AJE is excited to share with families this opportunity to share their experiences in ALL DC public schools, both DCPS and Charter, with the District of Columbia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
The District of Columbia Advisory Committee (Committee) to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Commission) is revisiting its recent inquiry on Accessing Services for Students with Disabilities in D.C. Public Schools. The Committee will review the 2024 report’s findings and recommendations considering recent changes within the U.S. Department of Education and their implications for special education services.
On March 5, 2025, it was announced that the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights was initiating a directed investigation to evaluate if the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is failing to meet the needs of students with special needs or disabilities. This investigation was based on the findings from the Commission’s D.C. Advisory Committee report, “Accessing Services for Students with Disabilities in DC Public Schools.” As part of this inquiry, the Committee will hold a briefing on Monday, June 16, 2025, to gather updated information and expert perspectives from a range of panelists. More details about this briefing are available here.
The Committee will hear expert perspectives from the following panelists:
- Jenny Clark, CEO, Love Your School
- Matt Ladner, Senior Advisor, Heritage Foundation
- Raquel Regalado, Commissioner, Miami-Dade County
- Dan Stewart, Managing Attorney for Education and Employment, National Disability Rights Network
There will be a public comment period near the end of the meeting. Members of the public may make oral comments for up to five minutes on the topic. Please note that the Committee is advisory in nature only and has no enforcement authority. Therefore, the Committee cannot investigate or resolve individual civil rights complaints. Written comments will also be accepted—members of the public may submit written comments to svillanueva@usccr.gov within 30 days of the meeting to be included in the meeting record.
Date: Monday, June 16, 2025
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Meeting Link: https://bit.ly/3Hhu3BG
Telephone Access (Audio Only): 1-833-435-1820, Webinar ID: 161 010 1526
Chair Wayne Heard said, “The District of Columbia Advisory Committee expresses its sincere appreciation for the continued collaboration of all stakeholders, including parents, school administrators, education researchers, and representatives of local and federal government. As we advance in our collective efforts to identify and implement effective solutions, we welcome public input on the findings and recommendations outlined in our report. Additionally, we are also eager to understand how the potential closure of the U.S. Department of Education may affect special education services.”
Closed captioning is available by selecting “CC” in the Zoom meeting platform. Individuals requiring additional accommodations should contact Sarah Villanueva at svillanueva@usccr.gov at least 10 business days prior to this briefing.
Members of the public will be invited to make oral comments on the topic at the conclusion of the briefing. Each comment may not exceed five minutes. Members of the public are also invited to submit written comments to svillaneuva@usccr.gov within 30 days of the briefing to be included in the public record.
mwojnaroski@usccr.gov
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