Jessica Giles
Executive Director
D.C. Chapter of DFER partner Education Reform Now Advocacy

DC Council’s Committee of the Whole Hearing on:
B26-0062 – Board of Trustees Training Amendment Act of 2025

Greetings, Chairman Mendelson, Councilmembers, and staff. My name is Jessica Giles. I am a resident of ward seven and the Executive Director of the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), a non-profit organization advocating for a just and equitable public education system for all D.C. students. Although the perspective expressed in this testimony is within my professional capacity at ERNA, I am also on the board of trustees of a public charter school in the District of Columbia. I am pleased to testify in support of B26-0062, the Board of Trustees Training Amendment Act of 2025.

Since their inception nearly 30 years ago, public charter schools in D.C. have expanded educational opportunities for families, providing a high-quality alternative to the traditional public school system. In the 2023-24 school year, public charter schools educated 46,358 students, nearly half of all public school students in the District. These 134 schools managed by 68 independently run nonprofit organizations are tuition-free, open to all, public, and operate with increased autonomy in exchange for rigorous accountability. As such, we must ensure that all public schools—both charter and traditional—are held to the highest standards of excellence.

Public charter school board members play an essential role in ensuring the academic, financial, and operational health of their schools. A board that is engaged, informed, and well-structured is best positioned to uphold the commitments outlined in a school’s charter and ensure that all students receive a high-quality education.

An effective board starts with selecting the right members—individuals who bring the necessary expertise and a deep commitment to the school’s mission. As board members cycle off, it is critical to quickly replace them with members who are committed to strengthening governance and oversight. Given that board members have diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, it is imperative that they are trained in the following:

• Governance and board operations
• Financial oversight
• Academic performance and accountability
• School operations and risk management
• CEO partnership and leadership development
• Legal compliance with federal, D.C. Laws, the policies of the Public Charter School Board (PCSB), and the charter contract of their school(s).^[1]

Serving on a public charter school board requires significant time, dedication, and a commitment to continuous learning. Board members must be knowledgeable about the academic, financial, and organizational history of their school(s), responsibilities, and actions they should take when certain situations occur. They also must be proactive in setting strategic goals and ensuring that the schools they oversee remain focused on student success. This work is demanding and requires a deep sense of responsibility, yet board members serve as volunteers.

Any legislation that the D.C. Council moves forward should give board members the flexibility to take advantage of high-quality and relevant trainings at any time and to avoid creating barriers that might discourage dedicated and capable leaders from stepping up to serve.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I welcome any questions you may have.

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^[1] Board on Track. Recommended Charter Board Policies.

https://bot-support.transact.com/hc/en-us/articles/29931982645787-Recommended-Charter-Board-Policies

Jessica Giles
Executive Director
Education Reform Now Advocacy DC

DC Council’s Committee of the Whole performance oversight hearing on:

• University of the District of Columbia
• Public Charter School Board
• Deputy Mayor for Education
• State Board of Education (including Ombudsperson and Student Advocate)
• DC State Athletics Association

Greetings Chairman Mendelson, Councilmembers, and staff of the Committee of the Whole. My name is Jessica Giles, and I am a proud Ward 7 resident and the Executive Director of the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA). ERNA is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for a just and equitable public education system. Our north star is ensuring that all students—regardless of background or circumstance—receive an excellent education. But that begs the question: Are students in the District of Columbia receiving an excellent education?

Deputy Mayor for Education

The data shows both progress and persistent challenges. D.C. students have made significant gains, outpacing national trends in reading and math recovery.^[1] Chronic absenteeism and truancy have decreased,^[2] and college enrollment is up.^[3] These are achievements worth recognizing.

But the gaps remain stark. Chronic absenteeism and truancy are still up pre-pandemic. Only 1 in 3 students met grade level expectations in reading.^[4] 1 in 5 students in math.^[5] That is not the definition of an excellent education.

To truly accelerate learning, the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) must:

• Ensure year after year fair funding for all public schools by directing all school funding, including teacher pay, through the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) and maintain the charter facilities allowance increase. No student’s funding should be determined by their school sector.
• Continue to measure and improve student attendance through targeted interventions that bring rates below pre-pandemic levels, including by providing an update on the Department of Human Service’s (DHS) truancy reduction pilot.
• Fully implement structured literacy training for educators and ensure adequate funding for the Early Literacy Education Task Force recommendations.^[6]
• Act urgently on math education—the current timeline for the Math Taskforce^[7] pushes implementation of recommendations to 2027. That is too late for students struggling now. We know what works: High-Impact Tutoring, Math teacher pipeline development, parent and caregiver support, and high-quality instructional material and professional development.^[8]
• Equitably expand college and career pathways and ensure that a student’s zip code no longer determines their opportunities.^[9][10]

University of the District of Columbia

The University of the District of Columbia’s (UDC) goal is to raise its six-year graduation rate to 65 percent by 2029. But in 2023, that rate dropped by 14 percentage points to 40 percent at the flagship campus – lower than in 2022. Why? The Student Success Center is slated to open in fall of 2025, but students need urgent support now.^[11]

Public Charter School Board

The mismanagement leading to Eagle Academy’s closure must not happen again. The PCSB must strengthen its oversight by:

• Requiring board member training on financial and operational responsibilities.
• Improving direct communication with school boards about financial risks, including notification when schools are placed on Financial Corrective Action Plans (FCAP) or Financial Monitoring Lists (FML).
• Ensuring fairness, transparency, and efficiency in all foreseeable scenarios so that families are fully informed about significant changes at schools before the My School DC Lottery deadlines.

