COUNCILMEMBER DAVID GROSSO

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

ANNOUNCES A PUBLIC HEARING

on

B22-0594 - Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017

and

B22-0179 - D.C. Public Schools Alternatives to Suspension Amendment Act of 2017

on

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

10:00 a.m., Hearing Room 500, John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

            Councilmember David Grosso announces the scheduling of a public hearing on B22-0594, Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017, and B22-0179, D.C. Public Schools Alternatives to Suspension Amendment Act of 2017. The hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 in Hearing Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building. 

            The stated purpose of B22-0594 is to establish parameters for local education agencies’ discipline policies to ensure student safety and access to education, including limits on the use of suspensions and expulsions, reporting requirements, and supports provided by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to promote trauma-informed educational settings.

            The stated purpose of B22-0179 is to require D.C. Public Schools’ principals to consider and justify in writing why a suspension is more appropriate than other forms of discipline prior to recommending the suspension of a student. It also requires the Chancellor to receive a monthly report on school suspensions from each public school and transmit a report aggregating that data to the Mayor and Council on a quarterly basis.

            The Committee invites the public to testify or submit written testimony. Those who wish to testify may sign-up online at http://bit.do/educationhearings or call the Committee on Education at (202) 724-8061 by 5:00 p.m. Friday, January 26, 2018. Persons wishing to testify are encouraged to bring 10-15 copies of their written testimony.

            If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record.  Written statements should be submitted by email to Ashley Strange, Committee Assistant, at astrange@dccouncil.us, or by post to the Committee on Education, Council of the District of Columbia, Suite 116 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004. The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13, 2018.