No we don't need another education commission council tell OSSE to do their job

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like this is a move to soften Mayoral control of DCPS. If so, I'm all in.

Of course mayoral control was seen as the answer to the lack of accountability that came from diffuse authority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The residency scandal didn't get pursued by OSSE because they are in the reporting chain to the Mayor. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/secret-probe-points-to-widespread-enrollment-fraud-at-acclaimed-dc-high-school/2018/02/27/e20d2684-1b33-11e8-b2d9-08e748f892c0_story.html?utm_term=.2ef6eb375f3d

The incentives need to be to share data widely, not sweep them under the rug. Not worry about whose executive assistant somebody is before kicking her Frederick grandchildren out of DC schools.

Sorry if that means duplication, but an open-data, investigate all the way norm usually only comes with an external office. They're likely to duplicate something that it's a shame DC government can't and won't do.

Is there any reason to believe that the Council is any more immune to political considerations than the Mayor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The residency scandal didn't get pursued by OSSE because they are in the reporting chain to the Mayor. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/secret-probe-points-to-widespread-enrollment-fraud-at-acclaimed-dc-high-school/2018/02/27/e20d2684-1b33-11e8-b2d9-08e748f892c0_story.html?utm_term=.2ef6eb375f3d

The incentives need to be to share data widely, not sweep them under the rug. Not worry about whose executive assistant somebody is before kicking her Frederick grandchildren out of DC schools.

Sorry if that means duplication, but an open-data, investigate all the way norm usually only comes with an external office. They're likely to duplicate something that it's a shame DC government can't and won't do.

Is there any reason to believe that the Council is any more immune to political considerations than the Mayor?

Nope.

[Anonymous]

When you need freedom from politics you set up something like an inspector general or auditor where bringing things to light, good government, and data availability are the norm.

The proposal here is a panel that's situated in the DC Auditor's office. That's free enough from politics. So you transfer the data people out of OSSE and into a division of the Auditor's office and write a DC statute giving them data access and control and ability to make it all public, along with the subpoena and investigatory powers of the Auditor's office.

That's a solution that isn't a bunch of FTEs and it's not too hard to conceptualize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you need freedom from politics you set up something like an inspector general or auditor where bringing things to light, good government, and data availability are the norm.

The proposal here is a panel that's situated in the DC Auditor's office. That's free enough from politics. So you transfer the data people out of OSSE and into a division of the Auditor's office and write a DC statute giving them data access and control and ability to make it all public, along with the subpoena and investigatory powers of the Auditor's office.

That's a solution that isn't a bunch of FTEs and it's not too hard to conceptualize.

Of course the current DC auditor is a former DC Councilmember. And while I'm supportive of her, she is as political as anyone else.

[Anonymous]

The DC auditor is appointed by the Council chair, and serves a 6-year term.

So not that independent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you need freedom from politics you set up something like an inspector general or auditor where bringing things to light, good government, and data availability are the norm.

The proposal here is a panel that's situated in the DC Auditor's office. That's free enough from politics. So you transfer the data people out of OSSE and into a division of the Auditor's office and write a DC statute giving them data access and control and ability to make it all public, along with the subpoena and investigatory powers of the Auditor's office.

That's a solution that isn't a bunch of FTEs and it's not too hard to conceptualize.

This response doesn't answer the real question of why OSSE isn't able to perform its function right now - the suggestion in this thread is that its political concerns getting in the way, which muddles the idea that you'd simply take current people and just move their jobs into a new office. Is the actual legislation just suggesting that we move old folks into a new place?

If thats the case then whats the point? This appears to be more of a surface level adjustment over an actual look at the real problem - there are at least 7 education related agencies in this city. Why do we need an 8th? I think some complete restructuring needs to occur:

1. DCPS
2. OSSE
3. My School DC
4. Deputy Mayor for Education
5. D.C. Public Charter School Board
6. State Board of Education
7. The Ombudsmen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then let’s move OSSE to a non-political arm. They are staffed and overseen by too many people invested in corporate “education reform”. They should be independent from all that BS so we can get real direction on what works.

