In February 2012, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) will submit an application to the US Department of Education requesting flexibility in the implementation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) – commonly known as No Child Left Behind.

We consider the community to be an integral partner in this mission, and while the agency possesses a legal requirement to nominally solicit public comment, since October OSSE has initiated a comprehensive outreach strategy exceeding legal engagement requirements to solicit opinions, ideas, and insights from key constituents including parents, students, teachers, elected officials, and all DC residents concerned or involved in the provision of quality education.

Attached is an early engagement plan providing a chronology of our outreach in the effort to maximize public input and submit the strongest possible ESEA flexibility application. The requested modifications will allow the District to adjust and redefine its Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) goals to better serve and measure student success.

OSSE seeks to proactively involve key stakeholders in the application process and facilitate an early and robust community dialogue. Be assured that we value your input, encourage your feedback and are committed to providing a platform to address your concerns.

With the goal of engaging as many DC residents as possible, OSSE remains hard at work to ensure that all community members have the opportunity to make their voice heard on this important policy change.