPPE) the convener of the Ward 4 Ed Alliance and C4DC.

For Ward 4: I am attaching a letter sent to the Mayor.  It details some of the crucial issues of Ward 4 including the persistent and serious facility issues ranging from mice and rats on site to problems with key entry and exit, bursting steam pipes and as always HVAC systems.

Further as you will hear today the deep concern with appropriate swing space for three elementary schools waiting for modernization in ward 4.  The first is Truesdell a neighborhood school where 85% of children walk slated to go to Garnet Patterson.  It is our belief that there is space in Ward 4 to accommodate the families of these schools. 

A second issue for Ward 4 and for SHAPPE is the unsustainability of two high schools sharing one building; Roosevelt High School is the neighborhood school of right with a projected enrollment of 868 and Roosevelt STAY a citywide opportunity academy with a projected enrollment of 590. The building was built for 1000. The plans as far as we know for next year with an increase in enrollment and staff for these two schools is not tenable either educationally or from a safety perspective.  Suggestions for 2 or 3 days use a week of the library or auditorium for an almost 900 student neighborhood high school is not acceptable.  It is also wrong for the STAY students many of whom are high school age.  Suggestions that Roosevelt HS could possibly schedule large classes of 40+ and just add a teacher to deal with space limits are irresponsible.  DCPS is aware of this issue and has said they are working on it.  We do not know what options are being explored.  The lack of any process on this has hurt before.  STAY was converted to a day program in 2014 with no public input when Roosevelt was in swing space with an interim principal. STAY high school students deserve more, they should have their own facility. We need your help.

High Schools: A number of DCPS high schools fared well with this budget allocation.  As larger schools who often have a percentage of students qualifying for at risk funds, ELL or SPED funds, the model DCPS used allocated funds that have been sorely needed for these schools. It means that for 9th and 10th graders there may be smaller classes, the 3rd and 4th year of a world language can be offered, there can be electives that students have expressed an interest in from financial literacy, to cooking to art. music and to social studies possibilities.   

DCPS has said that the scheduling this year will be more flexible with schools being able to choose either the 4 by 4 or a modified block or a combination.  We would like to see this mean that students can now pursue the second year of a musical instrument or more art options.  High school should be a time of opportunity and exploration as students prepare to be citizens with full lives as well as being ready for more education or a job.  Expanded funding can make more of these options possible as well as a commitment to more complex scheduling. 

However, there is a lot of concern that for too many schools this budget has created a fiscal cliff, we continue to gather information on this.  The budget has to work for all schools.

Mental health – even with more funding mental health concerns topped the list for parents, teachers and administrators.  It is larger than filling vacancies and adding social workers, while this is important.  There needs to be an assessment at the school level, and then follow up. The Young Women’s project has highlighted the difficulty in knowing what supports are available. This is fixable. Having a strong group of better paid substitute teachers, expanding supports for teachers and administrators, looking at flexible scheduling are all options. The District should have a coordinated and comprehensive approach that also includes options for families and attention to those recently arrived to this country.

As you know from all of your hearings, getting to the causes of trauma and stress in our young people and families is essential – jobs, housing, medical care, safety.

Safe passage remains a challenge, even more for students traveling after the school hours to after school activities.  We also feel there are significant as yet unanswered questions on what school security will look like this year. 

Thank you and we look forward to working with you. 

 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Letter to the DC Council from Dr. Kenneth Dickerson 

March 2, 2022 Oversight hearing on Public Education

To the DC Council, 

This letter is a request for help in making sure that all of the children in the District of Columbia have a chance to live out their dreams. Currently, in the District of Columbia School system there are no instrumental music programs that are effective in providing opportunities for high school students to receive music scholarships in colleges and universities across the United States.  

Why, because students only take one semester of instrumental music or general music in high school. Counselors and administrators are not going the extra mile to place students in music programs during the day. The administrators are requesting that music and art teachers get to work early or stay after school to provide students with these opportunities. I have talked to music and art teachers across the district. They are extremely frustrated with the current status of DC Public Schools and their stance on providing lessons for students wanting to pursue careers in the arts.

I know  from  first hand experience. My last three years at Theodore Roosevelt SHS were horrible as a music teacher who wanted to teach music. I would get thirty students who never had a music  lesson previously in August. I would teach them scales or multiple rudiment in music. The students would start hearing their success. The children began to get excited about playing. When January 28th came they were taken out of my class and sent to another elective. You cannot build music or art programs that way. There has to be sequential lessons to get to a level of proficiency. The students were devastated after being removed from music an art and so are many of my colleagues. I took m concerns to my administrators; we met with the counselors and nothing happen, only promises. The next two years the same thing happened. I gave up out of frustration and retired.

The interesting issue is before my last three years, I always kept my students for the entire year and they returned in the fall. My students received music scholarships to major colleges and universities. We were able to perform concerts, homecoming parades, play at basketball games. We created a spirit at the school. Students where practicing and staying off the streets, staying out of trouble. The pride of our students and the community went through the roof.

My major question is, what happened? Why is this the new DCPS unwritten policy. No one seems to have an answer. Meanwhile, hundreds of students are losing their opportunity to follow their dreams. Almost all of my students came to me without any music experience. The Principal came into my class per my request to hear my students play. After listening to three songs the students presented. He asked the kids. How many of you played an instrument before being in Dr. Dickerson class? One student out of thirty -five raised their hands. This is the nation capital!!! How is it that music and arts can be taught in the surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia but not in the District of Columbia? The system is failing our students. The bigger question remains what is the DC Council going to do about this issue? Currently, students get eight electives during their high school experience. That means that students can take music and art for their entire four-years in high school. The counselors only have to do their jobs. The administration has to mandate that music and arts programs are important and should be populated with students who desire to participate in the program offerings.

I’m a product of the District of Columbia Public Schools. I started cello in the fourth grade with Mrs. Norma Hutton at Park View Elementary. I studied trumpet next with Mrs. Hutton in fifth grade. I finally got the chance to play drums in the sixth grade. The rest is history. I played at Banneker JHS under Heike Davidson and went on to Cardozo SHS and played in the Marching 100 under the direction of Robert Gill. I played Jazz Band at Cardozo under the leader of Calvin Jones Sr. I followed Mr. Jones to UDC and got a music scholarship. These educators impacted my life in such a way that I wanted to serve the District of Columbia as a music educator. I started my teaching career at Douglas JHS. We won first place in the Unifest Parade in 1994. From No Band to First Place Show Band at Douglas JHS. This has nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with the power of music, given the opportunity to learn and experience it’s power. I’m Doctor Kenneth Dickerson because of my experience with all of these great legendary teachers. Music Saved my Life!!!! Please help save the lives of our young people today. We are the change we seek.  

With a Song! I AM Dr. Kenneth Dickerson 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser

Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC, 20004

                                                                                                                       February 17, 2022

Dear Mayor Bowser,

You have been our Council member, and are our neighbor and Mayor.  We are looking to you for help. 

The members of the Ward 4 Education Alliance value our DCPS system of schools.  As our publicly managed system of education, they are a vital institution of our democracy.  We have been building enrollment here and expanding. You have embraced Mayoral control of these schools and the responsibility that entails.  We appreciate the increase in the UPSFF formula funds and understand that money is essential but not sufficient. 

The families with students in our Ward 4 DCPS schools and across the city have the right to a safe and healthy environment.  Many do not have that now.    

The COVID Pandemic has challenged everyone and exacerbated previous problems. The DCPS school principals, administrators, teachers, counselors, substitutes, aides, custodians and support staff have stepped up. Along with attending to the return of students this year as the pandemic continued to rage, principals have been in charge of contract tracing and testing.  Teachers have covered for others sick or quarantining, custodians have been in charge of deeper and more thorough cleaning often with less staff.  Everyone in the school has been dealing with extreme stress from sickness, loss, and trauma as they work to create a safe, nurturing environment for learning and healing. 

They and the families they serve need support from your administration. The lag in providing help has been, and continues to be, enormously costly.  Upon request, we can provide some specific schools where these issues exist in ward 4.   

·        On a human decency level, multiple schools have rats and mice even in classrooms, garbage pick up was also an issue.

·        In an era of safety threats to schools, keys don’t work and thus a school can be unsecured. Key FOBS that control the remote keyless entry systems are not working correctly in many schools.  This means teachers cannot gain access without calling ahead and children cannot exit and enter the school smoothly in an emergency situation. 

