Washington, DC—The DC State Board of Education (SBOE) will hold its monthly public meeting on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at 4:30 pm. As the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak continues to spread globally, the State Board is taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our members, staff, and public. Therefore, this meeting will be held as a video web conference. Materials for the State Board meetings can be found on our meeting website. For the most up-to-date information on the District’s COVID-19 response, please visit coronavirus.dc.gov. Members of the public wishing to provide testimony during the public meeting can email the State Board at [email protected] by the close of business on Monday, October 19, 2020.  

In preparation for the return of in-person learning in DC Public Schools (DCPS) for Term 2, the Mayor has taken measures to evaluate and update the HVAC systems across DCPS , schedule staggered arrival and dismissal times, explore outdoor learning options, and continues to reach out to families who are still in need of technical assistance and equipment. You can view the mayor’s presentation announcing the plan here. They are also working to connect up to 25,000 eligible households with Pre-K3–12 students enrolled at traditional and public charter schools with internet service. The State Board will center a conversation around these efforts and how best to assist District students planning to attend SY20–21 Term 2 in-person or in a hybrid posture.

The State Board will recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day and the achievements and  contributions of the District’s residents of Native American ancestry. The State Board understands that the land currently known as the District of Columbia has a rich history for centuries before the capital was established. The Anacostan or Nacotchtank village on the banks of the river that still bears their name was an important trading center for the area. Other villages were present where Georgetown, Capitol Hill, and Piney Branch currently stand. In less than seventy years, the Anacostans were virtually wiped out by diseases brought by the English to which they had no immunity. It is believed that some members of the tribe were merged with other local tribes like the Piscataway. The State Board values the importance of the native culture, heritage and history of the land we occupy. 

The State Board will consider a resolution for the Need for Appropriations and discuss committee appointments to the Every Day Counts! Task Force, a citywide effort to ensure every student attends school every day; and the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) Delegate Assembly, which is a forum for education policy-makers and for those who influence education policy. 

Public Meeting Agenda

Please note that the agenda may be altered, modified, or updated without notice.

I. Call to Order

II. Announcement of a Quorum

III. Approval of the Agenda & Minutes

IV. Comments from the President of the D.C. State Board of Education

V. Comments from the Interim State Superintendent of Education

VI. Ceremonial Resolutions 

      i. CR20-16-Indegenous Peoples' Day

VII. Public Comments 

      i. William Foley

      ii. LaJoy Johnson-Law

      iii. Patricia Stamper 

      iv. Collin Radix-Carter 

VIII. Reopening Schools

IX. Administrative Items (VOTE)

      i. SR20-12 FY2022 Need for Appropriations

      ii. SR20-13 Commemorating Young People Lost to Gun Violence

      iii. Committee Appointments 

              a. Every Day Counts! Task Force

              b. NASBE Delegate Assembly

X. New Business

XI. Adjournement

About the SBOE

The DC State Board of Education is an independent agency within the Government of the District of Columbia that advises the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), the District’s state education agency. The State Board is comprised of nine elected representatives, each representing their respective wards, with one member representing DC at large, and two appointed student representatives. The State Board approves statewide education policies and sets academic standards, while OSSE oversees education within the District and manages federal education funding. More information about the SBOE can be found at sboe.dc.gov.

For the latest information on the District Government’s response to COVID-19, please visit coronavirus.dc.gov.

Contact: Milayo Olufemi

202-710-4641

[email protected]