Education Research Collaborative Listening Session
/DC Education Research Collaborative Listening Session
Thank you for this opportunity to give you input into your agenda I am Cathy Reilly of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators as well as the facilitator of the Ward 4 Education Alliance and the C4DC – Coalition for DC Public Schools and Communities.
I filled out your survey and look forward to hearing from others. There are a lot of areas we need more insight into including policy that allows for virtually an ever expanding supply of schools regardless of space in existing school buildings.
My ask tonight is that you focus on providing research on the measures supported by the SBOE to OSSE on indicators including school climate, safety, student engagement and satisfaction, teacher retention as well as student growth. https://sboe.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/sboe/page_content/attachments/2022-01-19-Signed-SR22-1%20STAR%20Framework%20Resolution-AS%20AMENDED_0.pdf
As an example, the DC Council has mandated a reduction and then elimination of the MPD School Safety Division in 2025. The officers are to be replaced by a different approach to safety that is more about prevention. Staffing for programs like Restorative Justice, more mental health workers and integrated school staff with training in de-escalation and adolescent psychology are part of the vision going forward. Brain science is now referred to as foundational in this work with adolescents.
We know that the three year Safe Passage program is supporting a number of staff in and around identified schools at key times. DC has a Kids Ride Free Program for public transportation. We know that DCPS has renewed on an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract with SAMS for security guards. We know that with the impending dissolution of the school security division, there is a shortage of officers with current people leaving and no one coming due to its status. We also know that schools in a pilot program for DCPS submitted budgets for FY22 and probably now for FY23 reflecting the shift and using non “security” personnel.
MPD was placed in charge of school safety in 2004 after a deadly incident at one of our high schools. We now have metal detectors in the majority of secondary schools. There is conflicting research on this, and our gun laws in DC have changed as a result of court cases.
Safety is primary for our families and school communities. It is an integral part of school climate. It also has a vastly different impact on different schools and neighborhoods, influencing all of the other performance data.
Are we on the right path for making young people safer as they pursue their education – getting to and from school, attending after school activities and during the school day. What are the underlying conditions that contribute to them not being safe? How are we doing with our immigrant communities? Is the current policy and budget framework the right one? Is it enough? There are a lot of appropriate references to brain science and what it tells us, do we have that right?
Resources that have been helpful to me: Dr. Jen Woolard of Georgetown University Community Research Group, and http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/