Washington, DC–To leverage public engagement, feedback and lessons learned from key stakeholders during its public comment period, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) today launched its extended outreach plan in preparation for submitting the District’s federal waiver request to the US Department of Education for flexibility regarding the implementation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act–also known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

The announcement comes on the heels of the Obama Administration’s recent selection of 11 states receiving NCLB flexibility and this week’s US Department of Education announcement that the national application deadline has been extended one week, to February 28, presenting OSSE the opportunity to schedule additional public and electronic meetings to present the scope of the District’s application and examine potential changes based on public recommendations.

Since announcing its intention to apply for NCLB flexibility, OSSE has held 55 public events and communicated with over 600 DC residents around the waiver, including focus groups, community meetings and panels with Advisory Neighborhood Commissions across all 8 Wards and with several groups including the State Board of Education, DC Public Schools, neighborhood associations and the Public Charter School Board. OSSE also established a dedicated email account to collect public feedback, published and distributed an FAQ document and produced video presentations in both English and Spanish for broadcast on the District’s DKN Television station and online.

Note: A full draft of the District of Columbia NCLB Waiver application and list of Frequently Asked Questions are available online at www.osse.dc.gov, and OSSE Video Presentations on NCLB Flexibility can be viewed at http://youtu.be/N3uJbBnE8xk and http://youtu.be/XYPKFfxOG3k.