2016 annual report - | sboe

4414thSt,NW,Suite530S|Washington,DC20001202.741.0888|[email protected]|@DCSBOE

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2016AnnualReport

4414thSt,NW,Suite530S|Washington,DC20001202.741.0888|[email protected]|@DCSBOE

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2016DCStateBoardofEducation

BoardMembersJackJacobson President,Ward2RepresentativeKarenWilliams VicePresident,Ward7RepresentativeMaryLord At-LargeRepresentativeLauraWilsonPhelan Ward1RepresentativeRuthWattenberg Ward3RepresentativeKamiliAnderson Ward4RepresentativeMarkJones Ward5RepresentativeJoeWeedon Ward6RepresentativeTierraJolly Ward8RepresentativeDestineeWhittington StudentRepresentativeBrianContreras StudentRepresentativeStaffJohn-PaulHayworth ExecutiveDirectorSeanChalk PolicyAnalyst(throughNovember2016)JamikkaKendrick StaffAssistantPaulNegron ProgramSupportSpecialist(startedOctober2016)InternsEricDuncan PolicyFellow MirandaHouchins PolicyFellowTiffanyJones PolicyFellowMackenzieFusco PolicyFellowJoeyKathan PolicyFellowElizabethPancotti PolicyFellowAnastaciaSendoun PolicyFellowMelissaWard PolicyFellow

4414thSt,NW,Suite530S|Washington,DC20001

202.741.0888|[email protected]|@DCSBOE

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EXECUTIVESUMMARY2016 was truly a groundbreaking year for the District of Columbia State Board ofEducation.TheSBOEhelpedtocreateafoundationhereintheDistrictforexcellenceandequity in education, continuing its impressive pace of work committed to ensuring thatevery student receives a top-quality education. This is accomplished by establishing the“architecture of excellence” – the academic standards and other policies that spurinnovation,strengthenteaching,andenrichinstructionforeverychild,ineverysubject,in

everyclassroomacrossthecity.Thisyear,theSBOEpartneredandengagedwithlocalparents, teachers, students, policy leaders andcommunitymembers in efforts to solicit feedback onhowpolicydecisionsaffectthedailylivesofourpubliceducation stakeholders. Community meetings androundtablesrelatedtoschoolquality,studentsuccessand health education standards were held in everyward in the District. Board members remainedcommitted to narrowing the opportunity gap thatexists and helping to push education standards to ahigherlevel.

TheDCStateBoardofEducationisthesingularelectedrepresentativebodythatisdevotedsolely to public education in the District. Aspolicy leaders, Board members workdiligently to measure what excellence lookslike. Based on public feedback andengagement, Board members identifysystemic problems like bullying and addressthese challenges through policy that is moreresponsivetotheneedsoftoday'schildren.The SBOE is comprised of nine electedmembers, two student representatives, andstaff in three offices: the Office of the StateBoard of Education, the Office of theOmbudsman for Public Education, and the Office of the Student Advocate. Each office ischargedwithspecificstatutoryduties.TheOfficeof theOmbudsmanservesasmediatorsbetween schools, students, and families. The Office of the Student Advocate providesresources and guidance for students in the education system. The State Board received



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briefingsfromtheOmbudsmanforPublicEducationandChiefStudentAdvocateontrendsinthekindsofproblemstheirofficeswerefieldingandresolving.Thesetrendsandpolicyrecommendations are detailed in their respective office’s annual reports to the Board,whichcanbefoundatsboe.dc.gov.As an independent, neutral body, the SBOE helps parents and students navigate andunderstand district-wide education policy. Boardmembers analyze and research trendswithinpubliceducationinordertocraftpolicythatservesthebestinterestsofDC’syoungchildrenwho attend our public schools. The State Board of Education is responsible foradvising the State Superintendent of Education and her office (OSSE) on educationalmatters, including state standards/objectives, state policies for special, academic,vocationalandcharterschools,andanystateregulationsproposedbytheMayororStateSuperintendent.TheStateBoardalsoapprovesstate-levelpolicies, includingspecifyingwhatchildrenareexpectedtoknowandbeabletodo:



