Kenneth Addo Civic Leader Education Reform Now Advocacy State Board of Education Public Meeting Good evening DC State Board of Education Representatives. My name is Kenneth Addo. I am a Ward 4 resident and advocate with Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. Tonight I am here to discuss the need for improved secondary pathways for D.C. students, advocating for effective marketing and collaboration with community partners like myself to enhance awareness and engagement in educational reforms. Through my canvassing with ERNA DC’s Breaking Barriers campaign in wards 7 and 8, I spoke with numerous vot ..read more

LaDan W. Johnson Civic Leader, Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. State Board of Education April Public Meeting Good evening, representatives of the DC State Board of Education. I am LaDan W. Johnson, a resident of Ward 7 and an employee and Ph.D. student in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies at Howard University. As a civic leader for Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C., I advocate for equitable educational opportunities in Washington, DC. Tonight, I am here to support expanding dual enrollment and early college opportunities for our students. In my current role as the Student Affa ..read more

Kenya Johnson Civic Leader Education Reform Now Advocacy State Board of Education Public Meeting Good evening DC State Board of Education (SBOE) Representatives. My name is Kenya Johnson, and I am a Career Pathways Educator in Ward 4 and an advocate for Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. In the fight for just and equitable education for all students in D.C., even in a fiscally challenging year, we must consider how our budget will yield a return on investments in the years to come. Today, I want to offer a glimpse into our youth’s future and advocate for a budget that champions career pathways ..read more

Christopher J. Charles Civic Leader Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. SBOE Public Meeting Good evening State Board of Education members, My name is Christopher J. Charles, and I live in Ward 7. I’m here both as a community member and as a civic leader for Education Reform Now D.C., an organization advocating for a just and equitable public education system for all D.C. students. I have worked with young people at a youth center in the public health discipline during the height of COVID-19. I have developed and led programming, providing our young people with experiences and confidence to thri ..read more

Olivia A. Chase Civic Leader Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. SBOE Public Meeting Greetings, members of the State Board of Education. My name is Olivia A. Chase, a resident of Ward 6 and a steadfast advocate with the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy. I stand before you as a grandparent raising a grandchild, navigating the complexities of our educational and justice systems. Today, I urge you to consider the profound impact of our decisions on students like my grandchild who is a student at McCarthur High School, particularly regarding secondary education pathways, public transpo ..read more

Testimony to the DC State Board of Education on Statewide Math Education and AI Integration Good afternoon, members of the DC State Board of Education. I’m Andre Aina, CEO of Third Eye Education Analytics, where we utilize academic data to provide schools and educators with actionable insights that help students thrive. I have a decade of experience in the classroom working with students and teachers in mathematics across several domains—special education, general education, and Response to Intervention (RTI)—and will continue these efforts as an Academic Data Specialist. Today, I’m here as a ..read more

Vonique Bolluck Civic Leader, Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. State Board of Education Public Meeting Greetings State Board of Education representatives, my name is Vonique Bullock, and I live in Ward 7.  I’m here as a parent, educator, community member, and a civic leader with the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), an organization fighting for a just and equitable public education system for all D.C. students. Today, I’m here to discuss the importance of ensuring all of our students have strong math skills. Mathematics is more than solving problems to get the right ..read more

Randy Bumpers Civic Leader, Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. State Board of Education Public Meeting Good evening, Members of the DC State Board of Education, My name is Randy Bumpers, a PhD student at Howard University studying Higher Education Leadership and Policy, and a collaborator with the Department of Curriculum and Instruction colleagues on research around AI literacy for K-12 educators. I am here before you today in my capacity as a civic leader with Education Reform Now Advocacy DC (ERNA DC), and I am advocating for just and equitable educational opportunities and wish to discuss ..read more

Kenya Johnson Civic Leader, Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. Budget Oversight Hearing Good afternoon, Chairman Mendelson, members, and staff of the Committee of the Whole; My name is Kenya Johnson, and I am a Career Pathways Educator in Ward 4 and an advocate for Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. In the fight for just and equitable education for all students in D.C., even in a fiscally challenging year, we must consider how our budget will yield a return on investments in the years to come. Today, I come before you, to add on to Jessica Giles and Andre Aina’s testimony by offering a glimpse ..read more

Emmanuel Bestman Civic Leader Education Reform Now Advocacy D.C. DC Council’s Committee of the Whole FY 2025 Budget Oversight Hearing on: Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education District of Columbia Public Schools Office of the State Superintendent of Education Good afternoon, Chairman Mendelson, members, and staff of the Committee of the Whole; I am Emmanuel Bestman, a ward 4 resident, financial literacy coach, and dedicated advocate for the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy, an organization fighting for a just and equitable education for all students in the District of Columbi ..read more