Jessica Giles
Executive Director
Education Reform Now Advocacy
Greetings, Executive Director Butler, District of Columbia State Board of Education (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. I am pleased to provide written testimony on two matters that will be voted on today.
SR25 -7 Initiating the Creation of a Graduation Requirements Task Force
We support the passage of SR25-7.
The outcomes for D.C.’s high school students are alarming. The unemployment rate for D.C.-born young adults stands at an unacceptable 23%, compared to just 3% for non-native residents. Despite a $208 million annual investment in job training and placement programs, only 6% of participants secured employment.[1] This is an outcome that demands serious reflection and reform.
Postsecondary outcomes tell a similar story: While 53% of the Class of 2022 enrolled in a two- or four-year college, only an estimated 22% of students from prior cohorts completed a degree within six years.[2] D.C. high school graduates, on average, earn 52% less than those with bachelor’s degrees.[3] This represents lost potential and unmet promises.
D.C. is rightly taking on the critical task of reimagining its graduation requirements. But this cannot be just about compliance or checking boxes. We believe the Task Force must be driven by a bold vision that reflects what we want to be true for every student and should recommend graduation requirements alongside policy changes that bring that vision to life.
At ERNA DC, we are championing a future where every student graduates high school with: two years of free college credit; paid, hands-on experience on a career pathway; and an industry-recognized credential that opens doors.
This future is possible. Here’s what it could look like:
- Expand dual enrollment, AP/IB courses, and CTE pathways with embedded college credit, ensuring all students graduate with 12–24 credits.
- Make paid internships or apprenticeships—not just volunteer hours—a graduation requirement, aligned to students’ career interests.
- Ensure every graduate earns at least one credential of value.
- Support automatic college enrollment pathways, require FAFSA and DCTAG completion, and strengthen advising and wraparound support so students stay on track and persist.
We hope the State Board will lead this critical effort and we urge passage of SR25-7.
D.C. State Board of Education Expanded Authority Amendment Act of 2025
We oppose this legislation.
At the March 19th SBOE public meeting, I testified in opposition to SR25-6. However, the State Board unanimously voted in support of the resolution and signaled their intent to transmit legislation to the D.C. Council. Our position on this matter remains unchanged.
While the State Board has been a powerful advocate for student-first policies, expanding its authority at this time is the wrong approach. This is a misplacement of priorities amid a financial and political crisis. The Department of Education’s staff has been cut in half, Congress placed a $1.1 billion cap on FY2025 spending, revenue has fallen by a billion dollars over four years, and there are more threats from the federal government than at any time since Home Rule was granted to the residents of D.C. in 1973. There are more than 80 bills before Congress to undermine D.C’s local autonomy. At a time when urgent student needs remain unmet, the State Board should focus on protecting and expanding policies that directly impact student learning and success, rather than expanding its own authority.
Additionally, the Board already possesses the necessary authority to perform its responsibilities. 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.
Lastly, we emphatically believe that governance structures with clear lines of authority and accountability yield better outcomes for students. 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.
In regards to the proposed policy changes:
- Data Access: We support language that allows the Board to obtain timely data from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) – given their special relationship- but broader access to all agencies is unnecessary.
- Policy Initiation & Amendment: We oppose language giving the Board the power to initiate and amend policies . This would slow progress and create conflicts with OSSE.
- “Great Weight” Authority in all Education Decisions: We oppose language that would 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 and uncertainty. We urge the Board to oppose transmittal.
Thank you for allowing me to submit written testimony for the public record. We are always here to collaborate, provide support, and answer any questions the Board might have.
[1] DC Policy Center. Outcomes and disparities in workforce development programs in D.C. Resource: https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/focusing-on-outcomes-and-disparities-in-workforce-development-programs-in-dc/?mc_cid=b2c2db9a61&mc_eid=bb7c8338aa Accessed: 4/23/2025
[2] DC Policy Center. Chart of the week: Postsecondary enrollment for D.C.’s students, class of 2022. Resource: https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/chart-of-the-week-postsecondary-enrollment-for-dc-students-class-of-2022/ Accessed: 4/23/2025
[3] DC Policy Center. Chart of the week: The widening education wage gap in the District. Resource: https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/chart-of-the-week-widening-education-wage-gap-in-dc/?mc_cid=def7b257bf&mc_eid=bb7c8338aa Accessed 4/23/2025