This year, PCSB is set to review 20 public charter schools this spring. It is critical that these reviews prioritize student and family interests, ensuring stability and excellence in the charter sector.

State Board of Education

The SBOE took on critical issues last year, from financial literacy to attendance and math proficiency. Moving forward, it must stay focused on its statutory role—ensuring that state academic standards and policies prepare students for success and providing the necessary oversight of education.^[12]

FY26 Budget Considerations As the Mayor and D.C. Council navigate the FY26 budget amid financial challenges, cutting education funding may seem like an option—but ensuring students remain a top priority is essential to sustaining progress. Over the next several weeks, as critical budget decisions are made, we must ask ourselves: Are students in the District of Columbia receiving an excellent education?The only acceptable answer is yes—and that depends on the choices made today. Thank you.

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^[1] D.C. ranked first in the nation for academic recovery in math and reading from 2022 to 2024. D.C. is ranked 5th in the country in reading recovery in the full period between 2019-2024 and 32nd in math during the same period. Source: https://educationrecoveryscorecard.org/states/district-of-columbia/

^[2] Chronic absenteeism and truancy both decreased by 4 percentage points and 7 percentage points respectively compared to the previous year. Source: https://osse.dc.gov/attendancesy202324

^[3] Postsecondary college enrollment within six months of high school has increased by 3 percentage points Source: https://schoolreportcard.dc.gov/state/report#measure-109

^[4] 2024 Statewide Assessment Results Source: https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/page_content/attachments/2024-08-22-DCCAPE_MSAA_2324_PublicDeck_with_appendix.pdf

^[5] Ibid

^[6] Source: Recommendations for Structured Literacy Instruction in the District of Columbia prepared by the Early Literacy Education Taskforce

https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/page_content/attachments/Official%20Early%20Literacy%20Task%20Force%20Report.pdf

^[7] Math Task Force Source: https://osse.dc.gov/page/math-task-force

^[8] Math 4 All DC Coalition was launched to advocate for a statewide strategy for math proficiency Source: math4alldc.org

^[9] OSSE’s dual enrollment consortium, in school year 2023-24,  it shows that wards 1 (8.3 percent), 7 (DS – number is too low to be reported), and ward 8 (8.1 percent) have fewer students enrolled. Source: https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/page_content/attachments/PostSec_DualEnrollment_Handout_Feb7.pdf

^[10] Only 18% of students in high school, alternative, and adult programs are taking CTE. “Of the four schools that offer CTE leading to lower median salaries, three are in wards 7 and 8.” Source: https://dme.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dme/page_content/attachments/CTE%20Access%20Brief.pdf

^[11] The stated intent of the Student Success Center is to hire up to 10 additional academic advisors dedicated to increasing student success rates, support the acquisition of early-alert and predictive analytics software to proactively address student needs and improve retention and graduation rates.

^[12] “State academic standards that standards meet the following qualifications: specify what children are expected to know and be able to do; contain coherent and rigorous content, encourage the teaching of advanced skills; and are updated on a regular basis;

High school graduation requirements;

Standards for high school equivalence credentials;

State definitions of “adequate yearly progress” and “proficiency” that will be applied consistently to all local education agencies;

State definition and standards for “highly qualified teachers,” pursuant to the Every Student Succeeds Act;

Standards for accreditation and certification of teacher preparation programs of colleges and universities;

The state accountability plan for the District of Columbia developed by the Chief State School Officer, pursuant to the Every Student Succeeds Act ensuring that: (A) the plan includes a single statewide accountability system that establishes ambitious long-term student achievement goals, which include measurements of interim progress toward meeting those goal; and (B) the statewide accountability system included in the plan is based on, but is not limited to, challenging state academic standards, academic assessments, and a standardized system of accountability across all local education agencies;

State policies for parental involvement;

State policies for supplemental education service providers operating in the District to ensure that providers have a demonstrated record of effectiveness and offer services that promote challenging academic achievement standards and that improve student achievement;

The rules for residency verification;

The list of charter school accreditation organizations;

The categories and format of the annual report card, pursuant to the Every Student Succeeds Act;

The list of private placement accreditation organizations, pursuant to Uniform Per Student Funding Formula for Public Schools and Public Charter Schools and Tax Conformity Clarification Amendment Act of 1998;

Approve state rules for enforcing school attendance requirements; and

Approve state standards for home schooling.” Source: https://sboe.dc.gov/page/roles

Victor Horton
Deputy Director-D.C.
Education Reform Now Advocacy

Greetings President Dr. Jacque Patterson, esteemed members of the D.C. State Board of Education, and community members,

My name is Victor Horton, and I am the Deputy Director of the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy. I am also a Ward 7 resident and former D.C. educator.  Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.