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TheSBOE'svoicewasattheheadofthetableinhelpingtocrafttheimplementationofthenewfederallaw,EveryStudentSucceedsAct(ESSA),whichwaspassedinDecember2015.PresidentObamasignedthisbillintolawtoreplaceNoChildLeftBehind(NCLB).Thenewlawgivesstatesbroadnewauthoritiesoverhowtomeasureperformance.TheStateBoardhas spent theentiretyof2016 focusedon revising theDistrict’s statewideaccountabilityplanthatwillhelpshapeeveryschool.ThisworkisvitaltothefutureofeducationintheDistrict. SBOE was out front in engaging hundreds of parents, teachers, workforcedevelopment and business representatives, and community members, holding meetingsandquorumsineveryward.Thegoal is todevelopstrongrecommendations forusewithOSSEinthedevelopmentoftheplan.Notably,thenewfederaleducationlawitselfreflectsthe District’s voice due to this State Board’s involvement with, and leadership of, ournationalorganizationduringtheESSAlegislativeadvocacyeffort.TheStateBoardwillbe

continuingthisworkinto2017.Membersandstaffof theSBOEservedas leadersonvariousnational,regional,andcitywideboardsand committees, including: National Associationof State Boards of Education1, US Department ofEducation Mid-Atlantic Regional AdvisoryCommittee, the District's inter-agency TruancyTask Force, the Washington Area Boards ofEducation, and the Deputy Mayor of Education’sCross-SectorCollaborationTaskForce.Astheonlyelected body in the District dedicated solely to

education,theSBOEisabletobringthevoiceofDistrictresidentstotheeducationpolicydebateatthefederalandlocallevelthroughtheseinitiatives.The State Board views its role in the achievement of its mission as one of sharedresponsibility,wherebyitengagedthepublictoplayavitalroleinpreparingeverychildforcollege and/or career success. The State Board ofEducation regularly meets twice a month. WorkingsessionsareheldonthefirstWednesdayofthemonthandpublicmeetingsareheldonthethirdWednesdayof every month. In addition, Board members meetfrequentlywithconstituentsineverywardofthecityatcommunitymeetingsandroundtables. 11At-LargerepresentativeMaryLordservedasPresidentoftheNationalAssociationofStateBoardsofEducationin2015andImmediatePastPresidentin2016,completingherthree-yeartermonDecember31.



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2016BYTHENUMBERS

2016PUBLICTESTIMONY

107 Students,Parents,Teachers,SchoolLeaders,andPolicyExpertswhoprovidedpublictestimony

550 DCResidentswhohave

beenawardedaStateHighSchoolDiplomathisyear

13 VotesonPolicyRegulations

fortheDistrict

35 SBOEPublicMeetings,WorkingSessions,

CommunityMeetings,andRoundtables,

coveringall8Wards



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ThisreportwillhighlighttheSBOE’sworkonthreemajorpolicyinitiatives:• Approvalofanewstatediploma,openingpathwaystoadvancementforadultswho

passtheGEDexamorcompletetheNationalExternalDiplomaProgram(NEDP);• Approval of updated health education standards that emphasize nutrition,

depression and mental health, self-advocacy skills, bullying prevention, genderidentity,andothercontemporaryissueswithwhichDistrictyouthsstruggle;

• Revisinghighschoolcreditflexibilitybydevelopingandapprovinggraduationrulesthat permit the awarding of credit based on evidence of competency rather than“seattime”inclass.