·         Steam pipes are overheating, and sometimes bursting with a threat of burns.

·        There are roof leaks which lead to constant disruption and mold.

·        There is a continual issue with poorly functioning HVAC systems which do not provide adequate heat and cooling. These HVAC issues are in modernized and in older buildings and have been persistent. 

The frustration is palpable. DGS personnel come and contractors come but the issues are not resolved.  Something is terribly wrong. This issue has existed over years.  There is a systemic problem that has not been identified that your administration can and should address. 

Schools identified for modernization are deeply concerned about the lack of input into swing space planning.  Ward 4 DCPS elementary schools like Truesdell are fortunate to have over 80% of the children walk to school. This should be taken into account and accommodated.  For Whittier, LaSalle and Truesdell in Ward 4, it has not been. 

Addressing these issues and others are the foundation of treating all of your DCPS school employees and families with respect. We fear there will be a mass exodus of highly valued school staff with whom we have built relationships and on whom we have come to depend on.  Their skill and care cannot be easily replaced. Having well maintained buildings and grounds and being consulted on upcoming decisions, are elements of respect and appreciation that will help with staff and family retention.

In this 8th year of your term, with your wish to add on another four years, we are looking to you to prioritize and address these issues of health and safety.  We will also continue to work with the Council and with the agencies.  However, our experience is that you are the one who makes the final decisions. 

Thank you,

Cathy Reilly

Convener of the Ward 4 Education Alliance

Cc: DME Paul Kihn

CM Janeese Lewis George

CM Robert White

Council Chair Phil Mendelson

SBOE Member Frazier O’Leary

Chancellor Lewis Ferebee

Andrea Swiatocha

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Council Hearing on the Schools First Budgeting Amendment Act and the Schools Full Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021

January 20, 2022

Cathy Reilly – Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators

Thank you for this opportunity to testify.  I am the director of SHAPPE and the facilitator for the Ward 4 Ed Alliance and C4DC.

I support the intent to ensure that DCPS schools are stable, able to expand programming and meet the needs of their students and families.  I acknowledge the Council is working to solve a problem that has been persistent.

The first issue before the Council, not dealt with yet, is the way we fund public education effective, efficient and fair?  We have policy that does not limit the number of schools, incentivizes families to exit rather than invest and in the name of neutrality does not prioritize its own DCPS system of right.

Today, considering the Schools First Budgeting Amendment Act,  It is premature for us to recommend changes of the magnitude recommended without knowing more about the DCPS budgets for this year and thus as proposed in these bills for perpetuity.

I am concerned that DCPS school stability actually depends on all three categories – school budgets, school supports and central office.  They all have to work in support of the students in the schools.  I am apprehensive about possibly transferring more responsibility to the schools, even with some funding and then holding them responsible.   For example, we have asked schools to be the Dept. of Health this year.

I am in favor of continuing to use average salaries in the school budgets and against the provision in the bill specifying actual funding as I currently understand its ramifications.  Using average salaries allows decisions to be made based on program and classroom needs at the school level and should help with retaining our more experienced teachers.

This said, there should be adequate funding so that Schools do not absorb the cost of inflation and salary increases into static budgets. These increases in cost should have an automatic increase in funds added to the school budget. This has been one of the main drivers of schools with constant enrollment having to cut staff. 

 In terms of a formula for increases and decreases in enrollment, the current provisions in the bill are elementary driven and may have some issues there.  For secondary schools  we would look at a requirement that planning periods be incorporated into the formula and that class size be set to allow for electives and advanced classes along with adequate staffing for ELL and SPED. Currently DCPS more or less divides enrollment by 25 and that is the number of teachers and then extras are awarded.  It does not accurately take into account the fact that up to 25% of the teachers in a 4 by 4 schedule will not be teaching. They will be in their contract protected planning period. Class size used to be 22 versus the current 25.This gives you some idea of the complexity of getting any formula right. 

Finally, this proposal appears to remove the At risk provision currently in code for DCPS.  Thus, it eliminates requiring annual reporting on the use of at-risk funds which directs that funds are to supplement not supplant other funds, as well as the requirement that 90% be allocated to schools.

Stability is one of a number of lenses we need to look at budgeting through.  For this year, however, I hope you will prioritize ensuring that the new DCPS budget model allows schools to recover and grow.   We will be back in March.  Thank you. 

S.H.A.P.P.E.

Senior High Alliance of Parents Principals and Educators

                                                                                                                  Dec. 6, 2021

Dear Chancellor Ferebee,

Despite all of our wishes, this fall has not been a return to normalcy.  It was difficult to understand and prepare adequately for the level of trauma our young people experienced.  We were not and are not adequately prepared and resourced to meet their needs.  The socio emotional cost, especially for younger secondary students of being essentially outside of the structure of school and at home has been much higher than anticipated.   This has of course added exponentially to the stress on the personnel at the schools.  They are severely understaffed even looking at pre-COVID levels.  Quarantining, sickness, routine maternity or paternity leaves, and an acute shortage of substitutes has exacerbated an already difficult time.

Teachers and administrators are there to support their students’ learning.  The capacity to learn and to master the content can only come when the most pressing emotional needs are addressed.  This takes time, space and resources.  Trauma informed instruction is not adequate by itself to the task before a number of our young people. 

There are some things that could be done now to alleviate the work that we are asking the school communities to do so they can address some of the unmet needs and facilitate a fuller return to the classroom. These actions would acknowledge that this is an extraordinary moment and that DCPS can pivot and respond appropriately to need. 

Ø  Increase the personnel in secondary schools where requested. Use central office staff if necessary and expedite clearance. 

Ø  Drastically reduce the requirements from downtown including :

o   Requirements for RCT(regular curricular tasks) data – students are not learning when being assessed this often and teachers are distracted and stressed by this

o   Requirements for IMPACT for this year-reduce the high stakes of it and reduce the number of observations etc. 

o   Evaluate and recalibrate MTSS accountability practices

o   No new central office requirements for school teams

Ø  Forbid removal of staff from schools for central office placement for the remainder of this school year

Ø  Expedite the on boarding process so vacancies are filled immediately, it is now taking an average of 7 weeks.

Ø  Convene High School and perhaps Middle School leadership regularly to have the safe space to discuss the issues and strategize on what is working and what has not.  Provide them with all SBT incident data so that they can correctly define and understand the full range of issues. 

Ø  Provide secondary schools with flexibility to adjust their daily schedules in consultation with staff, families and students, to allow for flexibility in course assignments, platoons attending on different days, virtual and hybrid options.

Sincerely,

Cathy Reilly

Executive Director

S.H.A.P.P.E.

Reply from Dr. Ferebee

Dear Cathy –  

Thank you for your letter and your continued partnership in this aptly called “extraordinary moment” as you mention below.  I appreciate the spirit of your letter and partnership.  

I wanted to provide you an update on our overlapping focus areas by responding to questions below in italics. Please reach out with any follow-up questions. 

Sincerely,  

Chancellor Lewis Ferebee  

1.       Increase the personnel in secondary schools where requested. Use central office staff if necessary and expedite clearance.   

DCPS is working to expedite clearances, including a shift to a new vendor this winter who will be responsible for part of the Child Protection Agency (CPR) and Sex Offender Registry (SOR) clearance process.  The backlog continues to diminish with Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA).  

2.       Drastically reduce the requirements from downtown including: 

a.       Requirements for RCT (regular curricular tasks) data – students are not learning when being assessed this often and teachers are distracted and stressed by this 

Required Curricular Tasks (RCTs) are formative or summative tasks that have been prioritized within the grade level content for all students to have equitable opportunity to demonstrate their learning.  These tasks are embedded in the curriculum and are being leveraged to support teachers in backward planning daily instruction.  

b.       Requirements for IMPACT for this year-reduce the high stakes of it and reduce the number of observations etc.   

DCPS has already reduced the number of IMPACT observations this year. In a typical year, most teachers receive three Essential Practices observations; for SY21-22, DCPS has reduced this to 2 observation cycles. DCPS has also removed the Individual Value-Added component in SY21-22. 

c.        Evaluate and recalibrate MTSS accountability practices 

The DCPS Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) provides a framework for holistically understanding and addressing the strengths and needs of students; it serves as the foundation to our approach to recovery and acceleration. Our core expectations around MTSS are focused on strong adult collaboration and holistic data analysis to support all students, particularly students who need targeted interventions.  

d.       No new central office requirements for school teams  

DCPS teachers and staff are incredible, and they continue to show their excellence in this unique and challenging year.  DCPS Central Services is working to reduce new requirements and content.  For example, the last district PD Day included time for planning, eliminated requirements for new content sessions (other than optional choice sessions), provided office hours, and other supports to help teachers complete tasks. We are focused on instruction and targeted supports through the rest of this year and share a goal of minimizing new requirements for school teams. 

