Governance
Oversight Organization Contacts
DC Public Charter School Board If caregivers have concerns around their students academics, bullying, discipline, enrollment, health and safety, special education, transportation, uniforms, and other issues and want to file a grievance please contact the DC Public Charter School Board.
Theresa Kemp
Phone: 202-328-2660
Email: tkemp@dcpcsb.org
Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education If caregivers have concerns about academic progress, attendance, communication and engagement, discipline, enrollment, resource needs, bullying, safety or special education involving their student please contact the Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education.
Stephanie Arias
Phone: 202.741.0886
Email: stephanie.arias1@dc.gov
U.S. Department of Education: Office for Civil Rights If caregivers have concerns that their student is facing discrimination and or a civil rights problem. For example the school is not following up on or implementing a 504 plan, working with caregivers on an Individual Education Plan (IEP), has experienced sex discrimination that is prohibited by Title IX or has experienced discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin which is prohibited by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Caregivers should contact the Office of Civil Rights. Due to many working remotely, email is the best contact.
U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1100
Telephone: 800-421-3481
FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: OCR@ed.gov
This can be as simple as writing an email to express your concerns about the school or administration. The contact may follow up with more information, but changes can not occur unless there is documentation about an incident.
Useful Information for Parents and Caregivers:
Office of the Student Advocate If caregivers are looking for resources and advocacy tools and other tools this office has a variety of ways to assist in meeting student’s needs.
https://studentadvocate.dc.gov/page/advocacy
If you think your child needs services a step by step process to getting assistance:
If your child has gotten a referral for services this is the Family Guide to Independent Services:
https://dcps.dc.gov/node/995392
Advocacy Groups:
Advocates for Justice Education seeks to empower families, youth, and the community to be effective advocates to ensure that children and youth, particularly those who have special needs, receive access to appropriate education and health services.
1200 G Street, NW Suite #725
Washington, D.C 20005
202- 678-8060
Anacostia Community Outreach Center ACOC provides an array of education, training and workforce development, and crisis intervention opportunities to economically disenfranchised and underserved children, youth, adults, and families living in Washington DC’s most economically and socially depressed communities with regards to income, unemployment, and educational
attainment (Targeted: Wards 5, 7, & 8).
http://www.anacostiaoutreach.org/
Arts Education DC The mission of Art Education DC (AEDC) is to advance quality visual arts education in Washington, DC through a strong and vibrant professional community embracing advocacy and professional development. AEDC effectively communicates and advocates for the importance of student learning and lifelong learning. This includes access to programs, services, and resources in emerging research, which inform practice in quality visual arts education.
http://www.arteducationdc.org/
Children’s Law Center offers legal support for families and children with physical, learning or emotional disabilities or children living in poverty to assist them with getting the right support they need to succeed.
https://childrenslawcenter.org/our-impact/education/
501 3rd St. NW, 8th Floor
Washington DC 20001
202-467-4900
Coalition for DC Public Schools & Communities The Coalition for Public Schools & Communities is committed to excellent public education opportunities for all children in our city. Our members are a diverse group of activists – Ward-level education councils, school organizations and other groups – who share a common goal.
DC Association for Special Education DCASE is an alliance of nonpublic and charter schools that provide special education services to students from the District of Columbia. Members are dedicated to improving educational opportunities for all DC students with disabilities.
DC Fiscal Policy Institute The DC Fiscal Policy Institute conducts research and public education on budget and tax issues in the District of Columbia, with a particular emphasis on issues that affect low-and moderate-income residents.
DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative To support all members of the Kenilworth-Parkside community in improving the quality of their own lives and inspiring positive change in their neighborhood.
DC School Reform Now DC School Reform Now is educating, organizing and advocating to build support for public education strategies that prepare kids to become college and career ready.
