Washington, D.C.—The D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE) will hold its monthly working session on Wednesday, May 4, at 5:00 p.m. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), in-person attendance of the working session is limited to members and staff of the State Board; the working session will be streamed live on the State Board’s YouTube page for members of the public to attend. 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. 

As part of its work to revise the statewide accountability plan, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has so far held twenty-three (23) feedback sessions with stakeholder groups including members of education advocacy groups, parents, and students; OSSE has also received feedback after attending education-related meetings across the city (i.e., Student Advisory Committee (SAC) meetings, ward education council meetings, etc.)  The State Board is appreciative of these efforts as part of the revision process and encourages members of the public with an interest in the issue to follow the process through the State Board’s website at sboe.dc.gov. The State Board anticipates additional public engagement on the statewide accountability plan prior to an anticipated July 2022 vote.  

The collection of daily attendance for public-school students is vital to ensure that students are receiving a full education. Attendance regulations in the District are proposed by OSSE with approval by vote by the State Board. Since 2015, the State Board has been supportive of a change to the so-called “80/20 rule” whereby a student who is not present for at least 80 percent of a school day must be marked absent for the whole day. This definition has caused many barriers to students by unintentionally disincentivizing attending partial days of school. The State Board also expects new regulations related to attendance in distance learning environments. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has shifted the way that public-school students were learning, therefore impacting the way attendance is taken. The State Board will continue its review of the impact of attendance regulations with a panel discussion at its public meeting on May 18, 2022,. 

The State Board will finalize its work plan and proposed spending for FY22 after further input by its Committees. The work plan is divided into specific areas of  focus for the committees, including research and engagement. The State Board will discuss prioritization of all committee work and provide recommendations to move committee initiatives forward. 

While working sessions are open to the public, individuals and representatives of organizations are not permitted to speak or participate. Individuals and representatives of organizations may submit written testimony for consideration by the State Board at any time. Written testimony must be submitted by email ([email protected]) at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting, in order to be included in the official record. Materials received after that time will be included in the next official meeting record. To review the agenda, submit testimony, and presentations, please visit the State Board’s meeting documents site.

Working Session Agenda

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

I. Call to Order

II. Announcement of a Quorum

III. Leadership Report

IV. Executive Director’s Report

V. Accountability Engagement Update

VI. Revisions to Attendance Regulations 

VII. Work Plans & FY22 Proposed Spending Proposals 

VIII. Committee Reports

      i. Student Advisory Committee 

      ii. Administrative

      iii. Accountability & Assessment

      iv. Board Governance

      v. Education Standards

      vi. Advocacy & Outreach

      vii. Teacher Practice & School Support

      viii. External Committees 

IX. New Business & Other Discussion 

X. Adjournment 

About the SBOE

The D.C. 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 made up of nine elected representatives, each representing their respective wards, with one member representing DC at large, and four 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.

Contact: Milayo Olufemi

202-710-4641

[email protected]