3.       Forbid removal of staff from schools for central office placement for the remainder of this school year 

DCPS agrees that keeping staff in schools during the school year is critically important. There are no plans to require school-based staff into central office placements.  

4.       Expedite the onboarding process so vacancies are filled immediately, it is now taking an average of 7 weeks.  

As stated above, DCPS is continuing to work to expedite hiring and onboarding. DCPS continues to work with interagency partners to identify ways the onboarding process can be streamlined.  

5.       Convene High School and perhaps Middle School leadership regularly to have the safe space to discuss the issues and strategize on what is working and what has not.  Provide them with all SBT incident data so that they can correctly define and understand the full range of issues.   

DCPS has started this process with a kick-off meeting on December 2, 2021 to discuss school culture and climate and strategies for improvement.  We will be regularly convening middle and high school principals to discuss concerns and provide a space for problem-solving. Principals have access to all student behavior incident data, and instructional superintendents will continue to support principals through regular review of data and deployment of supports as needed.    

6.       Provide secondary schools with flexibility to adjust their daily schedules in consultation with staff, families and students, to allow for flexibility in course assignments, platoons attending on different days, virtual and hybrid options.  

DCPS has created a taskforce to examine data and collect feedback from multiple stakeholders to explore scheduling options for SY22-23.  

Testimony to be submitted re: Council DCPS Security hearing by Tuesday, 11-23

My name is Cathy Reilly and I am the director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators.  SHAPPE

The overall stated goals of DCPS reflect the direction recommended by the DC Police Reform Commission.  There is an emphasis on restorative justice and on training classroom teachers and security staff as Dr. Elliott noted in her testimony.  However, there is still work that needs to be done to transition to the vision expressed by the Commission. 

The most important element of safety and security is trust and strong relationships.  The four most important needs or strategies to achieve this I have heard in every setting to support this are:

ü  the stability of known and trusted personnel ;

ü  the ability to include and train these individuals as part of the school community

ü  the necessity of having the number of SEL and skilled safety and security people the school population needs

ü  the budget to support stability, training, numbers of personnel

Safe Passage remains a top concern. The Mayor and Council included a number of initiatives in the budget to support safe passage.  The ONSE program and others do not seem to have started yet.

Plan: I have attended the meetings of the Safe and Positive Schools Working Group of DCPS since February of 2021. Throughout the winter and spring there was a focus to work on a 3 year plan to present to the DCPS leadership and then to the Council on re-imagining school security.  The focus shifted over the summer along with some personnel changes at DCPS.  It is now mainly a forum for feedback on the District’s Whole Child, Anti-Racism initiative. 

The start to this school year has been extraordinarily challenging.  For all first year and most second year high school students they have not been in the buildings for in person learning all day every day. Along with the excitement of seeing peers and being engaged it has also brought added conflict as students wrestle with the personal trauma of the last two years.  Extra skilled staff members with the ability to build relationships and intervene and de-escalate when necessary are crucial to the school community at this time.  Quarantining, sickness and a shortage of substitutes has meant they are not always there.

 Some schools in the pilot have appreciated the behavior tech, restorative justice facilitators and deans that they were able to bring on instead of security guards.  Those continuing with the contract have appreciated the continuity of working with the same guards who have become a part of their staffs, largely trusted by all and have the skill set to de-escalate and break up a fight when necessary.  A plan will need to address these challenges among others:

§  Turnover of staff either security or school staff is a huge issue if building relationships and trust is the goal

§  Overall staffing is a primary issue, if there are fewer adults in the building, due to a shortage of substitutes or of budget challenges; this jeopardizes the safety of the school community. 

§  DCPS needs more on the ground input from a lot of schools on if there should be a new security guard contract and what should be included.  The question needs to be posed and answered: Why is this contracted?  What would it take to bring this in house?

§  There are fights that erupt in schools between adolescents, there need to be skilled staff available, willing and ready to appropriately intervene and de-escalate.    

§  There may be need for a new job description for schools that want to transition from as many security guards to employees of the school system. 

Measures of Success: Suspensions are down; this coincides with the requirements of the Student Full Access to School Amendment Act of 2018. School year 2020-2021 was the first year the necessity of limiting suspensions affected the high schools. Most students were not in school last year, so this fall was the first time this law was in full force.  It is encouraging that the number of suspensions is down, however we need a better understanding of how the increased number of serious infractions are being handled.

Funding- There is nothing that we have seen regarding the budget that indicates that funding and positions for safety and security will be protected.  It is a student based model with an emphasis on flexible funds.  If the budget is short, schools will have to make many difficult choices.  While Dr. Elliott assured the Council that these funds would be protected, that has not been part of any of the budget information sessions to date. 

In conclusion, I am concerned that we don’t yet have a coordinated plan for staff stability, school community training, the number of personnel and the budget to ensure that the trusted relationships essential to school safety can thrive.  It is hard and has been even more challenging during the pandemic, and it is understandable that with students not in buildings for so long, and the health challenges everyone in the city faced this could not be completed.  Still it is crucial to have a process and then a plan that we can all endorse soon. 

Thank you                                                                                                                                                                                   

SBOE Meeting November 17, 2021

Cathy Reilly

“When we inaccurately attribute differences in educational quality to school districts because of the students they serve rather than their effectiveness in serving those students, we shortchange both district and student,” Houston and Henig conclude.[1]

§  I strongly agree that bias is an issue. The current report card strongly favors schools serving students who arrive with a higher level of proficiency.

§  If we are going to call this a report card it should reflect what the school has control over. 

§  I have heard in every setting that we do not want summative rating One rating (STARs – which is not required.  I would strongly prefer the dashboard

§  I question the weight of the PARCC scores as a fair measure. Only one state currently uses it, growth is not computed with the same students. The percentages should be reduced substantially for proficiency and also for growth if DC continues to use percentages.

§  OSSE should have additional indicators and information. The Illinois school report cards have a lot of information in an easy to assess format.  These indicators should include a measure for a well- rounded education, I have attached one. We should expand the school highlights section  also. 

§  The Illinois school report card also provides context and information on different measures.  In particular I am concerned with the per pupil expenditures.  This overall average number includes funds that are designated for particular students like smaller teacher/ student ratios for SPED and ELL. These funds are not available for all students.  At the very least this should be explained if this figure is displayed.

§  I am concern about attendance and how it is measured and weighted given that we want students who are sick to stay home. This should not require a doctor’s note when a child has a sore throat or other indication of something contagious. 

§  If the High School format continues to be used I strongly urge NAF and CTE participation to be added to the IB/AP participation rates. 

§  Our schools are very different so I don’t think a simple comparison is fair or appropriate. It would be far better if the District is supporting choice to pose questions for consideration like distance from home, program that aligns with child’s interests.  Urge families to visit or look at a school’s website, talk to parents from different schools.

§  Most important is that we don’t reduce schools or students to too few indicators. The full school experience is more important than any one indicator. Therefore academics, programs, environment- health and safety, and resources are all important to be fairly described. 

[1] https://www.chalkbeat.org/2019/7/9/21121014/can-growth-data-push-parents-to-more-integrated-schools-a-new-study-says-maybe

Testimony about STAR Rating System          10/20/2021

David Tansey

Good evening. My name is David Tansey and I am a math teacher at McKinley Technology High School. This is my 13th year teaching secondary math in the District. I also spent a decade as part of Langley Elementary’s PTA, spending much of my time assuaging potential parents’ concerns that their neighborhood school might not be appropriate for their child. The District’s ratings never once assisted me in getting parents to give Langley a chance. It took community events, meet-and-greets with the principal in my living room, and tents at the farmers market to give parents a sense that the school is a warm welcoming environment where their child would succeed.

I came tonight to argue that whatever the rating system being considered, one of the layers of review needs to be on equity. Specifically, whether the options being reviewed unnecessarily compound the already existing tendency for schools to be segregated by class and race. This will require we balance that which allows for equity and that which allows schools, and parents, to easily self-sort.