In each of these initiatives, the SBOE relied heavily on local and national organizations;input from teachers, principals, students, parents and guardians, residents, and othercommunity members. We thank you all for your dedication to making the District’seducationsystemthebestintheworld.Inadditiontothethreeprimarypolicysuccessesthisyear,theSBOEachievedmanymilestones:NOTABLEPOLICYACHIEVEMENTS

PRE-KINDERGARTENPROGRAMS

ApprovedenhancedandexpandedacademicanddegreerequirementsforteachersinCBOs

SCHOOLMODERNIZATION

HeldpublichearingwithDeputyMayorforEducationonleadinthewater

STUDENTADVISORYCOMMITTEE

Facilitatedcreationofcommitteeandadopteditsreport,whichfocusedonincreasingteacheraccountability

GRADUATIONREQUIREMENTS

CommissionedreportfromAmericanUniversitystudentsonnationalresearchofgraduationrequirements

REACHINGPROPORTIONALVOICES

Createdthisad-hocgrouptobroadenoutreachtomiddleschoolfamiliesandotherunderrepresentedconstituencies

CLOSINGTHEOPPORTUNITYGAP

Formedcommitteetoreviewthisissueandcollecteddataonteacherturnover

PUBLICOUTREACH DevelopedsurveysanddocumentsinSpanish/Amharictoincreasepublicparticipation

TRUANCYTASKFORCE ParticipatedandworkedwithDeputyMayorforEducationonapolicytoidentifyandreducechronicabsences



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HIGHSCHOOLCREDITFLEXIBILITYThis year, the State Board passed regulations to pave the way for competency-basedlearninginDistricthighschools.Manystudentslearnattheirownpaceandinuniqueways,and the SBOE diligently worked to assess the validity and usage of competency-based

courses. These pioneering courses giveteachers the ability to help students owntheir learning and master material, trulysetting them up for success beyond highschool.Previously, students could only receivecreditfora“Carnegieunit,”whichgenerallyrequiresspending120hoursinaclassroomandreceivingagradeofD-orhigher.Thesenew regulations allow schools to createinno

vative programs that award credit for studentdemonstration of mastery of content, withoutregardtolocationortimerelatedtotheacquisitionofthecontent.In the fall of2015, theSBOEorganizeda citywidetaskforcechairedbyLauraWilsonPhelan,Ward1memberoftheStateBoardofEducationtodeviseaset of recommendations on how to grant highschools flexibility in awarding credit hours. TheHigh School Credit Flexibility Taskforcewas comprised of 25 education leaders from across the District including, OSSE, DCPS,PCSB, the Council, the Deputy Mayor for Education, and other school and communitymembers.The task force issued three recommendations for earning high school credit and onerecommendation associated with course timing, all of which were adopted by the StateBoardinFebruary,andthreeofwhichwereincludedinthefinalregulationsproposedbyOSSEandadoptedbytheSBOEinMarch.Theyareoutlinedbelow.

• Recommendation 1: Create a waiver process for schools wishing to pursuecompetency-basedlearning(CBL).Tofosterresponsibleinnovationintheuseofflexible credit, SBOE recommended that theOfficeof theState Superintendent forEducation (OSSE) should establish a rigorous application and evaluation process,



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including relevant rubrics, for a waiver to Carnegie units to which schools mayapplytotheirauthorizingbody--eitherDCPublicSchools(DCPS)orPublicCharterSchoolBoard(PCSB).Inthewaiver,educationalinstitutionsmustdescribeforwhichcourse or series of courses the waiver applies, the method for determiningcompetencywithinthosecourses,andthelevelofperformanceorachievementthatwillconstitutemasteryofstatestandardsforeachcourseorseriesofcoursesthatwill not be using Carnegie units. DCPS and PCSB shall submit evidence of theprogress and quality of implementation on each waiver to OSSE annually. Thisevidence shall be posted publicly and be reported annually to the State Board ofEducation(SBOE).OSSErecentlyreleasedguidanceontheapplicationprocessforschools.DCPSschoolswillsubmitapplicationstoDCPSCentralOfficeforapproval.CharterschoolsandcharterdistrictswillsubmitapplicationstothePublicCharterSchoolBoard.

