Committee of the Whole

COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004 CHAIRMAN PHIL MENDELSON COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ANNOUNCES A PUBLIC OVERSIGHT HEARING on Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Hearing Room 412 (Track B) John A. Wilson Building 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW DC Council Website (www.dccouncil.gov) INVITED WITNESSES 1. Jon Rolle Principal, Garfield Elementary, DC Public Schools 2. Leia Harris Director of Guidance, Richard Wright PCS 3. Ashlee Watson Regional Director, Culture and Engagement, Rocketship Public Schools 4. Myron Long Executive Director, The Social Justice School PCS 5. Brandon Johnson Head of School, The Social Justice School PCS PUBLIC WITNESSES 6. Salim Adofo Chairperson, ANC 8C 7. Danielle Robinette Senior Policy Attorney, Children's Law Center 8. Tayo Belle Deputy Director, School Justice Project 9. Scott Goldstein Executive Director, EmpowerEd 10. Nicole Travers Senior Director of School Support & Program Data, DC Charter School Alliance 11. Hannah Mason Senior Education Research Analyst, D.C. Policy Center 12. Jodi Ovca Founder and Executive Director, Access Youth 13. Jessica Giles Executive Director, DC, Center for Strong Public Schools Action Fund 14. Maya Martin Cadogan Founder and Executive Director, PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education) 15. Tierra Stewart Chief Program Officer, DC SCORES 16. Teklevzj Yohannas Public Witness 17. Nehemiah Yohannas Public Witness 18. David Trigaux Executive Director, Washington Urban Debate League 19. Angelica Castanon Public Witness 20. Kristin Sinclair Public Witness 21. Joy Taylor Capital Athletics 22. Marvin Parker Capital Athletics 23. Samantha Trumbull Public Witness 24. Alexandra Simbana Public Witness 25. Nyasha Rusunguko Director of Program Operations, Higher Achievement 26. Caroline Pryor Director of Policy and Power-Building, EmpowerEd 27. Laura Fuchs President, Washington Teachers Union 28. Olga Cano Public Witness 29. Sarah Ross Social Worker, Lee Montessori East End 30. Dierra Dupree Public Witness 31. Jeanette McCune Executive Director, SchoolTalk 32. Isabel Slonneger Promotor/Youth Advocate, Latin American Youth Center 33. Rustin Lewis Exeecutive Director , Communities In Schools of the Nation’s Capital 34. Kat Park Executive Director, Breakthrough Montessori PCS 35. Dylan Amankwaah Site Coordinator , Communities in Schools of the Nations Capital 36. Irene Jacobs Policy Manager, Black Swan Academy 37. Nadiya Pope Education Justice Attorney, Advocates for Justice and Education 38. Adrienne Smith Public Witness 39. Jordan Frazier Site Coordinator, Communities in Schools of the Nation's Capital 40. Sarah Hill Volunteer Coordinator, Washington Urban Debate League 41. Josh Boots EmpowerK12 42. Tara Iqbal Public Witness 43. Luis Martinez Program Manager, Latin American Youth Center 44. Quiana Lamons Parent Leader, PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education) 45. Sharn Boone Ruffin Parent Leader, PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education) 46. Ben Peisch Public Witness 47. Christina Hanson Public Witness 48. Dominique Moore Community Organizer, EmpowerEd 49. DaVaughn Montgomery Fellow, EmpowerEd 50. Zachary Wilson Fellow, EmpowerEd 51. Elizabeth Weiss Fellow, EmpowerEd 52. Ashley Bryant Fellow, EmpowerEd 53. Ange Pirko Fellow, EmpowerEd 54. Zellee Jones Fellow, EmpowerEd 55. Kendall Shepard Office Manager, Rocketship Public Schools 56. JaQuan Bryant Principal, Rise Academy, Rocketship Public Schools GOVERNMENT WITNESSES 1. Lewis Ferebee Chancellor, DC Public Schools 2. Dr. Antoinette Mitchell State Superintendent of Education, Office of the State Superintendent of Education 3. Dr. Michelle Walker-Davis Executive Director, DC Public Charter School Board 4. Paul Kihn Deputy Mayor for Education, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education 5. Rachel Pierre Acting Director, Department of Human Services 6. Tanya Torres Trice Acting Director, Child and Family Services Agency 7. Elizabeth Wieser Deputy Attorney General for Public Safety Division, Office of the Attorney General 8. Tamira Roberson Acting Director, Court Social Services Division, Superior Court of the District of Columbia