First, I want to voice my strong support for State Resolution 24-16, which calls for an end to legacy and donor admissions in D.C. This unjust and outdated practice overwhelmingly benefits wealthy, predominantly white applicants while disadvantaging first-generation, low-income, and minority students. By eliminating legacy and donor preferences and expanding scholarships, and dual enrollment access, D.C. can ensure fairer college admissions policies. D.C. must lead the way in fostering a fair, equitable, and inclusive higher education system. A recent report by Education Reform Now, Future of Fair Admissions: Issue Brief 5 – Legacy Admissions in 2025, revealed that a strong majority of Americans—three in four—oppose factoring legacy status into college admissions. Currently, fewer than a quarter of four-year colleges in the U.S. consider legacy status, a sharp decline from nearly half a decade ago.Just last year, four additional states joined Colorado in prohibiting legacy preferences in some form, and I hope D.C. will lead the way in 2025. ^[1]

Second, I want to applaud the Board for taking proactive steps to develop policies that balance the benefits of technology with the need for focused, effective learning environments. In today’s digital world, cell phones and personal devices can either enhance or disrupt learning.

Third, I want to share our Fiscal Year 2026 budget priorities and urge you to prioritize fair and equitable funding for all public school students.^[2] Thanks to the dedication of our students, educators, and families, we are beginning to see promising signs of progress in our schools. Recently, D.C. students demonstrated remarkable long-term gains in Math and Reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), surpassing national trends. Compared to similar jurisdictions, both demographically and geographically, D.C. posted the highest gains from 2022 to 2024.^[3] This achievement is a testament to D.C.’s collective commitment to educational excellence, and we must build upon this momentum by ensuring that all public schools have the resources necessary to sustain and accelerate this progress.

Specifically, all public school funding, including educator compensation, must be distributed equitably across all local education agencies (LEAs) through the uniform per-student funding formula, with a targeted focus on students designated as “at-risk.” Ensuring parity in funding across both of our sectors is essential because all students deserve a high-quality education, and all effective educators deserve a raise in pay.^[4]
Additionally, I encourage the Board to support strategic investments in evidence-based programs that have a proven impact on student achievement, including:

• Improving Literacy Rates: Fully fund the Office of the State Superintendent’s Early Literacy Education Task Force recommendations to advance early literacy education ($9M over the financial plan).
• Strengthen math instruction and supports: Invest in a comprehensive statewide strategy for math beginning this year. This investment should include:
  • High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development: Fund a pilot program in six DCPS and six public charter schools, each receiving a math coach ($2M total).
  • High-Impact Tutoring (HIT): Support evidence-based HIT programs – small-group, intensive tutoring tailored to individual student needs – for students across 90 DCPS and public charter schools ($4.8M).
  • Math Teacher Pipeline: Strengthen the pipeline of math teachers trained by local D.C. universities and sustain funding for current programs (ie. OSSE’s Apprenticeship in Teaching ($565K)).
  • Parent and Caregiver Support: Implement Power My Learning math family engagement playlists for all elementary school students. (($1.5M in FY26, $700K in FY27).
• Build college and career pathways: Expand dual enrollment and early college opportunities; and fund the Education Through Employment Data System to enable the publication of essential data dashboards ($2.1M in FY26, $1.5M in FY27).
• Maintain the charter facilities allowance: Ensure public charter schools have safe and adequate learning environments by maintaining the annual public charter school facilities allowance increase of 3.1% ($17.5M over the financial plan).
• Strengthen school-based behavioral health (SBBH): Strengthen behavioral health support in schools by:
  • Placing a Community-based organization (CBO) clinician in 204 schools ($18.8M).
  • Fully funding B25-0759, the Child Behavioral Health Services Dashboard Act of 2024 ($485K).
  • Providing a minimum of $1,500 per school year for the SBBH Coordinator role at all 254 schools ($381K per fiscal year).

By prioritizing these critical investments, we can help ensure that every D.C. student, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to a high-quality public education. I urge the Board to support these funding recommendations and continue championing policies that promote academic success and educational equity across the District.

Thank you for your time and leadership. I look forward to working together to strengthen public education in D.C. and am happy to answer any questions you may have

^[1] https://edreformnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Future-of-Fair-Admissions-5.pdf
^[2] https://medium.com/@erndc/erna-dcs-2025-budget-priorities-09e0b06546d0
^[3] https://educationrecoveryscorecard.org/states/district-of-columbia/
^[4] https://bellwether.org/publications/resource-realities/

D.C. Council’s Committee of the Whole and Committee on Executive Administration and Labor Joint Public Roundtable on:

PR25-1095 – Working Conditions and Compensation Agreement between the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Washington Teachers’ Union, Local #6 of the American Federation of Teachers Emergency Approval Resolution of 2024

Greetings, Chairman Phil Mendelson, Chairwoman Anita Bonds, members, and staff of the Committee of the Whole and Committee on Executive Administration and Labor. My name is Jessica Giles. I am a Ward seven resident and the Executive Director of the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), a non-profit organization that advocates for a just and equitable public education system for all students in the nation’s capital.