I will give an example of this potential conflict. This comparison assumes we can accurately identify the degree of learning that happens at a school. Keep in mind that this is not currently the case. One school has demonstrated the greatest amount of learning in the District – something above one year of learning per year. The school happens to serve students who come in behind academically, so its proficiency rates are not where one would hope they would be. Another school has demonstrated that its students average one year of learning per year. But almost all come in proficient, so their proficiency rates are much higher than the first school’s. Which is the better school? What information do we emphasize to parents that are choosing between them? Both demonstrate that learning is happening in the classrooms. But the proficiency rates give away something about the academic background of the student body. Does emphasizing that data serve our children or just compound an inequity?

It is very difficult to measure the quality of a school without student-based longitudinal data that is diagnostic in nature. Unfortunately, our data is structured to have the unit of measure be the school rather than the student. The test we have chosen, PARCC, is also not designed to demonstrate growth by an individual student. The data provided is too blunt.

We could still make progress on this front, though. We could start collecting student-based longitudinal data and we could find ways to approximate the degree of individual growth. It should be said that with the tools we have now, it would be hard to rate a school on how they are doing with students that are far from being on grade level. This reality creates a perverse incentive to serve those most likely to make you look good – those already on grade level or near it.

At this point in time, I encourage the SBOE to do whatever is necessary to have OSSE start collecting student-based longitudinal data. That in itself will provide many insights. I also encourage you to consider how whatever rating is being considered may compound existing academic inequities. I hope that exploration will create guidelines that can be used when we make decisions in the future on what District-wide tests we choose, how we improve our school choice infrastructure, and how we speak on these issues in general. I hope the conversation goes from where schools rank to how we can most effectively create the school system we want for our children: one where each student feels welcome, encouraged, and challenged to grow.

Thank you for your time.

DC State School Board

October 20, 2021

Testimony – Cathy Reilly

Thank you for this opportunity to testify.  My name is Cathy Reilly and I am the director of SHAPPE, the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators, facilitator for the Ward 4 Ed Alliance and C4DC.

I support the SBOE in examining the STAR rating system which was released in December of 2018 after a contentious debate.  The STAR rating system weighs a number of measurable factors and assigns each school from one to five stars. This is noted on the first page.

As you consider this I urge you to be respectful of the complexity of providing an education to our young people and humble.  This instrument is limited.  As currently constructed it has labeled as failing one or two star schools. These schools are often actually advancing and serving their students quite well, meeting them where they are, working with the challenges.  

The STAR rating system does not give context.  It rewards secondary schools that are serving highly motivated students or students already performing at an advanced level.  The academic measures do not show growth.  Thus it penalizes schools who are working with and supporting students arriving with more challenges.

It does not give weight to programs preparing students to leave high school equipped to work in health, work in media, work in culinary arts, work in engineering fields, in business or pursue a career in global studies equipped with competence in two languages.  Test scores matter more.  The report card does not capture or reflect my experience of these schools and their students. 

It is a report card that reduces something that is complicated and then ranks it as if it is simple.  As currently constructed it does not incentivize a broad and full educational experience (including social studies instruction at the elementary level).  

Because of the limits of this tool and its wide use, it has misrepresented many of our schools, and in this competitive model that DC has adopted deprived many students of making a better match and looking at a full range of rich options, many closer to home.  Because enrollment often means funds, it has contributed to a further handicapping. 

 As you examine it, you have the opportunity to look at dashboards or ways to give a fuller view, more reflective of what is actually going on in our schools. 

Further If used this year it is already pushing schools to rush students to graduate even as they have lost so much instructional time. Under our current circumstances an extra semester or year could make a qualitative difference in a student’s future.   Doing this would subject the school and its teachers to a lower rating. 

COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES ROBERT C . WHITE, JR., CHAIR COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE PHIL MENDELSON, CHAIRMAN

JOINT PUBLIC OVERSIGHT ROUNDTABLE on School Facility Conditions During the Re-Opening for School Year 2021- 2022

Tuesday, September 28th, 2021

Thank you for this opportunity to testify.  My name is Cathy Reilly.  I am the exec director of SHAPPE and the facilitator for Ward 4 Education Alliance and C4DC.

The problems being documented today of the Public School facilities at opening this year are a part of a history of challenges with DCPS school buildings.

There were a number of temporary fixes that enabled the Ward 4 schools to open. Other issues have yet to be  addressed.  Powell parents turned to the news to jumpstart a fix to their HVAC.  Whittier contended with leaks in the gym roof, cafeteria and STEM lab.  In the walkthrough for Roosevelt, there were issues that should not be present in a building that is barely 6 years old. They have had persistent problems over these years with the HVAC system. These are still not resolved with some classrooms still without AC.  There are issues of significant water leaking and damage.  DC spent the funds for public access to the pool. It isn’t yet operational for the public or more importantly for the Roosevelt students. 

You will hear details about the opening at many schools across the city today.  They include stories of cosmetic fixes without repairing the underlying issue necessitating further expenditures.  They include issues that compromise security and health in addition to the challenges of air circulation and spacing necessary with COVID.

There is something deeply broken with repeated people at every level constantly saying there is nothing they can do.  The parts are ordered, the subcontractor says it is not in the scope, they have misidentified the problem, it will be fixed next week and it isn’t, new roof is installed contractor paid and the roof continues to leak.   These issues have been top of the priority at many  Ward 4 meetings, and they are not confined to the older buildings. The new buildings may be supporting our efforts toward a cleaner environment but they are not less expensive to maintain and they are often more complicated to run.

I want the public sector to work, I want it demonstrated that DC can invest these capital dollars and match it with a maintenance and operations system for its schools that has solid planning, management capacity, decision making that can identify and prioritize the issues, quality control accountability, good data as well as the funding needed.    From the perspective of someone close to the schools it looks like the Maintenance and Operations system is broken.  You need to do the quick fixes in response to the hearing today.  However, there has to be a much fuller examination and understanding of what the underlying issues are to explain why a District as prosperous as ours has problems of this magnitude. They are especially apparent this year, but we should always have working HVAC certainly at the start of every year.  If that had been in place, the system could have attended to the other COVID safety precautions.

 Asking for a detailed audit from the DC Auditor on Roosevelt HS, to fully understand why there have been problems and what the cost has been with the HVAC, Public address system, water leaking etc. would give greater insight into the system and what is needed as well as inform modernizations going forward.  It is one step. Thank you

DC Council Budget Oversight hearing for DCPS, June 3, 2021

Thank you for this opportunity to testify. My name is Cathy Reilly and I am the director of SHAPPE, the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators which is a member of C4DC as is the Ward 4Ed Alliance. 

The infusion of federal dollars has given the city’s public schools the opportunity to do some much needed planning.  We support your requirement for an education master facilities plan noted in the recently adopted COMP plan.  This DCPS capital budget includes funds for 12 child development centers to construct space that will serve a limited number of infants and toddlers.  The city needs more support for young families however in the DCPS budget there should be an evaluation of the need and priority of young people they are required to educationally serve.  We will continue to analyze the capital budget with this in mind and hope you will too.

While some high school students have fared well with distance learning, many have suffered.  We have seen high failure rates and challenges with attendance.  Most of the senior class of 2021 has not been in their school buildings or been able to personally meet with critical staff.  Many have had to juggle work and school and or childcare for younger siblings.

This could mean a swelling of the enrollment at Ballou and Roosevelt STAY It may also mean many students remain in high school re-taking failed courses. This would be far better than dropping out but will require extra attention and staff.  The ESSR funds will help with staff this year. 

Given this need, we urge you to finally require DCPS to locate Roosevelt STAY serving students 16 and older, in its own building for the 2022-23 year at the latest.   Currently, there are 790 students projected for Roosevelt HS and 695 projected for STAY.  This is close to 1500 in a building designed for 1000 max. It is even more crowded given the fact that these are two schools with separate administrative and custodial staffs. Roosevelt is also home to several self- contained programs and has hired 11 more teachers in the last two years.  MacFarland and Roosevelt are both growing and we are finally seeing a commitment to our secondary schools in Ward 4, with the same true of Ida B Wells and Coolidge. Roosevelt needs the space and STAY deserves better.

DCPS can and should do better by all of these high school students.  You remember the crisis created when Washington Met closed.  DCPS has two buildings being considered for the Center City Middle School.  We strongly support the middle school project moving forward in this capital budget.  The need has been established for a middle school that will be a vibrant feeder to Cardozo.  It will potentially relieve crowding at Hardy, Deal, and MacFarland.  Banneker on Euclid Street and Garnet Patterson should be used by DCPS and these two projects need homes in this corridor. 