DC Special Education Cooperative The Co-op fills a unique community need in DC by working with teachers, school leaders, and across charter schools to improve educational services for students with disabilities. By pooling resources between independent charter schools, the Co-op also acts as a “central office” for DCPCS spread throughout the city serving a diverse range of students.
Edgewood/Brookland Family Support Collaborative Their mission is to strengthen families and build vibrant communities in Wards 5 and 6 in Washington, D.C., through the fostering and creating neighborhood based support networks that promote healthy families, safe neighborhoods and a thriving city for all residents. http//ebfsc.org/ 202-832-9400
Education Town Hall, The This is the intersection where parents, students, teachers, administrators, community members, policy makers and politicians can all meet to share stories, struggles, and solutions. The show airs on Thursdays at 11am on WeActRadio.com http://educationtownhall.org/ 202-889-9797
Empower DC The mission of Empower DC is to enhance, improve and promote the self-advocacy of low and moderate income DC residents in order to bring about sustained improvements in their quality of life. We accomplish our mission through grassroots organizing and training, leadership development, and community education. www.empowerdc.org 202-234-9119
Fight for Children We fight to improve the lives of children in low-income neighborhoods in Washington, DC. Strengthening schools by providing school leaders and teachers the training and tools they need to help students succeed since 1990. ttp://fightforchildren.org 202-772-0400
Grassroots Education Project, The This group empowers communities to serve schools and improve outcomes. Our vision is to transform the relationship all neighborhood schools have with their surrounding community, developing a sense of shared responsibility leading to direct collective action to improve student outcomes. http://www.grassrootseducationproject.org/ 202-719-0525
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children. www.naeyc.org 202-232-8777
National Network for Youth The nation’s leading organization advocating at the federal level to educate the public and policymakers about the needs of homeless and disconnected youth. http://nn4youth.org 202-783-7949
PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education) This group is dedicated to creating an environment where the vision for education in DC is created with children and families, not for them. They aim to shift the dynamic so that communities and parents are partners in creating great schools. https://dcpave.org/ info@dcpave.org
Raise DC This is a cross-sector partnership of local stakeholders formed to promote a culture shift from competition over Washington, DC, resources to collaboration, in providing every youth with opportunities to succeed from cradle to career. www.raisedc.org/ 202-973-2509
Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and Educators S.H.A.P.P.E. is an organization of the District of Columbia Public (DCPS) high school parent leaders, concerned educators and principals in Washington D.C. https://sites.google.com/site/shappesite/ 202-722-4462 or dc.s.h.a.p.p.e@gmail.com
Stand 4 Children is an education advocacy organization devoted to improving public
schools and closing the achievement gap.
http://stand.org 781-891-1300
Ward 1 Education Collaborative is a group of parents and advocates whose children attend public schools in Ward 1, Washington, DC. We are dedicated to strengthening our neighborhood schools and building community.
https://ward1educationcollaborative.wordpress.com
Ward1EducationCollaborative@gmail.com
Ward 2 Education Network advocates for W2 schools – Keeping communities informed.
https://twitter.com/ward2ednetwork
W2EdNetwork@gmail.com
Ward 4 Education Alliance this group brings together Ward 4 parents, students, educators, and community members to share information and advocate for continued
improvement in the quality of education in Ward 4 DCPS schools.
ward4ed@gmail.com
Ward 5 Council on Education (W5COE), Is a 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1989,
is dedicated to improving the quality of education in Ward 5 Schools in the northeast quadrant of Washington, DC.
202-505-4309
Ward 6 -Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization To promote cooperation among the parent organizations of the public schools on Capitol Hill in order to improve the education received by all children attending our schools.
CHPSPO@gmail.com
Ward 7 Education Council This group is dedicated to the continued improvement of our quality of education in Ward 7 and throughout the District of Columbia.
https://twitter.com/Ward7EdCouncil
Youth Advocate Program YAP is a nationally recognized, nonprofit organization exclusively committed to the provision of community-based alternatives to out-of-home care through direct service, advocacy and policy change.
717-232-7580