Jessica Giles
Executive Directo
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.
[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
[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