CHAIRMAN PHIL MENDELSON

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

&

COUNCILMEMBER DAVID GROSSO

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

ANNOUNCE A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING

On

B23-0496, the “Fair Access to Selective High Schools Amendment Act of 2019” 

On

Monday, February 10, 2020

1:30 P.M., Hearing Room 412, John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

            Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmember David Grosso announce the scheduling of a joint public hearing of the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education on B23-0496, the “Fair Access to Selective High Schools Amendment Act of 2019.” The hearing will be held on Monday, February 10, 2020 at 1:30 P.M in room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building.

The stated purpose of B23-0496 is to require the State Superintendent of Education and public schools and public charter schools to provide 7th grade students with information about the application criteria and admissions process for citywide selective high schools. It allows the top 15% of 8th grade students in every public school or public charter school to apply to citywide selective high schools. It prohibits the consideration of standardized test scores in its application criteria.

Those who wish to testify may sign-up online at bit.do/EducationHearings or call the Committee on Education at (202) 724-8061 by 5:00pm on Thursday, February 6. Persons wishing to testify are encouraged, but not required, to submit 10-15 copies of written testimony. Witnesses appearing on his or her own behalf should limit their testimony to three minutes; witnesses representing organizations should limit their testimony to five minutes. 

If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. 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, NW, Washington, D.C. 20004. The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 24.

Witnesses who anticipate needing spoken language interpretation, or require sign language interpretation, are requested to inform Education Committee of the need as soon as possible but no later than five (5) business days before the proceeding. We will make every effort to fulfill timely requests, however requests received in less than five (5) business days may not be fulfilled and alternatives may be offered.