Thank you for holding a public hearing on PR25-1095 – Working Conditions and Compensation Agreement between the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Washington Teachers’ Union, Local #6 of the American Federation of Teachers Emergency Approval Resolution of 2024. Given that the hearing was limited to invited witnesses and agency representatives, we are submitting written testimony.

We are writing to urge the Mayor and D.C. Council to support funding for public charter schools that is equivalent to the DC Public Schools (DCPS) contract package with the Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) and to fund this through the UPSFF in fiscal year 2025 and for all future years.

For all D.C. public students to thrive, we need a healthy education ecosystem that attracts, prepares, and retains highly effective educators within their chosen fields, particularly educators of color. For this to happen, educators must be fairly evaluated, incentivized to teach underserved students, well-trained, have opportunities to grow in their profession, and be well compensated. This is not a D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) need or a public charter school need; it’s a Districtwide challenge that calls for Districtwide funds.

Last year, Mayor Bowser, through an initiative called the charter teacher pay program led by OSSE, distributed more than $73 million to provide 7.6 percent retroactive payments to returning teachers and increase charter teacher pay by 12.5 percent. These pay increases coincided with the significant salary increases received by teachers at DCPS. When this funding was provided to charter schools, 100 percent of public charter schools publicly posted payscales and submitted them to OSSE. Public charter schools also worked closely with OSSE on all compliance requirements. We applaud the D.C. Council for supporting this effort. This is what true collaboration and leadership look like.

We urge you to support both sectors equally during the budget process because all students deserve a high-quality education, and all effective educators deserve a raise in compensation. Thank you for allowing me to submit written testimony. I am happy to continue discussing this issue with you in the coming days, weeks, and months.

D.C. Council’s Committee of the Whole Public Hearing on:

Closure of Eagle Academy

Greetings, Chairman Mendelson, members, and staff of the Committee of the Whole, my name is Jessica Giles. I am a ward seven resident and the Executive Director of the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA). This non-profit organization advocates for a just and equitable public education system for all students in the nation’s capital. Thank you for holding a public oversight hearing on the Closure of Eagle Academy Public Charter School. Given that the hearing was limited to invited witnesses and agency representatives, we are submitting written testimony.

For hundreds of years, this country has intentionally and repeatedly failed students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and other marginalized students. This failure can be seen throughout our criminal justice systems, healthcare systems, housing policies, and public education. It has wrought disastrous outcomes.

We believe D.C. leaders must prioritize innovation, accountability, and high-quality public school choice. These three priorities, when working together, help ensure continuously better results, especially for those students who have been historically underserved.

• Innovation– solving problems in new, evidence-based ways to promote equitable learning.
• Accountability – the process of monitoring and evaluating the performance of students, teachers, administrators, and schools to improve student achievement.
• High-quality public school choice – the ability of families to choose from an array of great public schools – whether these schools are in-boundary D.C. Public Schools, out-of-boundary D.C. Public Schools, or public charter schools.

Choice in D.C.

Since public charter schools first came to D.C. more than thirty years ago, they have strengthened families’ choices by offering an alternative to the traditional public school system. In the school year 2023-24, these LEAs educated 46,358 students, nearly half of DC’s public school students. All of these schools are free and open to the public. In exchange for autonomy, charter schools must be held to rigorous standards.

D.C. Public Charter School Board (PCSB)

Created in 1996, the D.C. Public Charter School Board (PCSB) is an independent government agency that is the sole public charter school authorizer in D.C. The PCSB  is led by a seven-member volunteer board that oversees 134 public charter schools, managed by 68 independently run nonprofit organizations called local education agencies (LEAs).

PCSB’s oversight of schools falls into three buckets: academic, financial, and organizational. Anyone who wants to open a public charter school in the District of Columbia must apply to the PCSB. The board rigorously reviews the application, and the public can weigh in on the matter. Once approved, PCSB reviews its charter once every five years. If the school is deficient in any area, they may be closed. While no one wants any school to shut down, it is critically important that no student is offered a subpar education. We believe this is true for all public charter schools and D.C. Public Schools. We must demand that all public schools be excellent and hold them accountable.

Eagle Academy Public Charter School

Like many individuals in my community,  we were upset by how Eagle Academy closed and heartbroken for the students, families, and employees that it negatively affected. Given the timeline, it is clear that Eagle Academy had a consistently poor financial position, and PCSB had known for over a year and intervened too late.

