Mayor Anthony A. Williams
Revised School Takeover Plan Draft
April 23, 2004

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NOT FINAL - FOR DISCUSSION ONLY 

A Comprehensive Approach to Governance

The Challenge: Better operational management is needed for the DC Public Schools, but this improvement must be made in a manner that enhances -- not detracts from -- the democratic representation and policy leadership that the school board provides.

The Solution: The policy making and democratic role of the current school board structure can be preserved -- and even enhanced -- while also restructuring and improving the operational management.

The current Board of Education would be elevated into a true state Board of Education with ultimate authority for setting and enforcing statewide policies as follows:

• Set State educational policies such as:
  • Statewide standard setting for all educational institutions
  • Student achievement guidelines
  • Rewards and sanctions for school performance
  • Teacher certification and licensure requirements
  • Attendance rules and regulations
  • Crediting and graduation rules and regulations
  • Regulation associated with Federal standards
• Enforcement of all statewide policies for education
  • The Board would be staffed by the State Education Office, who would monitor and carry out enforcement of the Board's policies, execute high level policy analysis and best practice research and pass through federal dollars associated with categorical and competitive grants.
  • The State Education Officer would report directly to the Board of Education.

Composition of the State Board*

• Chair--Mayor of the District of Columbia, ex officio
• Chair of the Council, ex officio
• Chair of the Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation, ex officio
• Eight elected positions, one from each Ward of the City
• Two members of the community, considered to be experts in education, business or labor leaders, parents or advocates, appointed by the Mayor

(*Composition and voting status still under discussion)

The Role of the Superintendent

• Cabinet level, appointed by the Mayor and overseen by the Council
• Implementation of state policies
• Basic management and day-to-day operations of the DC Public Schools 

The Role of the Public Charter School Board

• Implementation of state policies, oversight of special provisions in each charter and oversight and management of charter status of schools

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Board of Education Side-By-Side

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Process for Citizen Input Under the Revised Model

An Additional Level of "Appeal":

1. Citizen makes contact with ombudsman during regular community meetings or by contacting the office with a particular concern.
2. Ombudsman determines issue to be state or federal compliance related and refers complaint to Office of State Compliance within the independent State Education Office 
3. If the independent State Education Office cannot resolve the issue, it is brought before the Board for sanction.

The Rationale:

1. The Current Board of Education if often criticized for concentrating too much on operational elements and not enough on policy.
   This streamlines operations and management of the system under the Superintendent and allows the Board to concentrate solely on policy at the highest levels.
2. No Child Left Behind and other Federal mandates give greater urgency to the creation of a state "Department of Education", separate from the Board of Education and Administration of DC Public Schools.
   This proposal folds both the governance of the management and day to day operations of DC Public Schools as well as the creation of a State Board of Education and expansion of the State Education Office at one time.
3. There was concern that citizen voices were not being adequately heard.
   The maintenance of an ombudsman office within DC Public Schools will strengthen citizen input in management and business processes while the State Compliance Office within the State Education Office will allow for an independent, higher level of appeal.

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D-R-A-F-T
DCPS Citizen Complaints Process

Purpose

The purpose of this office is to establish an effective, efficient, and fair system of providing assistance in navigation the education system or addressing problems and concerns about DCPS, its programs or its employees.

Modeled after the (202) 727-1000 citywide call center this office would be the first stop in obtaining information or requesting assistance with issues related to DCPS. In addition to a operating a call-center, this office would do the following:

1. Be visible to and easily accessible to the public;
2. investigate promptly and thoroughly claims of misconduct;
3. encourage the mutually agreeable resolution of complaints through conciliation and mediation where appropriate;
4. Provide adequate due process protection to employees accused of misconduct;
5. Provide fair and speedy determination of cases that cannot be resolved through conciliation or mediation;
6. Render just determinations;
7. Foster increased communication and understanding and reduce tension between DCPS and the public;
8. Improve public education educational service delivery in the District of Columbia.

Establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman

1. There shall be created an Office of the Ombudsman ("Office") within the DC Public Schools. 
2. This office shall be headed by an Ombudsman, appointed by the Superintendent.
3. The Ombudsman shall possess the following expertise:
   • Knowledge of the operations of the DC Public Schools and public education in the District of Columbia
   • Strong connection to the community
   • Experience with trouble-shooting and conflict resolution 

Duties of the Ombudsman

1. The Ombudsman shall employ qualified persons from each ward to perform the work of the Office including the investigation of complaints, mediation and conflict resolution. The Ombudsman may also utilize the services of qualified volunteers, as necessary, to perform the work of the office.
2. The Ombudsman shall supervise all employees and volunteers of the Office, and shall ensure that all rules, regulations, and orders are carried out properly, and that all records of the Office are maintained properly.
3. As deemed appropriate, the Ombudsman may hold citywide or ward-based hearings on constituent grievances or matters of general concern, and make policy recommendations to the Superintendent and Mayor with suggestions for resolution. Employees of the office would be encouraged to maintain regular contact with the community to ensure awareness of potential problems or provide assistance in preventing crises.
4. The Ombudsman shall prepare periodic reports on the categories of constituent complaints, frequency of the alleged offenses, how constituent matters were resolved and policy recommendations for addressing chronic and systemic problems. These reports shall be submitted to the Superintendent monthly and to the Mayor and Council, through the Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation, quarterly.
5. The Mayor, or his designee, shall have the authority to promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this subchapter.

Authority of the Office and Processing of Complaints

1. The Office shall have the authority to receive and to resolve all citizen complaints against a member or members of the DCPS.
2. If a complaint alleges misconduct that is beyond the authority of the Office to review, the Ombudsman shall refer the allegation to the appropriate agency for further processing.
3. The Ombudsman shall consider each complaint and may request additional information from the complainant or other in order to resolve the issue. Within 7 working days of the receipt of the complaint, or within 7 working days of the receipt of additional information requested from the complainant, the Ombudsman shall have resolved the matter or referred it to the appropriate higher authority.

Process for Appeal

If a complainant believes that a grievance has not been properly resolved through the Office, of the Ombudsman, s/he may make a written appeal to the Mayor for appropriate action.

If a matter of state of federal non-compliance has not been appropriately resolved through the Office of the Ombudsman a complainant may appeal to the Office of State Compliance within the State Education Office.

If the Office of State Compliance does not resolve the issue to the complainant's satisfaction, s/he may appeal.

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D-R-A-F-T
Side-by-Side Comparison of School Governance Reform Proposals