Families of students with disabilities have two upcoming opportunities to make their voices heard before the DC Council!

The Council plays an important role in overseeing District agencies, identifying problems, and holding agencies accountable for providing students with the services and support they need. Public hearings and roundtables give families an opportunity to share their experiences and advocate for improvements.

At Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE), we encourage parents and caregivers to participate in conversations that affect their children’s education.

The DC Council will hold two important proceedings on the same day. The first, an oversight roundtable concerning student transportation provided by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s Division of Student Transportation (OSSE-DOT), will address transportation services for students with disabilities. Reliable transportation is essential to ensuring students can attend school consistently and receive the educational services they are entitled to. Although this roundtable will not include public witnesses, families can still submit written testimony to share their experiences, concerns, and recommendations. This will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 9:30 AM.

Later that day, the Council will hold a hearing focused more broadly on special education, providing another opportunity to raise concerns about the challenges students with disabilities face in accessing appropriate educational services and supports. This hearing will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 2:30 PM.

The location for both hearings is the Wilson Building, Room 412 – address at the bottom of this post.

Your voice matters, and we encourage you to participate!

Whether your family has experienced transportation delays, missed services, difficulties obtaining special education support, or other challenges, sharing your experiences can help Council members better understand the needs of all DC students and families.

To participate, visit the hearing links above and follow the instructions to register to testify, where permitted, or submit written testimony. You can also review the DC Council’s guide to testifying for step-by-step instructions. Even if you cannot attend a hearing, submitting written testimony is a meaningful way to advocate for change. Families’ firsthand experiences are essential to building a more accountable, accessible, and equitable education system for all students. AJE will hosting drop in office hours to soon to help families prepare for these hearings, please check our calendar for details!

Meeting Room:
The Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20004
Room 412 (Track B)