In addition I fully support:

·         Decoding Dyslexia request for $272,000 needed to implement year one of the Reading and Dyslexia Law passed by the Council.

·         Empower Ed’s proposal for 1.3 M to initiate Representation in Education Pipeline Proposal

·         Digital Equity in DC Education. We are especially concerned with reliable internet access and robust tech support for students and families and urge you to pass the DCPS Technology Equity Act to ensure a multi-year plan for updating technology and providing technology-related supports for students

·         Strengthening Families Coalition and DCFPI in their request for additional funds to ensure that expansion of the school based mental health program into the additional schools.  $841,000

There is a second issue we hope that you will address in this oversight process.  Students with special need age out of DCPS at 22 years old.  Given the difficulties of this year, they have not received the support they need to make the transition to their adult lives.  We ask that you work with OSSE to ensure that they receive an additional year of eligibility for educational services.  

I will be submitting additional written testimony on the issues with school security, the capital budget and planning.  Thank you. 

Marion Babcock Testimony: Special Committee COVID-19 Recovery and COW Hearing: DC Ed After COVID-19, May 26, 2021

LSAT Parent Co-chair

School Without Walls High School

Hello,

I speak to you today as a parent and the LSAT co-chair at the School Without Walls High School to address the staggering needs and the logistics that a successful return to DCPS schools will require.

This upcoming year will be the third school year in which DCPS leadership must confront the disruption and the impact of Covid-19 on student learning. Stakeholders need better leadership in our mayoral-controlled schools. Serving on the SWW LSAT, I saw first hand how DCPS' leadership bred mistrust, anger, and created unnecessary burdens on all school communities. At the close of the 2019-2020 school year when the first reports and reactions to virtual learning came forward, DCPS failed to solicit principal and teacher feedback to plan for the present school year.

Had there been a multidimensional and integrative view of leadership between DCPS and the educational community, time could have been spent on supporting principal planning and creating innovations for teaching virtually. Instead precious energy was spent in dealing with the chaos, the disruptions, and with the constant advocacy to be included and heard.

In the next 13 weeks before the upcoming school year this is what mayoral-controlled school leadership must include:

1) A chancellor who engages, listens, and supports his schools' principals on the pandemic constraints and needs for their buildings, budgets, students and teachers.

2) The 700+ strong DCPS central office needs to provide all teachers with mental health support, professional encouragement, and the innovations needed to grow through this crisis.

3) The establishment and communication of vaccination requirements for students and teachers so that schools may adequately plan, budget, and secure resources for in-person and, quite possibly, hybrid learning.

Our schools can no longer sustain a top-down leadership approach in this pandemic. Strong leadership will realize that each of us is in a vulnerable position and that we have a shared purpose in addressing these needs together. 

Thank you for the opportunity to share my insights on a matter that affects all DCPS stakeholders.

DC Council Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery & Committee of the Whole Public Oversight Hearing

May 26, 2021

Testimony of Cathy Reilly, Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators, Ward 4 Ed. Alliance and C4DC

Thank you for this opportunity to testify. I am Cathy Reilly of SHAPPE, Ward 4 and C4DC.

The most important factors in engaging our young people in their community of peers and in a life of the mind as we emerge from COVID are relationships, respect and resources.

Primary concerns I have heard are the fear of COVID and also of the vaccine.  The District is going to have to focus on building trust to address this and on affordable housing, medical care and vaccine access.  We need more attention to safe passage with efforts like a bus for the LaSalle Baccus students to safely get to Ida B Wells and more safety for hundreds of students walking to the Petworth metro. We are going to have to monitor the returns this summer and the continued control of the virus.

Relationships: Your support in maintaining the individual staff members in our DCPS schools was crucial.  Funding to continue to support this stability is necessary. We may well have a slow and continued return to schools throughout the fall and winter. Over half of the students coming into our secondary schools will not have been in the buildings. All of this is going to make scheduling for the secondary schools challenging.  An additional part of that stability is having a robust and dependable group of substitute teachers. Along with sickness, teachers get maternity and paternity leave.  These folks might also support the small group tutoring.

Students and families will need to be welcomed back with familiar faces.  We also need our community partners and volunteers to expand what we can offer. Right now the TB and finger printing requirements can exclude parents of children from even going on a field trip. We would like to see these requirements revisited.  There could be tiers.

Resources The capital requests you are hearing today are about investment and the learning environment.  The hardest part of a capital program is now.  These are the schools that have waited and are now in buildings with only a phase one modernization.  Our DCPS infrastructure represent the schools that students have the right to attend. It should continue to be prioritized.

Respect for knowledge at local schools: Another comment that has resonated across school and parent communities is the need for central leadership that is working with collaboration from the bottom up and is focused on support of the local schools and their different needs.

Equity in the distribution of resources: All of our schools need to be places that offer opportunities to dance, sing, do theater, play sports, learn to play musical instruments, debate, play chess, write newspapers.  It is vital that we be about a full life and not just reading and math.  We support the request for decoding dyslexia, mental health supports, digital equity and the support for sports.  The testimony today is full of specific recommendations and it is crucial that they be targeted to need. 

SHAPPE Reopening Testimony to DC Council for January 21, 2021

Cathy Reilly

Thank you for this opportunity to testify.  My name is Cathy Reilly and I am the director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators as well as the facilitator for the Ward 4 Ed Alliance and a member of C4DC.

My experience is with listening to the parents, school leaders, staff, teachers and students. Here I am addressing the challenges at the secondary level.  While this hearing is on the DCPS reopening, the real question is how can we best support the students and the adults who work with them during this Pandemic virtually or in person?

The pandemic has laid bare some of the stark inequities in our city.  The pandemic has brought a higher infection rate to the 14th and 16th Street corridors and a higher death rate to wards 7 and 8. Its effect on the minority communities in our city has been devastating.  The willingness to return to school mirrors the risk in the different communities.  Any plan has to take this into consideration.  Further, given the vaccine shortage and the tenacity of the virus; the majority of students will continue to be learning virtually and teachers will continue to have the challenges of teaching virtually. (The vaccine may make a big difference however given the rollout for health care workers and those over 65 it is hard to believe that there is enough vaccine and that this can go smoothly).

Given all of this, reopening is not going to solve the considerable issues before us in terms of learning loss or the mental health stress on students, their families, school staff and teachers.  And make no mistake that the toll on adolescents has been considerable.  Returning in cohorts often for one day, or even a half day is not going to be like seeing your friends and teachers and being back in high school. 

The first priority of the city administration and DCPS was and is to set the conditions for success- at least as much as possible in a time where sickness, death and threat are far more present with COVID-19

The second priority is to do no harm.  Ensure that we will have done everything we can to support distance learning and teaching as well as ensure stability. This year has been so difficult that DCPS may see an exodus of valuable staff.   With the vaccine here, we could wait til all school staff have it and return then. 

We aren’t there yet with these two priorities. There are however successes; student support efforts with community partners that have been able to help, schools with the building and capacity to bring back and serve some students.  Teachers meeting outside with students, outdoor learning programs put together by communities.  I have heard nothing but praise and respect for the long hours and dedication of DCPS teachers,, leaders and staff. 

The only way we can or could have achieved these two priorities after addressing the safety of the facility and providing for the health PPE, testing and personnel would have been to fully engage the local school communities much earlier and then supporting them.  It would have been far easier to work with staff members that were willing to come back initially, if the conditions warranted an opening, and then build confidence from there.  That should have determined the number of students that could be served in person to start.  25% was arbitrary and hopefully it is a goal. 

The ways you can help us now:

Ø  Schools cannot return regardless of risk, ensure that the metrics support a return. 

Ø  Let us know how the CARES funds from March were spent and what the plan is for the significantly higher amount that will come for education soon is.  How will the input of the Ed community be incorporated?

Ø  Work with DCPS secondary school leaders and social workers on what they need to work with the families and students heavily affected by the Pandemic but choosing not to return to in person learning.  Can the coordination with city agencies be stronger? Are more staff in the school needed?

Ø  With the majority of students remaining virtual double down on the requests from Digital Equity and other supports for distance learning.

Ø  Work with DCPS to have the secondary staff that was assigned to CARES classrooms returned to their schools. 