• Recommendation2:Allowstudents to receivecredit fordemonstratedpriorknowledgeinforeignlanguageandmathematicsStudents may receive credit for prior knowledge in foreign language andmathematicsprovided that theypassa state-approvedexamat “meetsorexceedscareer and college readiness standards.” Receiving credit for these courses will

allow students to eithermove on tomore difficult courses, or focusattention on other subjects wherethey may be struggling. Theregulations that the State Boardapproved also leave the door openfor students to possibly test out ofother courses sometime down theline. This recommendation was notincluded in the recommendationsfromOSSE.Instead,itwasdecidedto

consider this flexibility during a comprehensive review of high school graduationrequirementslaterintheyear.

• Recommendation3:MaintainCarnegieunitsasthedefaultmeansforearning

highschoolcreditEducationalinstitutionsmaycontinuetoawardcreditbasedonastudentreceivingapassinggradeinacoursethroughtheCarnegieUnit,whichis120hoursofinstructionaltime(150hoursforlab-basedcourses),ormayseekawaiverforspecificcourses.Studentsalsomaydemonstratecompetencybypassingastate-



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approvedassessmentinmathorforeignlanguage.ThetaskforcedeterminedthatitwasimportanttomaintaintheCarnegieUnitasthedefaultmeansforearningcredittoallowforcontrolledinnovationandscalingofthemostsuccessfulapproaches.

• Recommendation4:Donotrequirestudentstoenrollinalgebrabygrade9RemovethelanguagefromgraduationrequirementsthatallstudentsenrollinAlgebraIby9thgrade.FeedbackreceivedbytheStateBoardandthetaskforcefoundthatmanyninthgradestudentsarenotreadyforthiscontent.Thenewregulationsdelaytherequirementto10thgradesothatschoolscancreate9thgradecoursesthatwillbetterpreparethesestudentsfortherigorofAlgebra,whilestillallowingstudentstograduateinfouryears.

These changes will allow schools to innovate withcompetency-based education without forcing schools tooverhaul their current credit-giving framework. The StateBoard iseager tounderstand thechallengesandsuccessesofimplementingthisenhancedflexibilitytodeepenstudentlearningandputthemonthepathtosuccess.

STATEDIPLOMADespite their hard work to pass the rigorous GEDexam or complete the National External DiplomaProgram (NEDP), many adult learners in DC facebarriers to employment.Oneof thesebarrierswasthe mere fact that they were not awarded a“diploma” for their accomplishments.Approximately60,000Districtadults,85percentofwhomare25orolder,lackahighschooldiplomaoritsequivalency.Over35percentof familiesheadedbyan individualwithoutadiploma live inpoverty,and Georgetown’s Center on Education and theWorkforcepredictsthatby2020over75percentofjobsinDCwillrequireadiploma.

TheStateBoardspentmuchof2015hearingfromadultlearnersaboutthehardshipstheyfaceandlearningaboutthedifficultyoftheGEDandNEDP.Basedontheseconversations,and the Board’s research into the issues, it decided to award a “State Diploma” to



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individualswhopasstheGEDorpasstheNEDP.TheStateBoardrecognizesthehardworkandaccomplishmentsoftheseindividuals,andwantstoremovebarrierstheywillfaceforfutureemployment.Thefinalregulations,approvedinJanuary2016,awarddiplomastoanyonewhopassedtheGEDor completed theNEDP since January 2014. This decision reflects the date that the

new GED, aligned to theCommon Core StateStandards, was introduced.This new exam takes mostadult learners two years ofstudying to pass. The Officeof the State Superintendent(OSSE) will issue the StateDiploma. Since passage oftheseregulations,DC'sStateDiploma has been issued toapproximately 550 DCresidents.In December 2016, Districtof Columbia Deputy Mayor

for Education JenniferNiles, State Superintendent of EducationHanseulKang, and SBOEmembersattendedthefirst-evercommencementforGEDandNEDPrecipientswhoearnedtheDCstatediploma.Thismomentousoccasionwascelebratedasajumpingoffpointforthoserecipients,whocannowtakethenextstep in theircareerpathway.Manycannowsuccessfullyenteranapprenticeshiporindustry-certificationprogramorenrollinacollegeoruniversitytofurthertheireducationgoals.ThefinalregulationsstatethattheStateDiplomawillberecognizedasanequivalenttoaregularhighschooldiploma,butwillnotcounttowardtheDistrict’sgraduationrate.TheStateBoardalsocalledontheOSSEtoreleaseareportonthepolicy’seffectafterfiveyears.



