Contact: Beverley Wheeler, (202) 741-0884

At its February public meeting, the DC State Board of Education (DCSBOE) approved updates to the District of Columbia Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook, following a request for approval by State Superintendent of Education Deborah A. Gist. The approved workbook will now be submitted to the US Department of Education.

The workbook, which was developed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and originally submitted to the US Department of Education in May 2003, details the policies and procedures relating to the educational assessment and accountability policies of the District of Columbia. It includes the development, implementation, and monitoring of a comprehensive accountability system for all public schools in the District of Columbia, including DCPS and public charter schools.

The OSSE proposed updates to six sections of the workbook: Consolidated Schools, New School Petition Option, Students in Non-Public Placements, Biology Assessment, Full Academic Year, and Change in Graduation Rate Definition. View the updated workbook approved by the DCSBOE.

In addition, the DCSBOE received a presentation on the proposed regulations for student residency verification. Following the expiration of the emergency regulations approved by the DCSBOE on June 8, 2008, which moved the beginning of the residency verification process to May 1, the OSSE proposed new regulations for the coming school year. These regulations will allow for a longer residency verification period, beginning April 1, to ensure that all students living in the District of Columbia have sufficient time to provide verification of residency. The DCSBOE also announced a public hearing on the proposed residency verification regulations to take place March 4, 2009.