In June of 2023, PCSB placed Eagle Academy on the Financial Monitoring List due to several deficient metrics. On August 19, 2024, the PCSB voted to reject Friendship Public Charter School’s proposal to acquire the Eagle Academy Public Charter School charter. The next day, Eagle Academy’s Board announced their decision to immediately relinquish their charter, which left many employees and 362 students without a school one week before the start of the academic year.

Recommendations for strengthening accountability

PCSB will again face another gut-wrenching decision about whether to close a school- and how. We have several recommendations that strike the right balance of honoring PCSB’s independence and protecting public charter school autonomy while strengthening oversight and accountability.

• Board members of public charter schools must receive training. Public charter school board members are responsible for their schools’ financial position. It’s a no-brainer that they should be trained. These trainings should entail:
  • A list of their responsibilities.
  • A list of actions they should take when certain situations occur.
  • An overview of the school’s academic, financial, and organizational history.

Any mandated training should be necessary for their roles and not time and cost-prohibitive for prospective Board members.

• PCSB must ensure enhanced communication between the agency, school staff, and Board members. Eagle Academy Board members stated that they were unaware of the financial problems occurring in the school. While it is unnecessary and likely inappropriate for board members to have access to every communication between PCSB and school staff, board members should be alerted directly on matters of grave and urgent importance. Examples might include the following: the school being placed on Financial Corrective Action Plans (FCAP), Financial Monitoring List (FML), or on School Improvement Plans. It is critical that board members immediately have all of the information necessary to strengthen the financial health of the school. The school should also place this information on their websites.
• PCSB must finalize school closure decisions before My School DC Lottery deadlines. Families should not be placed in the unfair position of enrolling their child in a school that may later close, nor is it fair to other schools that could have enrolled these students earlier. While we understand there are situations that might arise after the lottery deadline, this policy should be adhered to for the benefit of the entire ecosystem and, most importantly, for the students.
• PCSB must enhance transparency of financial process. PCSB must post on their website schools that are on the FCAP and FML lists, and schools must respond in a timely fashion. Thanks to the PCSB for posting this list on December 6.^[1]

In closing, we believe D.C.’s public education system can be the best in the nation. When D.C. prioritizes innovation, accountability, and high-quality public school choice, we can help ensure continuously better results, especially for students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and other historically underserved students. Thank you for allowing me to testify on this critical matter. We are available to continue discussing this issue at your earliest convenience.

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^[1] PCSB. Navigating Financial Oversight: A School’s Journey on the Monitoring List. Source: https://dcpcsb.org/navigating-financial-oversight-schools-journey-monitoring-list

Jessica Giles
Executive Director – DC
Education Reform Now Advocacy

Committee on Executive Administration and Labor Hearing on:

• B25-0353- Middle School Career Exploration Pilot Amendment
• B25-0744- Pay Our Youth a Fair Summer Wage Amendment Act of 2024
• B25-0745- Youth Work Permit and Employment Protection Act of 2024

Chairperson Bonds, members, and staff of the Committee on Executive Administration & Labor,

My name is Jessica Giles. I am a ward seven resident and the Executive Director of the DC Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), a non-partisan, non-profit organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all DC students. I am pleased to submit this statement for the record for the Committee’s May 30, 2024, hearing on B25-0353, B25-0744, and B25-0745.

We believe DC should support efforts to increase the number of students who finish high school and complete college.^[1] Just 18 out of 100 ninth-grade students earn a degree six years after graduating high school.^[2] Most jobs in DC require postsecondary training, which limits DC natives’ job prospects.^[3] Ultimately, native Washingtonians’ average income doesn’t reach a living wage level.^[4] While more long-term data on students is needed to understand the impact of students’ education and training on their careers, it is clear that DC must do more to ensure students are equipped to thrive in life.

B25-0353 – Middle School Career Exploration Pilot Amendment

ERNA DC supports B25-0353, which enables the Department of Employee Services (DOES) to offer programs for students ages 9-13 to help them learn about careers before they are eligible to participate in the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP) and provide them a safe summer experience. Career exploration during the middle grades can help students begin planning for their future at a time when they are at risk of disengaging from school.^[5] Further, researchers have found student motivation and behavior in middle grades to be predictive of students’ eventual readiness for postsecondary education.^[6] In particular, we support the bill’s approach of piloting programming, surveying participants about their experiences, and reporting findings to the DC Council. We suggest the DC Council consider requiring DOES to share individual participant data with students’ local educational agencies (LEAs). In addition, we suggest the DC Council consider ways to structure greater collaboration among agencies such as DOES, Workforce Investment Council DC, Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Deputy Mayor for Education, LEAs, and others to build alignment and coherence among college and career programs from preK-12 to career.