There are no non-political arms of government in DC, or in any state (which for the purpose of this debate, DC is). OSSE is our state board of education. In other states those people are either appointed by an elected (aka political) governor or elected by citizens.

I didn't understand PP's comments about moving OSSE to create independence but I do think that there's room to discuss creating a better system of checks and balances. Maybe OSSE should move under SBOE. Not sure if that solves anything but it may create a way for more voices to determine the direction of oversight rather than have everything under the mayor.

I thought OSSE was under SBOE, right? Or is the SBOE under OSSE?

OSSE is under the Mayor/DME. SBOE is an "advisory" body to OSSE and the Mayor, and does have approval rights over some policies/standards promulgated by OSSE.

"The State Board of Education is responsible for advising the State Superintendent of Education on educational matters, including: state standards; state policies, including those governing special, academic, vocational, charter and other schools; state objectives; and state regulations proposed by the Mayor or the State Superintendent of Education. The State Board is also responsible for approving the following state-level policies..."

The article incorrectly states that the executive director of PCSB reports to the Mayor. The director reports to the PCSB(oard) itself, which hires and oversees the director like many quasi-governmental agencies. The Board is appointed by the Mayor, and approved by the Council. But there is no day-to-day control over the PCSB by the Mayor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then let’s move OSSE to a non-political arm. They are staffed and overseen by too many people invested in corporate “education reform”. They should be independent from all that BS so we can get real direction on what works.

There are no non-political arms of government in DC, or in any state (which for the purpose of this debate, DC is). OSSE is our state board of education. In other states those people are either appointed by an elected (aka political) governor or elected by citizens.

I didn't understand PP's comments about moving OSSE to create independence but I do think that there's room to discuss creating a better system of checks and balances. Maybe OSSE should move under SBOE. Not sure if that solves anything but it may create a way for more voices to determine the direction of oversight rather than have everything under the mayor.

I thought OSSE was under SBOE, right? Or is the SBOE under OSSE?

OSSE is under the Mayor/DME. SBOE is an "advisory" body to OSSE and the Mayor, and does have approval rights over some policies/standards promulgated by OSSE.

"The State Board of Education is responsible for advising the State Superintendent of Education on educational matters, including: state standards; state policies, including those governing special, academic, vocational, charter and other schools; state objectives; and state regulations proposed by the Mayor or the State Superintendent of Education. The State Board is also responsible for approving the following state-level policies..."

The article incorrectly states that the executive director of PCSB reports to the Mayor. The director reports to the PCSB(oard) itself, which hires and oversees the director like many quasi-governmental agencies. The Board is appointed by the Mayor, and approved by the Council. But there is no day-to-day control over the PCSB by the Mayor.

I asked the SBOE question - +1 here, thank you. I had it wrong in my head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you need freedom from politics you set up something like an inspector general or auditor where bringing things to light, good government, and data availability are the norm.

The proposal here is a panel that's situated in the DC Auditor's office. That's free enough from politics. So you transfer the data people out of OSSE and into a division of the Auditor's office and write a DC statute giving them data access and control and ability to make it all public, along with the subpoena and investigatory powers of the Auditor's office.

That's a solution that isn't a bunch of FTEs and it's not too hard to conceptualize.

This response doesn't answer the real question of why OSSE isn't able to perform its function right now - the suggestion in this thread is that its political concerns getting in the way, which muddles the idea that you'd simply take current people and just move their jobs into a new office. Is the actual legislation just suggesting that we move old folks into a new place?

If thats the case then whats the point? This appears to be more of a surface level adjustment over an actual look at the real problem - there are at least 7 education related agencies in this city. Why do we need an 8th? I think some complete restructuring needs to occur:

1. DCPS
2. OSSE
3. My School DC
4. Deputy Mayor for Education
5. D.C. Public Charter School Board
6. State Board of Education
7. The Ombudsmen

The Study Ombudsman is within OSSE; MySchoolDC is also now within OSSE.

DME is over DCPS - so that's not really separate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The DC auditor is appointed by the Council chair, and serves a 6-year term.

So not that independent.

It's more independent than being approved by the Mayor! And at least the Auditor overlaps multiple administrations. That's about as "independent" as it gets in American politics/bureaucracy.