Ø  Work with DCPS to expand the eligibility to teach virtually to staff that is responsible for child care (many teachers live in the surrounding areas who are not returning to in person learning in February). Support principals as they work to support their staff and work with those that volunteer. 

Ø  Reassess whether it makes sense to administer the PARCC, it is not enough of a diagnostic test to justify the stress on everyone in giving it and taking it. Given the exaggerated inequity in the Pandemic’s toll , it cannot be fairly used for any kind of evaluation of staff or schools. 

Ø  Reassess and further adjust evaluation (IMPACT) and how it can be used to support rather than to punish. 

Ø  Plan and invest resources now in robust summer programs both social and academic

Ø  Ensure that next year’s budget does not but back on teachers, electives, support staff, co-curricular opportunities which will be needed more than ever.

I am not sure anyone feels they are doing a good or great job even though they are working harder than they ever have and putting in more hours and it is only January.  Addressing the issues listed above will help. 

I look forward to working with you and with DCPS to do better with setting the conditions for success and doing no harm. 

SHAPPE Testimony on the COMP Plan November 13, 2020

Testimony on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2020 – November 13, 2020

My name is Cathy Reilly, the executive director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators, a member of C4DC. I am also a part of the Ward 4 Ed Alliance. Thank you for this opportunity to testify on the District’s Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2020, Educational Facilities Plan Amendment. 

DCPS by right public schools offer environmental and other social benefits for green space, storm water management, recreation, social cohesion, and even political franchise.  This comp plan can acknowledge that publicly owned, governed and managed properties bring the full education, social, recreation, and environmental benefits to communities.  It can establish that the key priority in the next decade is to ensure an excellent matter-of-right path from PK through high school in every community as it notes in 1200.3.

The plan states in section 1202.1 that DCPS is responsible for educating Washington DC’s children and provides a school of right for every compulsory age child.  The Comp plan can protect and provide a roadmap for DCPS to be able to fulfil that responsibility. 

In order to Strongly support the goal of making neighborhood schools an appealing school of choice, where students’ academic and personal achievements are nurtured, so that children do not have to travel long distances across the District “ as noted in 1204.10: 

The plan:

·         Should recommend maintaining public inventory with shorter leases in order to retain the ability to expand if necessary to fulfill the DCPS core responsibility.  DCPS has transferred 39 buildings to private ownership or long term rental agreements with charter schools. There is excess capacity of at least 22,000 seats across both sectors.  The City can no longer afford to expand specialty and charter enrollments creating greater inefficiency in its land use and in budget priorities. We can prioritize providing program and fill our existing seats.  (omit 1208.15)

·         Should limit co-location to within a sector. The recommendation for charter schools to co-locate in DCPS buildings essentially caps and limits DCPS enrollment making it more difficult to meet its responsibility .  (amend 1203.4, 1203.9)

·         Should prioritize and protect the green space, playgrounds and athletic facilities our publicly owned schools have for posterity. (additional language)

·         Should complete the modernization of DCPS schools as part of the city’s infrastructure by a date certain.  (additional language in 1204.2) 

Much of the data and information are out of date and the Council will need to figure out how to address this. A major inaccuracy is that the DME did not do an educational facilities master plan--just study--and the "plan elements" of the study were rejected by the Council. The repeated praise for and inclusion of this 2018MFP plan should be reconsidered and amended or omitted. 

Thank you and I look forward to working with you on this going forward. 

S.H.A.P.P.E.

Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators

                                                                                                                                                                June 22, 2020

Dear Council Members,

As you consider the school security contract, we hope that you will take a comprehensive view.  This fall, local schools will be navigating returning students and staff with the risk of COVID-19 still present.  There has been no allocation of additional staff, no requirement that full time health dept. personnel be a part of a school team. As the Council and communities contemplate how best to re-imagine and fund safety and security, this has to be considered.  School communities work to fill in many of the basic needs of their families in addition to education. They have to have the necessary staff and resources.   

The Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators (SHAPPE) was founded in 1998 in response to the student violence inside and around our high schools.  We were not in favor of the transfer of the responsibility for school security to the Metropolitan Police Dept. (MPD) in the Council hearings conducted in 2004, neither was MPD.   DCPS was not able at that time to handle school security. However this was a reactive solution in a crisis that did not foster a discussion of the root causes of the violence or other possible strategies to address them.  SHAPPE nevertheless joined a comprehensive planning process with community representation and participation from the leadership of both MPD and DCPS that helped ensure a reasonably smooth transition. Change today must similarly ensure that kind of planning process.

It has been 15 years since the transfer took place.  The specific concern with MPD taking over was that teaching moments around discipline would become criminal and that what we now call the pipeline to prison would be facilitated.  Because the security guards report to the police and not to DCPS, locker searches and other interactions could also quickly lead to arrests.  The potential for a troubled adolescent to provoke a security guard or police officer in school and not be aware of the ramifications of this was alarming.  Further, every student’s first interaction in the morning would be with security now. The jury is out on how effective metal detectors are and if the cost of entering a learning environment each day waiting in line and then passing through it is the best way to address the problem. There are many that feel they are still necessary because of the weapons that have been discovered.

The testimony of many students and teachers over the last days indicate that many students have experienced a more punitive and threatening environment than was envisioned. They do not necessarily feel safer.  However, there are individual SRO’s and security guards that have become valued members of some school communities forming stable and appropriate relationships with students and teachers.  It is important not to diminish the work of those that have made a difference.   

We strongly support the transition to supports and strategies to de-escalate and educate.  We understand that it has to involve a plan informed by students, staff, parents and community. DCPS included the cost of the security guard contract in the school budgets for FY20 and FY21.  These funds are substantial.  For example in FY21, for Ballou, it is $732,000, Roosevelt $544,000 and Woodson $488,000. School communities should have a strong voice in how these funds are allocated if the Council disallows the security guard contract.  We believe the plan has to come first before ending the contract. We do not believe the Council can mandate more social workers etc. without understanding the particular needs of a school, what positions they currently have and where support is needed.  The increased licensing requirements have made it difficult to hire social workers. Integrating the opportunities for greater use of restorative justice, or violence interrupters, and expanded implicit bias or cultural sensitivity training in addition to more social workers or counselors will need to be tailored to and by each school community. Reconvening the gang task force has also been requested as vital. 

The transfer of the responsibility for security to the Metropolitan Police Department was handled professionally and with broad community input by MPD.  It was a 6 month project with a report from a School Perimeter Security Task Force, a Memorandum of Agreement between DCPS and MPD and an Implementation Plan among others.  It was a process meant to forge cooperation between the agencies.

As the Council considers an approach to security and safety that puts a higher priority on addressing supports for students and school communities to address the causes for violence and programs and resources to respond in an educational context, a planning process for the transition, and timeline is absolutely crucial.  Ultimately there has to be accountability for the safety and security of our school’s students and staff.

For example, there are functions that SRO’s and security guards perform that school personnel regard as essential.  These include dealing with weapons, support with securing the building so it can be open into the evenings for student activities and for sporting events.  Current school staff are not equipped to handle these tasks. We will need to identify all the functions so that they can be funded and staffed adequately if the funding for this contract is transferred.

Overall most SHAPPE members prefer maintaining one SRO per building. They need not be armed and they may not need to be present at all times in every school. Where security guards are deemed necessary by a school community, these individuals should be hired by DCPS and report directly to the principal of the building. There is no support to maintain the layers of authority in having guards responsible to contractors, then MPD with the possibility for input by DCPS school leaders.  School leaders should finally be able to hire bilingual personnel to be at the entrance. 

Over the last decade the importance of stable relationships between adults and young people and educating the whole child has taken a back seat to demonstrating achievement through standardized test scores. The evaluation system currently used throughout DCPS continues that emphasis.  The high turnover of staff and high mobility encouraged by our system of choice has also made it harder for lasting relationships and trust to be built in many charter and DCPS schools.  It is a cost we don’t measure. 

The plan has to put in place the proactive strategies being contemplated and encompass how we provide what we need to transition to a school culture that does not require police or guards.  We have to acknowledge that our city is not safe for many of our young people.  Undocumented young people are targeted and threatened by increased gang activity, school shootings have heightened fears across the country, and the gun control laws in the District are now looser.   COVID-19 has only increased that reality. This is not simply a matter of moving money around.