B25-0744 – Pay Our Youth a Fair Summer Wage Amendment Act of 2024

While we support the intent of B25-0744, we have strong concerns about the program overall. The DC Council should strengthen^[7] MBSYEP, which is the nation’s largest summer youth program per person^[8],  to provide more meaningful career opportunities and job skills for students and ensure the program is beneficial for more employers.^[9] Specifically, we recommend the following changes::

• Require an external evaluation of MBSYEP outcomes. Since program participants are overwhelmingly Black and the majority hail from wards 7 and 8, ensuring that the program is high-quality and provides pathways to future employment is paramount. As the DC Fiscal Policy Institute has outlined, more data is needed to understand the efficacy of MBSYEP.^[10] An external evaluation has not been completed since 2020 when COVID drastically affected MBSYEP delivery.^[11] Findings from an external assessment should inform ongoing program design and refinements.

• Require DOES to increase the number of jobs aligned to in-demand industries/build in-demand skills. In the FY23 performance oversight hearing response, DOES shared that 3,555 jobs of the 13,520 in which students began working were in the DC government.^[12] While it is commendable that students further the mission of city government and experience that sector, DOES should be held accountable for its liaising with industries that lead to high-wage, in-demand careers for students. When accessed on June 13, 2024, the MBSYEP site does not include content overviewing what employers gain from participating in the program.^[13] Additionally, MBSYEP could require employers to note a few key skills participants will learn or utilize in the program; this would help students identify suitable matches and help them continue to build awareness of their strengths in an increasingly skills-based economy.

• Require MBSYEP to ensure equitable access (e.g., access for English learners. Currently, application materials are offered in English and Spanish. English learners who speak other native languages may be excluded from the program. Virginia recently passed legislation convening a work group to make recommendations on reducing barriers to paid work-based learning programs for English learners; DC should follow suit in ensuring all students may participate.^[14]

• Provide incentives for employers in high-demand industries. In addition to paying MBSYEP student wages, the city could offer subsidies or tax credits to employers in high-demand industries to encourage them to participate in MBSYEP. At least 28 states – but not DC – provide financial incentives for work-based learning.^[15] In the last year, more states expanded incentives for offering work-based learning: Arkansas and Florida offered reimbursements to employers for workers’ compensation, and Florida and North Dakota created tax credits for employers hiring apprentices and pre-apprentices.^[16] Beyond targeting high-demand industries, incentives could be further targeted to small-, minority-, and local-owned businesses. Such incentives would make it easier for these smaller operations to host MBSYEP students.

• Expand “Earn & Learn” programs. MBSYEP has partnered with Trinity Washington to offer program wages and enrollment in a credit-earning course to prepare students for college. MBSYEP should explore expanding such partnerships, including opportunities to partner with other higher education institutions to offer credit for other work placements.  

B25-0745 – Youth Work Permit and Employment Protection Act of 2024

We support B25-0745. The common sense language protects youth and makes the process for employers to hire youth more straightforward. We also recommend that the DC Council charge DOES to inform employers of the shifts to encourage youth employment. We suggest that DOES liaise with employers with opportunities in high-demand fields to build pathways for youth to eventual careers.

Thank you for holding this hearing. You may contact me at jessica@ernadvocacy.org with any questions.

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^[1] Education Reform Now DC. November 2023. D.C.’s Quiet Crisis in College Access & Completion

^[2] D.C. Policy Center. March 8, 2024. State of D.C. Schools, 2022-23: Challenges to pandemic recovery in a new normal. Source: https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/state-of-dc-schools-2022-23/

^[3] D.C. Policy Center. June 30, 2020. Transition to college or career for the District’s high school students. Source: https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/student-transition-college-career/

^[4] Ibid.

^[5] Association for Career and Technical Education. February 2018. “Career Exploration in Middle School: Setting Students on the Path to Success.” Source: www.acteonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ACTE_CC_Paper_FINAL.pdf

^[6] National Council on Measurement in Education. 2015. “Performance, Perseverance, and the Full Picture of College Readiness” Source: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1065364

^[7] DC Office of the Auditor. March 21, 2017. Internal Control Weaknesses Found in Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program Source: https://s26552.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/MBSYEP.Internal.Controls.Final_.Report.3.21.17.pdf

^[8] https://mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-highlights-pathways-health-careers-during-mayor-marion-s-barry-summer-youth

^[9] Department of Employment Services. 2024 Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program 2024. Source: https://does.dc.gov/service/mayor-marion-s-barry-summer-youth-employment-program

^[10] DC Fiscal Policy Institute. Lawmakers Should Require Third Party Evaluation of Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program. February 21, 2024. Source: https://edreformnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ERN-DC_QuietCrisisPostSecondaryReport_NOV2023.pdf

^[11] https://does.dc.gov/service/mayor-marion-s-barry-summer-youth-employment-program

^[12] https://dccouncil.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DOESPOHATT.pdf

^[13] https://summerjobs.dc.gov/page/employers

^[14] https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+SB1430

^[15] https://www.ecs.org/50-state-comparison-work-based-learning/

^[16] https://www.americanprogress.org/article/k-12-work-based-learning-opportunities-a-50-state-scan-of-2023-legislative-action/

Kyle Myers

Community Organizer

Democrats for Education Reform DC

Committee of the Whole’s Public Hearing:

B24-423, DC Coronavirus Immunization of School Students and Early Childhood Workers Amendment Act of 2021

Good morning. My name is Kyle Myers. I am a Ward 5 resident and a fifth-generation Washingtonian. I am also a community organizer for Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC). I am pleased to testify in support of B24-423, the DC Coronavirus Immunization of School Students and Early Childhood Workers Amendment Act of 2021.

