Adrian Fenty, Democratic Candidate for
Ward 4 Councilmember in the
September 12, 2000, Primary
Parents United for the D.C. Public Schools Questionnaire
August 2000

If our new School Board is to function well, the Mayor and Council must pay close attention to the appointment of board members. I will ensure that the Council is not a rubber stamp for nominees forwarded by the Mayor. The Council must confirm board members who have strong expertise in finance and management and a track record in education and solving the types of problems our public schools have.

2. What is the difference between oversight and micro-management of the school system? What is the role of the Council with respect to public schools since some members of the School Board now have a relationship with the Council? How will you assure that the Superintendent is accountable to the School Board rather than pulled between the Mayor, Council and School Board?

My work on the Council's Education Committee gave me a unique insight into the question of micromanagement. DCPS has had a long history of failing to respond adequately to parents and their problems. In many cases, DCPS failed to have due process procedures in place. In other words, parents, teachers and students often could not get any resolution to their issues. The end result was that these issues were brought to the Council. If similar issues are brought to me as a councilmember, my staff and I will work with the school system to make sure that the budget of the school system (which the Council has oversight over) is sufficient for the needs of the students and the parents. Through oversight, I will make sure that the school system investigates parent complaints sufficiently to help those who have not previously got an adequate response from their schools.

Additionally, the new School Board has the ability to work through the superintendent to improve the DCPS ability to work with complainants and to resolve their issues. I will urge the Board to ensure that the Council seldom has reason. to intervene in parent/teacher/student complaints.

The roles and responsibilities of the new School Board is defined by our charter amendment. The Board governs, establishes policy, hires and fires the superintendent, and approves an annual budget and establishes personnel policies. I expect the new Board will remove much of the reason the Council has been micromanaged in the past. I believe that the superintendent will work well with the new School Board and that many of the "pulls" of the past will no longer exist.

3. What steps would you take to see that the schools system's operating budget and capital budget are adequately funded to meet students' needs for a high quality educational program? Please include comments on financing for new school construction and rehabilitation and for funding high quality occupational training/career development opportunities that do not now exist.

The DCPS and the DC public charter schools are funded through the Uniform Per Pupil Formula. I will ensure that the budget mark includes the dollars required by the Formula and that these funds are adequate to run strong schools. The Formula should be reassessed frequently. I will talk with Ward 4 parent and community groups to be certain the Formula captures the actual costs of a strong school system.

I have been involved in the Master Facilities Planning Process over the last two years and am aware that the District is close to determining which of our schools should be rebuilt, modernized or closed. I believe that to this point the process has been directed fairly. As a Councilmember, I will support full-funding of the Master Facilities Plan once it is approved by the Council. Our schools are old and many are in poor repair. Our children must have better.

Occupational training/career development has been neglected in the District. The focus has been almost completely on college preparatory curriculums. Our schools must all have curriculums that support instruction in the information technologies, as well as other care r paths that are found in the District. We should not expect all our children to attend college, but we must provide educational alternatives.

4. Our older students have such low achievement levels that they will not graduate with competitive skills unless they receive additional support. What are you willing to do to help the school system raise achievement at the high school level? Would you accept differentiated diplomas so that students who do not pass requirements and tests receive a diploma that is different from the diploma for students who do pass requirements and test?

I will support academic after school programs, Saturday Academies, an additional year and stronger GED courses. I support differentiated diplomas awarded to special education students who have been assessed as not having the capacity to do the work required to earn a diploma.

We do have graduates who don't read, write or calculate well.

Teaching these students better, helping them to learn on grade level - that is where our energies must be. Little is gained by reducing our standards and lowering our expectations and then awarding a special diploma to cover our failure.

5. If you have children, do (did) your children attend D.C. Public Schools?

My wife and I have twin infant sons (5 months). They will attend District of Columbia Public Schools. I have great hope for our public schools.