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HEALTHEDUCATIONSTANDARDSInApril,theStateBoardvotedunanimouslytoupdatethe District’s health education standards. Healtheducation standards are vital to ensuring thatstudents learn to be healthy, safe citizens. Healtheducation standards are so important, in fact, thatadoptingnewly revisedhealth standardswasoneofthefirstofficialactionsoftheSBOEafteritsinceptionin2007.These standards canmakea realdifferencein the lives of our students. From bullying toaddiction, sexual health to depression, the new

standardswillprovidestudentswiththeskillstheyneedtobehealthyfortherestoftheirlives.Over two years ago, the SBOE and its community partners recognized a need to revisethesestandards tobecomemoreskills-based,andbettermeet theneedsofourstudents.TheoldstandardswerebasedontheNationalHealthEducationStandards.However,datafrom theDCYouthRiskBehavior Surveydemonstrated a need for revisions tomeet theneedsofanurbancommunity,especiallyinareassuchasnutrition,mentalandemotionalhealth,violenceandsafety,andsexualhealth.These newly developedstandards seek to give teacherstools they can easily use, andsupply information that ourstudents desperately need.Previously, the standards thestandardswerespreadacross15categories. They have beenconsolidated into six easier tomanage categories, logicallyorganizedinawaythatwillmakeit easier for teachers tocommunicate this information tostudents. These new categoriesare:mentalandemotionalhealth;safety skills; human body and personal health; disease prevention; nutrition; alcoholtobaccoandotherdrugs.



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Eachhealtheducationcategory isalsobroken intoseveral important strands for studentlearning, such as: health promotion, analyzing influences, accessing information,communication,decision-making,goalsetting,healthybehaviors,andadvocacy.Additionally,thestandardsfocusmoreonskillsstudentscanusetomakehealthychoices-ratherthanmerememorization.Thefocusisdevelopingskillsforstudentstoadvocateforthemselves, their families, and their community. Students can now take charge inmaintaining their health and wellness, prevent disease, and reduce health-jeopardizingbehaviors.TherevisedstandardsaretheproductoftwoyearsofdiligentworkbytheSBOE,OfficeoftheStateSuperintendentforEducation,andnumerousmembersoftheDistrictcommunity.OSSE and SBOE solicited input and feedback from teachers, students, practitioners, andotherstodevelopcomprehensivestandardsthatmeetstheneedsofourstudents.



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2017ANDBEYONDTheDCStateBoardofEducationlooksforwardtoanexcitingyearaheadasitcontinuesitsrole as the citizen’s voice for District public education. Since its independence from theOfficeoftheStateSuperintendentofEducation(OSSE)threeyearsago,theSBOEhasfacedsignificant barriers to its efficient operation from a lack of adequate office space toestablishingadequatepoliciesandprocedures.OPERATIONSTHISYEAR:• OpenedadditionalStateBoardofficetohousenewpersonnelandprovideadditional

spaceforOmbudsmanandStudentAdvocate• FirstofficialSBOEvoteonitsbudgetasameasuretoincreasetransparency• RevisedSBOEbylawsandpoliciestoreflectnewstructureandprocedures• Secured additional funding and FTEs to support SBOE, Ombudsman and Student

Advocate• DraftedandanticipatedpassageofSBOEOmnibuslegislation

Asarelativelynewandgrowingagency,largestrideshavebeenmadetoprovidethestrongfoundationtheagencyneedstocontinueitsworkinstatewidepolicyandengagement.

Thefoundationofeverystateistheeducationofitsyouth.–Diogenes

2016 annual report - | sboe

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