In order for our education system to return to normalcy, I believe mandating vaccines is an absolute must. Mandating COVID-19 vaccines for all eligible students and childcare staff will help provide a safer environment for children to learn. It would decrease the chances of spreading the virus, provide greater reassurance for parents, allow children to participate more comfortably and effectively, and increase learning time by reducing the number of people quarantined. It also helps prevent another unwanted shutdown.

Our students were subjected to learning at home away from their friends and education for far too long. This is not the most effective way to educate all students and prepare them for the real world. Many students need in-person learning to better comprehend their work, fully participate in learning, and receive the support they need if extra accommodations are necessary.

To ensure we don’t see inequities exacerbated, all elected officials must improve communication efforts about the COVID-19 vaccine and ensure a successful vaccine rollout to all eligible children in all eight wards. Elected officials must also make submitting immunization records more accessible, which this bill seeks to accomplish. This is a positive change.

In conclusion, mandating vaccines is the best route to ensure our students receive the best education. Thank you for allowing me to testify on this important topic.

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Judiciary and Public Safety Committee Hearing on:

B24-0254, the School Police Incident Oversight and Accountability Amendment Act of 2021; B24-0306, the Youth Rights Amendment Act of 2021; and B24-0356, the Strengthening Oversight and Accountability of Police Amendment Act of 2021

Nikki D’Angelo
Community Organizer
Democrats for Education Reform DC

Good morning Councilmember Allen and members of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. My name is Nikki D’Angelo and I am a Ward 5 resident, DCPS parent, former DC charter school teacher, and former DCPS central office employee. I am testifying on behalf of Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC) and I am pleased to offer testimony in support of B24-0254, the School Police Incident Oversight and Accountability Amendment Act of 2021 and, B24-0306, the Youth Rights Amendment Act of 2021.

As a former teacher and social worker in DC for almost 10 years, I handled countless incidents and altercations between students – and not once did I believe that any of those situations would have been better handled by a police officer. During this time, I heard many disturbing stories of how my students experience the police in the District. The trusted adults in schools are often teachers and social workers, not police.  We must keep every student safe in school buildings with high-quality, uninterrupted learning so they can thrive in life, school, and career. The DC Council must continue to identify evidenced-based solutions to reduce the number of students that are placed in foster care, arrested, committed, detained, and incarcerated; enhance trauma-informed and unconscious bias teaching and training; and provide greater wrap-around supports to students and their families. All of these solutions must include feedback from our school communities.

B24-0254, the School Police Incident Oversight and Accountability Amendment Act of 2021

I can’t fathom living in a city where students of color make up 100% of school-based arrests, especially knowing many of those students have disabilities. In terms of this bill, I fully support improving transparency and accountability for both schools and the Metropolitan Police Department regarding school-based disciplinary actions involving law enforcement.  The public needs to see these sobering statistics so we can make school-level discipline fair and rare. I recommend expanding the language to include special education transportation so we know what is happening on our buses as well.

B24-0306, the Youth Rights Amendment Act of 2021

Considering my years of experience aforementioned, I am in full support of this bill. I would not expect a child to give consent to a police officer and then be assigned responsibilities and punishments that far exceed their developmental level.  As adults, it is our responsibility to ensure we don’t assign children responsibilities that could have a negative impact on them for the rest of their lives – this has to include interrogating children and implementing searches.

Considering this data and the context it creates, my question for the Council is how are we incentivizing the DC government and all local education agencies to better educate and support our students with special needs, because those are the students that are more often involved with the criminal justice system?

To reiterate, I am in full support of B24-0254, the School Police Incident Oversight and Accountability Amendment Act of 2021 and B24-0306, the Youth Rights Amendment Act of 2021. It is my hope that as this process continues and new information unfolds, the DC Council will continue to focus its efforts on how to ensure our young people of color are safe in the District.

Thank you for allowing me to testify.

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The Committee on Business & Economic Development and the Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety Hearing on:

B24-0170 – New Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights Amendment Act of 2021

Joshua Hodge
Policy and Communications Manager
Democrats for Education Reform DC

My name is Joshua Hodge, and I am a Ward 6 resident and current graduate student at Howard University. I am submitting written testimony on behalf of Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER DC). DFER DC works to ensure all students, particularly students of color and students from low-income families, graduate from high school and receive a high-quality, affordable college education or work-based experience and credentials necessary to immediately earn a livable wage.

I am pleased to share testimony in support of B24-0170 – “New Student Loan Borrower Bill Of Rights Amendment Act Of 2021.” Student loan debt is a tremendous barrier for many when it comes to attending higher education institutions, affecting their futures and beyond. This impacts Black and Brown communities disproportionately.

