APPLY
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) invites parents and other primary caregivers of children attending public school in the District of Columbia to apply to serve on OSSE’s Parent Advisory Committee for a period of two consecutive years. The Panel will meet four times annually and will advise the State Superintendent and OSSE and serve as liaisons to their communities.
Why Establish a Parent Advisory Committee?
As the state education agency for the District of Columbia, it is OSSE’s goal to ensure that all students in the District have access to an excellent education that prepares them for college, career, and a successful life. OSSE supports the efforts of DC Public Schools, charter organizations, and child care providers to accelerate academic achievement among children residing in the District. One of the ways that OSSE supports education is developing and implementing policies and providing resources and training opportunities to improve education for all students.
OSSE needs parent and caregiver input because parents have the best understanding of the needs and experiences of their children. Parents can offer unique insight about existing and proposed policies and strategies based on their personal experiences in supporting their children’s education. Additionally, OSSE strongly believes that parents and families must play a major role in the education of our children.
The Parent Advisory Committee will have the opportunity to provide input to OSSE and share information about educational policies and available resources in their communities to support learning. The input members provide will be considered as District policies and resources are developed. In addition, members will assist in developing a policy for parent and family engagement. Lastly, members will assist in sharing information within their respective communities.
The Parent Advisory Committee will partner with OSSE to ensure that the State Education Plan for the District addresses the needs of all students so that all students have the opportunity to succeed. The Committee will also be a voice for parents and students on educational matters. The committee will meet four times a year to provide insight on current and/or proposed educational policies and receive information about OSSE’s implementation of the State Education Plan.
Who Can Be a Member of the Committee?
Parent Advisory Committee members will be made up of parents, legal guardians, or other primary caregivers responsible for a child attending a DC public or charter school. Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate that they are actively engaged in their child’s education.
Membership
OSSE’s goal is to have representation from parents and caregivers that represent all of Washington, DC. Therefore, the Committee will have at least 13 members, including at least one representative from each of the eight wards and representatives who represent both traditional public schools and public charter schools. In addition, OSSE will aim to ensure representation of children in early learning, elementary, middle and high schools. OSSE will also seek up to five additional members to ensure that the special needs of specific groups of students are represented, such as those who are receiving special education, living in transitory housing, gifted and talented, English language learners, in foster care and/or are detained youth.
OSSE will establish membership through an application process, and ask selected members to serve a term of two school years, beginning in September 2017. If you are interested in submitting yourself for consideration, please complete the enclosed DC Parent Advisory Committee Application.
What Does the Parent Committee Do?
Responsibilities: The Committee will establish the norms, protocols, scope of work, and dates and time of quarterly meetings and community outreach planned by the Committee,
General Duties: The DC Parent Advisory Committee shall:
- Assist with the planning and logistics of the Annual Parent Summit, held in September, and any other family engagement initiatives;
- Help with the development of an OSSE-wide parent and family engagement framework;
- Identify best practices that promote active parent and family engagement to impact students’ academic performance, attendance, and discipline;
- Identify methods to communicate effectively and provide outreach to parents and legal guardians of students, including those who may not be fluent in English;
- Provide outreach to other parents and family members on issues regarding education policy and initiatives;
- Provide input to the Superintendent and OSSE staff on policy proposals, including ESSA state plan implementation, report card, assessment and accountability, parent, family and community engagement; and
- Provide an annual report to OSSE describing the activities of the Parent Advisory Committee and any recommendations for action by July 1 of each year.
DC Parent Advisory Committee Application
OSSE would like to have the committee fully established by the beginning of the 2017-18 school year. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the panel is fully staffed.
Please note that OSSE takes the privacy of students and families very seriously. By filling out this application, you are consenting to sharing the information contained within.
For more information or questions, please contact Valrie Brown at (202) 299-2093.