We would like to work on a 6 month transition plan with those at the school level that will be responsible for the implementation of any changes and with representative community groups including students from schools and the community.  We are well positioned to be part of this effort with our history. We are a group that combines the experience of school leadership, parents, teachers and community.  After our meeting on Tuesday, June 23rd we will send on a more detailed list of a suggested timeline and issues that we think have to be addressed in this process. 

Sincerely,

Cathy Reilly

Executive Director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents Principals and Educators

Cc: DCPS Chancellor Lewis Ferebee, DME Paul Kihn, Members of the Board of Education

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To: Members of the Re-Open DC Education and Childcare subcommittee: 

From: Committee Member Cathy Reilly

Schools are vital core institutions for our city’s residents.  In re-opening them we will need to ensure that they can attend to the educational and emotional needs of our young people as we create a learning environment that protects their health and safety in this time.  This will require creative solutions to their need to be social and the need for exercise.  It will have to take into account our most vulnerable populations including children with special needs, English Language learners and immigrants, students at greater risk and our incarcerated students.  It will need to attend to the stress and trauma for many with appropriate supports as well as acknowledge the learning loss. We will need to also address how we are connecting with students and families through the summer.  

Adults and students that are at higher risk must be protected and supported.  This will entail flexibility in attendance and sick leave and the need for more robust and equitable continued distance learning opportunities at every level.  

Schools remain the main distribution point for meals and other basic services for many families in our city. Their role as a community resource will need to be maintained and supported. 

The Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators, a member of C4DC, convened a meeting to address the issues of re-opening schools.  There were 37 participants from across all wards of the city including parents, principals, teachers and community members. This is a summary of the priorities we discussed that we would like the committee to include in their planning.  

·         Collaborative planning that begins now at every level and is inclusive of all the stakeholders.  The health and safety measures recommended by John Hopkins include social distancing which reduces the number of students on a site and restricts their movement.  While there is capacity at some sites, there is current crowding at others for example SWW, Wilson and Roosevelt.  If we need to be at COVID-19 capacity of about 60% there will need to be adjustments in master schedules, consideration of staggered schedules, as well as possible use of additional spaces. All of this will require joint planning and coordination by the principals, teachers, staff, parents and community.  Information must flow up.  Re-opening will need to occur with the cooperation and active participation of staff, parents and communities at the school level.   Here is an outline from one school community that is an example of the thinking happening around the city. 

Mary Filardo of the 21st Century School Fund in her work as the Coordinator, National Council on School Facilities; www.facilitiescouncil.org has been working with districts across the nation on a worksheet for opening buildings.  This excerpt gives an example of the level of detail that will be needed. 

·         Clear and Consistent Messaging and Communication on the risks of infection, on the recommended practice for reducing the risk and on the measures that will be put in place.  It will be crucial for personnel to have the agreement, support and consent of the staff and students at every school as measures are mandated that could restrict movement and limit desired interactions. They will also need to feel they are adequately protected. It could be an effective social media and publicity campaign. 

·         Attention to Transportation: Students in DC travel all over the city to attend school. This is particularly true at the high school level.  This committee will need to have in place policy and practice on the metro and buses that can reduce the risk of spreading infection if students are to return to school.

·         Uniform Guidance:  from the city for all school sectors on the measures to protect health and privacy that will be uniformly implemented and enforced.  This includes but is not limited to how quarantining will take place, when and how closures will take place if there are people testing positive.  It includes the preventive measures taken at entry, temperatures, oxygen levels, diagnostic testing, contact tracing. It also includes the standards of cleaning which will be expanded.  What documentation is needed to re-open a school or class? Transparent communication when a closure is needed.  Most importantly it should include a trusted and constructive avenue to report problems so they can be addressed. 

Clear and Consistent Guidance from each Local Education Agency: this should include flexibility at the local school level in areas where individual discretion will be important.  It will need to address at a minimum attendance, discipline, resources and support.  

·         Adequate Personnel: Even in this time of budget challenges schools will need additional personnel to implement the level of plans being considered for a re-opening.  At a minimum this includes a full time school nurse at every site, an expanded pool of qualified substitute teachers and more custodians or personnel to adequately clean and disinfect the surfaces within each building.  

·         Facilitation of Resources and Support from the City and Partners:  We can learn a lot from the childcare centers that have been open since March.  Our partners across the spectrum from HS Health Centers, Globalize DC, the Universities should be included as we envision a more equitable and creative approach to schooling.  We could also enlist the support of artists to support our students in expressing their emotions and thoughts.  Our schools will need the coordinated support of other city agencies and they will absolutely need a budget that covers the considerable extra costs of reducing the risk of spreading infection in this challenging time. 

Additional Resources: survey from Ward 3 and one from Ward 6 and a letter on the technology needs submitted this spring.  

Quotes to Ground Us in our work:

 “I am concerned about students who are very social, with 6 feet of distance and each student brings germs from transportation to school, and if we do rotational basis, will really need to clean building all the time, will we invest in temps, masks, and cleaning, when I go out with a mask, I hate wearing a mask.  I can’t imagine teaching with a mask.”

“They touch each other, no matter what I say, I teach 9th grade and kids new to the district; hard for kids transitioning schools; 8th to 9th; 5th to 6th; or new city;  to get minimal level of compliance to social distance guidelines, new kids will need a lot more support than students already with relationships in the school.”

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DCPS Public Budget Hearing

October 29, 2019

Cathy Reilly for the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators

Thank you for this opportunity

I am here as the Executive Director of SHAPPE. I also facilitate the Ward 4 Ed Alliance and am a member of C4DC (Communities for DC Public Schools (C4DC)

We are in favor of a robust comprehensive staffing model that truly provides funding for required staff complimented by enrollment staffing.  It is our understanding that there will be more transparency this year.  I appreciate your outreach on both a budget and a potential strategic planning committee and welcome the opportunity to work closely with you.  

Congratulations on the enrollment increase for DCPS and particularly on your statement at the press conference that more families are choosing their in boundary DCPS school.  

Last year DCPS added application seats the high school level by opening Bard DC, and expanding Banneker.  Bard families are legitimately concerned about the promises made and how their building needs will be met.  

It is my hope that this year there will be a focus on how to build on attracting families to the schools of right – strengthening the feeder patterns and strengthening the staffing and options at the neighborhood high schools.  These are difficult issues to balance between new schools DCPS has opened and its obligations to the schools of right.  We strongly support a 5 year DCPS master education planning process that would inform a master facility plan for DCPS. It could provide criteria and input as well as predictability and stability.  

The priorities expressed in our SHAPPE meetings and echoed in other meetings:

·         Roosevelt HS Global Studies School and Roosevelt STAY have outgrown their ability to partner as currently configured day programs at the Roosevelt campus.  Roosevelt STAY has demonstrated their need for their own space as an Opportunity Academy operating during the day.  WE are working hard in Ward 4 to attract families at the secondary level.  Roosevelt HS had to close enrollment to any out of boundary students, they continue to take in boundary. The crowding and limited use of the building is hurting the program. Roosevelt STAY has also had to stop enrollment students.  We need a plan for next year, formulated now.  

·         MacFarland, Ida B Wells, Coolidge and Roosevelt’s success in continuing to attract more students than predicted is good news for honoring the Student Assignment Committee’s recommendation for middle schools in Wards 1, 4 and 7.  This will strengthen the feeder patterns for Cardozo and Woodson.

·         A number of the comprehensive high schools spoke about the inadequacy of the special education funding and thus staffing especially in schools that surpassed their enrollment projection.  This concern came from many who are not part of that community but see the need.  Students qualifying for these funds represent a substantial percentage of the population in many of our high schools.  The dyslexia hearing made clear that we can do better at the ECE and elementary level in screening and supporting these students as well.  

·         With the enrollment increase there has been a demand for additional teachers that has been impossible to meet in the fall.  A suggestion is to reinstate a provisional certification for otherwise qualified candidates.  Also teachers excessed even if they have taken the bonus in the past may be on a contact list that could be available.  

·         Planning periods are not taken into account in the staffing formula at the secondary level.  This means there is little flexibility and we have large classes especially in crowded schools.

·         We hope the budget for next year can look at how to equitably support programs across our high schools with a long and stable view.  They are minimally supported now through some NAF or CTE funds.  

·         We would also like to see more support for translation in schools with large populations of families who do not speak English. Currently this is dependent on the generosity of a staff member.