For Black and Brown students and those from low-income backgrounds, debt aversion is real. It is leading to more students, especially students of color, to forgo attending a post secondary institution even though higher education is one of their only means to upward economic mobility. For those that overcome the barrier like myself, the risk is steep.

D.C. has the highest average student loan balance of any state, and it’s not even close.^[1] The average student loan balance among Washington, DC residents is $55,077 per borrower.^[2] For Black students, this number is a lot higher. Immediate action needs to be taken to ensure all students receive an equal opportunity to attend school. Therefore, I commend the DC Council for considering B24-0170, the New Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights Amendment Act of 2021. This bill is critical in ensuring students, borrowers no longer in school, and their families are not preyed on by lenders and have a fair shot at repaying their loans.

I would also encourage the Committee to examine three additional ways to lessen,  on the front end, student loan debt by supporting expansion of dual enrollment and early graduation opportunities for DC public and public charter students, ending legacy admissions in DC, and urging Congress to increase targeted funding of the DC TAG program for low-income and hard-pressed middle class families.

Support the Expansion of Dual Enrollment Opportunities for DC Public and Public Charter Students

One of the easiest ways to increase college affordability is to speed time to degree by helping high school students take college level courses in high school or encouraging them to graduate from high school early if they’re academically ready to do so.

As a formally low-income student in high school, the price of college was something that was always on my mind. Something that I feared would be a barrier for me to attending college. When I was 16 and still a junior in high school, I began attending Minneapolis Community and Technical College through the Postsecondary Enrollment Options program, which allows 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to earn college credit while still in high school — effectively enabling them to attend college for free.^[3] This was an outstanding opportunity for me, because without it I would not be able to afford college. I was able to graduate with my associates degree at the age of 18 completely debt free. I went on to attend and graduated from the University of Minnesota with my bachelors degree at the age of 20 with only about $8,000 in student loans. My lack of student debt has been a blessing for me and my family. It has helped me be in a position where I can be enrolled in Howard University without fear of crippling undergraduate and graduate school debt.

Washington, DC should study its current dual enrollment opportunities^[4] to determine how to expand the program offerings to more students, and I would go further and suggest incentivizing early high school graduation. Give a portion of what we would spend on students in 12th grade to their families in the form of a scholarship that can be used at any public college. The District would save money and so would families.

End Legacy Preference Admissions in DC Higher Education Institutions

I will also ask the DC Council to support the end of legacy preferences in college admissions and increase socioeconomic diversity at selective institutions of higher education. Generally, the legacy preference admissions is essentially white affirmative action: it is an alumni preference bonus in admissions that allows more white students to be admitted to top ten universities than the total number of Black and Latinx students admitted under affirmative action policies.^[5] Currently, American University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University all utilize a legacy preference.^[6] We urge you to ask them to cancel this policy and open affordable seats at their institutions to low-income students of color from DC public and public charter schools.

Lower the DC Tag and Increase Grants for Low-Income Students of Color

Second, we would recommend the Council urge Congress to better target and increase the DC Tuition Assistance Program (DC TAG) program. The DC TAG program was created in 1999 by Congress to expand higher education choices for college-bound residents of the District of Columbia.^[7] Currently, the eligible family income threshold is set to a maximum of $515,108.^[8] This is too high given the fact that the 2019 median family income among households with children in the District of Columbia is $106,700, and that about half of our students are considered “at-risk.” Wealthy families do not need help affording college. Better would be to provide increased grant aid that currently is going to the already very comfortable instead to low-income families confronting major student loan debt.

Therefore, we propose a two-pronged approach to advance socioeconomic opportunities and racial equity through higher education: urge Congress to lower the student’s family taxable annual income threshold for the DC TAG eligibility and re-route the cost savings to provide a larger grant for those still eligible if not provide additional financial aid for students attending UDC.

Financial aid should go to those who truly need it.

Thank you for allowing me to testify in support of B24-0170 and recommend  additional ways for the DC Council to prevent, on the frontend, DC public and public charter school students from being saddled with overly burdensome student loan debt.

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^[1] “States With the Highest Student Loan Debt.” AdvisorSmiith. Source: https://advisorsmith.com/data/states-with-the-highest-student-loan-debt/
^[2] Ibid

^[3] Minnesota Department of Education. Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO). Source: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/dual/pseo/
^[4] “OSSE Dual Enrollment Opportunities.” Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Source: https://osse.dc.gov/page/osse-dual-enrollment-opportunities
^[5] April 2019. Interested Parties memo from Education Reform Now Michael Dannenberg. Source: https://edreformnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Admissions-Background-Memo_update_4.3.19.pdf
^[6] #LeaveYourLegacy campaign Source: https://edmobilizer.org/leave-your-legacy-pledge-a13
^[7] Office of the State Superintendent of Education. DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG). Source: https://osse.dc.gov/dctag
^[8] Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Information on DCTAG Maximum Income. Source: https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/service_content/attachments/DCTAG%20Maximum%20Income%2011.13.20.pdf