Committee of the Whole and Committee on Education Hearing on:
B23-887, the “Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2020”
B23-0921, the “Education and Credit Continuity Amendment Act of 2020”
November 24, 2020
Jess Giles
Deputy Director
Education Reform Now DC
Good morning Chairman Mendelson, Chairperson Grosso, Councilmember Pinto, and members of the Committee of the Whole and Committee on Education. My name is Jess Giles. I am a Ward 7 resident, equity advocate, and the Deputy Director of Education Reform Now DC (ERN DC). ERN DC is a non-profit organization that fights to ensure that DC’s public education system justly and equitably serves all students. We are committed to advancing racial equity in public education, closing opportunity gaps, and regularly evaluating education reforms to see if they are working as intended. I am pleased to provide testimony in support of B23-887, the “Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2020” and B23-0921, the “Education and Credit Continuity Amendment Act of 2020.”
B23-887, the “Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2020
ERN DC supports B23-887, the “Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2020.” Menstrual equity means ensuring every individual who menstruates is able to access menstrual hygiene products affordably, easily, and without shame. So far DC has taken several steps to expand menstrual equity. Currently, pads, sanitary towels, tampons, and menstrual cups are exempted from sales tax; correctional facilities are required to make freely available menstrual products as necessary to detained people who menstruate; [1] and school nurses suites contain menstrual hygiene products. But we must go further if we are truly committed to lifting the financial burden that is placed on individuals who are menstruate. We urge the DC Council to approve this bill.
B23-0921, the “Education and Credit Continuity Amendment Act of 2020”
ERN DC also supports B23-0921, the “Education and Credit Continuity Amendment Act of 2020.” The District of Columbia has an obligation to ensure that Students in the Care of DC[2] receive high-quality education and services, but we know that is not happening in all cases and many students are falling through the cracks. One out of three DC students are not graduating in four years (SY 2018-2019 4-year ACGR is 68.2 percent), and one out of four students are not graduating in five years (SY 2018-2019 5-year ACGR is 74.1 percent).[3] Too many are not graduating at all. These are the very students this legislation seeks to support.
In 2018, Chairperson Grosso convened the Students in the Care of DC Working Group.[4] The Working Group found that DC youth experience many disruptions to education, which makes it difficult, and nearly impossible, for them to finish their classes or even graduate in a timely manner due to preventable lapses in our education and justice systems – lapses that become barriers to education. These barriers include problems with enrolling in school, obtaining transferable credit, transmission of records, and receiving IDEA mandated special education and related services. In this Working Group, agency leaders acknowledged these barriers and committed to implementing about 40 recommendations for ensuring these students get the resources they deserve. Currently, there are memorandums of agreement in place to do some of this work, but they are not enforceable, which is why a legislative solution is needed. This is a current and real problem for our students, and it has serious implications for the livelihood and success of our youth.
ERN DC applauds the DC Council for passing into law the Students in the Care of D.C. Coordinating Committee Act of 2018[5] and urges the DC Council to approve this legislation as well. We also urge DC to continue to support youth by significantly reducing the number of students that are placed in foster care, and are arrested, committed, detained, and incarcerated.
Thank you for allowing me to testify on B23-887, the “Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2020” and B23-0921, the “Education and Credit Continuity Amendment Act of 2020.” I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
[1] ACLU. “The Unequal Price of Periods Menstrual Equity in the United States.” https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/111219-sj-periodequity.pdf
[2] Students who are detained, committed, incarcerated, or placed in foster care by the government of the District of Columbia.
[3] Office of the State Superintendent of Education. 2018-19 Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. https://osse.dc.gov/publication/2018-19-adjusted-cohort-graduation-rate
[4] Students in the Care of DC Working Group Report. (2018). https://www.scribd.com/document/384151747/Students-in-the-Care-of-the-District-of-Columbia-Working-Group-Recommendations-July-18-2018
[5] https://lims.dccouncil.us/Legislation/B22-0950
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