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

I would like to see mayoral appointments with some of the following experiences:

• strategic planning;
• need/ outcome assessments;
• management with a large, complex organization;
• familiarity with standards of public education systems;
• involvement with a public school system as a parent;
• planning career paths for young people;
• use of technology in teaching and learning; and
• the ability to bring external resources to assist the school system;

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?

Oversight of the school system by the Council means holding the school system. accountable for measurable outcomes (i.e., requiring the school system to establish specific ways of measuring outcomes at each grade level). Micromanagement by the Council means telling the school system how to achieve its outcomes (i.e., specifying what standardized tests should be administered and how often they should be administered).   

The role of the Council is to hold the school system accountable for measurable outcomes; to support budget requests when those requests are clearly articulated by the system; to examine critically past spending; to approve negotiated salary agreements; to assure a proper budgetary process for school construction and renovations; and to examine contract performance.

The Superintendent must present a budget to the School Board, the Mayor, and the Council. There will be differences of opinion as to how public dollars should be spent. There will be different constituencies who will have different objectives. For example, charter school proponents may have a different view than those advocating a more traditional public education system. Reasonable people will have to work out those differences. The Superintendent is the person with responsibility for day-to-day operations of the school. The School Board is to set policy and hold the superintendent accountable. As elected officials, the Mayor and the Council must allow them to do their job. Public education is a matter of grave concern to me as an elected official but I will certainly speak against attempts by my colleagues to over-extend the Council into matters for which the Superintendent and the School Board are directly responsible.

3. What steps would you take to see that the school 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, which do not now exist.

Financing for new school construction and rehabilitation and for funding high quality occupational training/ career development are priorities that must be reflected in the District's budget. In addition new construction must be a part of a strategic plan following an assessment of the conditions of school facilities end neighborhood enrollment projections. The school system has put together such a plan by setting up school districts, as defined in the DC Public Schools Educational Facilities Master Plan. The system has made substantial progress. New construction must be included in the capital budget as proposed by the school system and it should be paid for through the capital budget. The District must also use creative ways of building new schools using the Oyster School as a prototype. In the Oyster model the school system took advantage of its ownership of real property to allow the private development of housing on its property, the revenues from which became the source for repayment industrial revenue bonds used to finance school construction.

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 tests?

I do not accept differentiated diplomas as a solution to the problem of low achievement. Remedial education (summer school, after-school tutoring, practice test-taking, "submersion" schooling, etc) should be provided to any student regardless of grade level so that standard achievement test scores are improved satisfactory to the objectives of the school principal and the goals of the school board. I am willing to support additional public funding to support remedial education and to encourage private financial support and expertise.

I have created a college access program to bolster the math and communication skills of District students to enhance their chances of gaining admission to the college of their choices. This type of program could be developed for older students with low achievement at the University of the District of Columbia and through partnerships with local universities. I would support funding for such a program. I would also like to see a post-secondary charter school for older students who have failed to master the high school curriculum.

Occupation training/career development: It is true that the school system has failed to develop occupation training/career development opportunities. However, the specialty high schools that are developing in the District (i.e., McKinley High School for technology, Dunbar for engineering, Roosevelt for hospitality, etc.) are very important and I will support funding to ensure that such programs thrive.

In addition, as I have worked with DC Link & Learn to provide technology arid college prep training for District students, I would like to work with the private sector to develop a similar program for students who plan to enter the workforce. I have worked with the building trade unions and school-to-work counselors at Ward 4 high schools to advance apprenticeship training. I am also beginning a discussion about the possibility of such unions sponsoring a building industry charter school.

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

Which school(s): Shepherd Elementary School

For how long: through the 6th grade