Jessica Giles
Executive Director
Education Reform Now Advocacy
Good evening, Executive Director Butler, State Board Representatives, Student Representatives, and staff. My name is Jessica Giles. I am a resident of Ward 7 and the Executive Director of the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), an organization advocating for a just and equitable public education system for all students. Today, I am urging the State Board to vote no on SR25-6, Recommendations for Expanding State Board Authority.
Over the past few years, the State Board has been a powerful advocate for student-first policies. It has secured investments in structured literacy training, passed Seizure Safe Schools legislation, and approved menstrual health, financial literacy, and social-emotional learning standards. The Board also took the lead in addressing math instruction, calling for a math task force to strengthen student learning. This progress should be applauded and continued.
However, SR25-6 is the wrong approach. We oppose this proposal for three key reasons:
- Misplaced Priorities Amid a Financial Crisis
The District is facing an unprecedented financial crisis. The Department of Education’s budget has been cut in half, FY2025 spending has been reduced by $1.1 billion, and revenue has fallen by a billion dollars. Further, there are ongoing federal threats to DC TAG funding and the District’s Home Rule Act.
At a time when urgent student needs remain unmet, the State Board should not focus on expanding its own authority but rather on protecting and expanding policies that directly impact student learning and success.
- The Board Already Has the Necessary Authority
In its performance oversight responses, the State Board acknowledged that its operations face “no statutory or regulatory impediments.” If the Board can already fulfill its responsibilities, why expand its authority? The focus should remain on ensuring state policies and academic standards prepare students for success, not on bureaucratic restructuring.
- Governance structures with clear lines of authority and accountability yield better outcomes for students
Effective education governance relies on clear lines of authority and accountability. Under the current structure, the State Superintendent and the Mayor’s office have executive authority, allowing for nimble, student-centered policymaking. Expanding the Board’s authority risks slowing decision-making and introducing political uncertainty, given its shifting leadership every year.
Position on Proposed Recommendations
We oppose the majority of these recommendations:
- Data Access: We support language that allows the Board to obtain timely data from OSSE (given their special relationship), but broader access to all agencies is unnecessary.
- Policy Initiation & Amendment: Oppose. Giving the Board the power to initiate and amend policies would slow progress and create conflicts with OSSE.
- “Great Weight” Authority in all Education Decisions: Oppose. This could create inefficiencies by subjecting all agency decisions to additional delays.
Expanding the Board’s authority would not improve student outcomes; it would only introduce more bureaucracy, uncertainty, and delays. We urge the State Board to remain focused on advancing student-first policymaking and reject SR25-6.
Thank you for your time.