Teacher Retention
SBOE Student Representative Tatiana Robinson, Ballou High School, and SBOE Student Advisory Committee member Emma Quigg, BASIS DC Public Charter School testifying at this month's public meeting
The State Board welcomed two panels on teacher retention at this month’s public meeting. SBOE Student Representative Tatiana Robinson, Ballou High School, and SBOE Student Advisory Committee member Emma Quigg, BASIS DC Public Charter School, shared their perspective on long-term substitute teachers. The second panel included Dr. Maia Sheppard, Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Pedagogy and Coordinator of the Secondary Education Program at George Washington University and Dr. Nicole Strange-Martin, Dean of Trinity Washington University School of Education. The school leaders shared insights on what information and data they need to ensure future teachers will remain in a single school for the long-term.
The SBOE will continue its work on this issue over the coming months by examining additional recommendations from our November 28, 2018 public forum and exploring what other states and districts across the country that have also been facing difficulties in teacher retention.
State Board Resolutions & Bylaws
At this month’s public meeting, the State Board adopted two resolutions establishing the official positions on two important issues: school mental health and budget transparency. Internal committees were also decided and officially voted upon. In addition, the State Board adopted a new version of its bylaws after conducting a review over the last two months.
School Mental Health: The DC State Board of Education recognizes the important work being done in the District to provide mental health supports in schools and calls for further investment in this key issue area. School- and district-level administrators across our city should further examine how their institutions can further promote mental health and well-being in our schools.
Budget Transparency: The State Board supports increasing budgeting transparency to better ensure that public funds are more effectively used to improve outcomes for all students. School budgets for DCPS and public charter schools should be comprehensive and detailed, such that both funding sources and expenditure categories are easily compared across schools. The School Resources and Funding Equity committee of SBOE’s ESSA Task Force is exploring how to promote transparency and accessibility of budget information for students, parents, and educators alike.
Committees for 2019
Administration & Budget
Chair – Markus Batchelor, Ward 8
Members – Karen Williams, Ward 7; Emily Gasoi, Ward 1
Student Advisory
Co-Chairs – Tatiana Robinson (Ballou HS) & Marjoury Alicea (Capital City PCS)
Members: Students
ESSA Task Force
Chair: Karen Williams, Ward 7
Members: Jack Jacobson, Ward 2; Zachary Parker, Ward 5
Every Day Counts! Task Force
Ashley MacLeay, At-Large, to serve as alternate delegate
ESSA Task Force
ESSA Task Force
This month, task force members continued their work on developing recommendations to be submitted to the State Board by this summer. Members broke into their academic equity, leading for equity, and school resources and funding equity committees to work together on drafting these recommendations. The ESSA Task Force meets next on Tuesday, March 12, 2018. The task force meeting will be streamed live via Periscope for those community members who are unable to attend in person. For more information on the work of the task force and copies of minutes and video recordings, please visit sboe.dc.gov/essa.
Resources
- OSSE Resource Page for Parents
Videos
- DC School Report Card Overview (English)
- DC School Report Card Overview (Spanish)
- DC School Report Card Detailed Walk Through
- STAR Framework Overview (Spanish)
- STAR Framework Overview (English)
Office of the Student Advocate Quarter 1 & 2 Report
At the February working session, Chief Student Advocate Faith Gibson Hubbard presented the office’s data and outreach activities for the first and second quarters of FY2019. The report highlights data based on requests for assistance made during the 2018–19 school year, which drive the office’s outreach and engagement activities. Along with detailing the office’s strategic plan for the year, the report also included an overview of the information and resources that they provide, along with a snapshot of the monthly outreach activities done to date.
All of the office’s reports submitted to the Board are publicly available on their website under the “Annual & Quarterly Reports” tab. For more information about the office, call 202-741-4692, email student.advocate@dc.gov, or visit their website at studentadvocate.dc.gov.
Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education
February Ceremonial Resolutions
Lakeisha Brown, 2019 DCPS Teacher of the Year, honored at this month's public meeting
Lakeisha Brown, the 2019 DCPS Teacher of the Year
In December 2018, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) awarded the DCPS 2019 Teacher of the Year award to committed and spirited educator Lakeisha Brown, a kindergarten teacher at Lafayette Elementary School. The State Board commends Ms. Brown for her achievement and will honor her commitment and inspiration she provides every day to the students, staff, and community.
Ms. Brown, who was born in Monterey, California and grew up in Oxford, Pennsylvania, holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. She came to Lafayette Elementary School four years ago—representing a new way of thinking for the school when it came to teaching kindergarten and demonstrating that young students can achieve at very high levels. Ms. Brown encourages her students to lead in the classroom, giving them the opportunity to explore and igniting their passion to learn and to develop the skills they need to excel in kindergarten and beyond. Ms. Brown embodies the description of Teacher of the Year, which states that the award-winning teacher should “foster a love of learning for their students and positively affect the entire school community.”
Korean-American Grocers Association of Greater Washington
The Korean-American Grocers Association of Greater Washington (KAGRO-DC) is an advocacy organization dedicated to furthering the interests of Korean-American business owners in the District of Columbia. The State Board acknowledged the commitment and advocacy efforts of the Korean-American Grocers Association of Greater Washington, President John Yoo, and their work to ensure that educational opportunities are accessible to all students in the District. KAGRO-DC supports District communities and the District’s future leaders by awarding financial scholarships to local high school seniors at an annual scholarship award banquet where it honors scholarship recipients and their families.
#OurLivesMatter Teen Campaign
The #OurLivesMatter Teen Campaign is a DC-based movement led by black and brown teens seeking to be heard on issues affecting their lives and communities. #OurLivesMatter was started in October 2015 by students and is supported by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW). LeVar Jones, Teen Director of the FBR Branch of BGCGW, has elevated the campaign and its teen activists by encouraging their leadership and promoting their efforts. The #OurLivesMatter campaign has engaged over 1,100 teens in conversations on topics that affect their lives—promoting and valuing the expression of their opinions and descriptions of experiences.
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KAGRO-DC honored during this month's public meeting
The Latest From Our Blog
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The SBOE was thrilled to host this year’s middle and high school District-wide We the People: Citizen & the Constitution competitions at One Judiciary Square.
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Newly-elected Board member Emily Gasoi is excited about the opportunity to work alongside her SBOE colleagues and to organize with constituents to strengthen our school system for children across the District
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As a strong advocate for equity for all students, newly-elected member Frazier O’Leary is excited about his work ahead with the State Board.
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Our newly-elected Board member Jessica Sutter is honored to serve the students and families of Ward 6, seeing the next four years as an opportunity for steady progress towards better schools for all District students.
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Nominate Your Favorite Teacher for 2020 DC Teacher of the Year!
OSSE is searching for the 2020 DC Teacher of the Year, calling for nominations for outstanding teachers who:
- Inspire and accelerate growth for all students
- Build strong partnerships with families and communities
- Champion the teaching profession
Find the 2020 DC TOY Nomination Form here. Nomination window: Feb. 1-March 15, 2019.
Also, check out other ways to nominate awesome teachers for the 2019 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST) and the 2019 DC History Teacher of the Year.
Questions? Please contact Annette.Thacker@dc.gov
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