·         Stability matters, the cost of turnover is high not only teacher and principal turnover but turnover at the administrative offices in central.  We would like to work with you in the budget and planning process to communicate investment and value to the DCPS team along with accountability. 

DCPS is a city agency dependent on other agencies for different services.  While we will continue to advocate to the mayor and the Council on issues, we also need your voice.  For example with DGS, we are dependent on DGS for critical repairs like the HVAC system at Roosevelt and the fact that there are still areas of the building without a PA system. Roosevelt is not alone in having problems with a PA system. This is the only way of notifying a school community of danger.  It is a critical safety issue.  Elementary schools in our feeder patterns that received a phase one modernization are hurting now as those repairs age out.  How can your input into the capital budget support them.  

With the expansion of schools, now at some levels with more seats than there are children in the city who can fill them, we need your voice in support of DCPS as the infrastructure system of right in our city.  

In closing, I look forward to working with you to build on the momentum of this enrollment increase, and to continue supporting our DC public schools. Thank you

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June 5th testimony on the Master Facilities Plan:

• DC Council Public Roundtable on PR23-0193, the Master Facilities Plan Approval Resolution of 2019

Testimony of Cathy Reilly-

Director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators (SHAPPE)

June 5, 2019

Thank you for this opportunity to testify.  Between this foundational study and Ed Scape we have sliced and diced the data in every way imaginable.  These are both valuable and appreciated resources.  DC has had a period of wonderful growth and prosperity and your decisions and priorities have meant that we now have some fabulous public school facilities and are on our way to doing a far better job of taking care of them.  This report documents that effort and the results well.  

Many of us who have testified today hold the vision that the District of Columbia must maintain and grow a guaranteed infrastructure of schools we control, invest in and improve as the public – our DCPS schools.  We see this as the role of good government and a crucial part of our democracy.  It does not preclude a charter sector but it does limit it.  

This is a very different vision than a system of privately run, publicly funded schools that individual families choose from, where new schools are constantly opened and schools deemed as failing are closed.  It sees school improvement as best served by the market – openings and closings. This vision pushes the city to hand over more of the civic school buildings in the public inventory to the private sector.  31 former DCPS schools are currently leased and 9 are already owned by charter schools.  They need and want more.  

These two visions cannot co-exist. If we want a DCPS public infrastructure of schools to exist across the city, the city has to change course now.  This foundational study makes that clear.  There is no way any longer to be agnostic on this.  

The report states that taking growth plans into account DCPS and Charters aspire to expand to 111,400 by 2022-23 and 122,700 students by 2027-28. This exceeds the estimated future student age population without even taking into account the students in private schools.  It exceeds it by 11,000 seats in five years subtracting the enrollment projection of 100,261 from the growth plan.  It also does not take into account the 5 charter schools just approved or all future approvals.  This way of operating without planning serves the 66 (soon to be 71) operators or LEA’s. It does not serve the families or citizens of our city educationally or fiscally.  Without different policies, the city will continue to finance far more seats than it needs to accommodate its young people educationally.  

We need your support to change course and to maintain and grow our publicly managed system.   You can require DCPS to present you with an educational plan, one that has been written with an inclusive process; one that addresses educational programs, feeder patterns, transportation and safety among other areas.  It should be a plan that addresses equity and diversity; a plan that fulfills its responsibility to support strong DCPS feeder patterns or pathways in all parts of our city. I support the 21st CSF’s proposal on this. I believe DME Kihn and Chancellor Ferebee are up for this.  

Charter schools and application schools compliment but do not supplant the basic DCPS infrastructure of our public education system.  That was the original concept; that was confirmed in the student assignment process and is stated again by many in the feedback for this report.  

The authors of the document acknowledge that this foundational study is not a plan. You cannot approve it as a plan.     You can approve it as an important study that will help move us to a plan for a stronger municipal system.  

Each year prior to the Budget season, DCPS holds a budget hearing.  Below is the testimony submitted by Cathy Reilly of SHAPPE on the 2020 budget.  

DC State Board of Education

April 24, 2019

Cathy Reilly – S.H.A.P.P.E.

My name is Cathy Reilly and I am the executive director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators and a convener of the Ward 4 Education Alliance.  

I appreciate that the Board has invited Dr. Jack Schneider and others to look at options for a high school growth metric to be used in our current system.

It is my hope that this is the start of a revamping of the way we look at and evaluate our schools.  In fact the test scores still play too large a role.  Their role in the STAR accountability system will continue to drive how time is spent and priorities set in the school day. 

When the current STAR system was approved by OSSE and the State Board of Education, all acknowledged that it was only a first step and there would be changes.   Some of the additional changes that were strongly recommended are:

·         A look at School climate beyond suspensions and attendance data. There are surveys that tell more about how parents and students experience a school.  

·         Metrics that would incentivize a full and broad education including social studies, art, music and science.  Currently the focus will necessarily be on English and Mathematics and the performance on tests. 

·         Instead of report cards the District could term them school profiles and seek to make the document more of a description rather than a report card which communicates that the school is failing or succeeding. This is not accurate as we see many students growing and succeeding in these schools. 

There were strong suggestions in all of these areas that can be pursued.  

The STAR rating is on a bell curve, there will always be one star failing schools, regardless of how much achievement, progress or growth there is.  We have a system that now really rewards schools who attract already high achieving students and it punishes schools working with students who arrive with challenges or perhaps talents that are not captured on standardized tests.  What we have now shames.  

I hope you will continue to work with Dr. Schneider on the model they have worked on in Massachusetts that includes more nuance and a broader look at education and at the work we want our schools to do.  This look at the growth in high school cannot be the end but the beginning of a revamping.  Thank you

DCPS Budget Hearing – November 27, 2018

Phelps High School- Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators Budget Testimony

Cathy Reilly

It is my hope that one of the lenses DCPS will use as it crafts the budget for this year is that of how best to support the public infrastructure of DCPS schools.  This would have to include an Education Plan written with your stakeholders, this is different than goals. 

Middle Schools are our missing link and if we are not mindful our neighborhood high schools could follow.  Mayor Bowser won in 2014 on a promise of Alice Deal for All. DCPS has opened up MacFarland MS and is poised to open a middle school at Coolidge.  I support the elementary parents and neighborhood associations in the Shaw community in wanting their middle school in that central location. The elementary and neighborhood energy is the future of DCPS.  Further, 3 of the 4 State Board of Education members elected came out strong as supportive of a strong DCPS neighborhood system.  I hope that DCPS also has a plan for a middle school in southeast where we have only one feeder school to Woodson that also feeds into Eastern.  This was the recommendation of the Student Assignment Committee after extensive outreach.

The funds are there for Banneker on time and within the generous budget allotted.  We support their modernization on site as has been the recommendation.  It is across from Howard University and they have access there to extensive recreation facilities.  We can see from existing projects like School Without Walls, Roosevelt, Coolidge that a modernized building can be beautiful and functional. 

The decisions so far this year have been to expand application enrollment through the Bard Early College Program, the Coolidge Early College Program and now a 300 student projected expansion at Banneker.  We have not seen a full environmental impact study that would tell us how this might affect the existing high school structure DCPS and the city has already invested in.  Announcing them both this fall has had a chilling effect on the remaining high schools working to improve and increase their own programs and enrollments.  DCPS is separating students who aspire to be in a selective environment from students in their neighborhood schools, why? We could have looked at more programs like the one at Coolidge or other academies like the former Business and Finance Academy at Woodson.

This is what a further investment in our neighborhood infrastructure could look like:

The Ward 4 transition to middle schools should include the funding to expand the education campus pre-k 3 and pre-k 4 seats. It should also have a plan in place to ease the transition by ensuring that staff can follow their students and that remaining staff that stay to keep the education campus middle school programs operating, are retained with good future options.  This will require a funding stream. 

At the high school level, DCPS should use its advantage as a system.  Each school should not have to operate essentially as an LEA.  There should be support and economical purchasing options for technology and a technology plan that promotes this as well as flexibility at each site. 

Most importantly DCPS should unveil a system of resources and supports that will meet students where they are at each high school. This should happen prior to the release of the report cards that will initiate the STAR rating system.  It could include smaller classes, enhanced summer programs, rich extracurricular opportunities. 

DCPS should be able to offer multiple language options across our schools instead of just two years of Spanish at many comprehensive high schools.  We should have ways to share the fantastic career opportunities offered at a number of our schools as well as advanced math classes. 

We would be delighted to work on this with you.