Council of the District of Columbia

Committee of the Whole

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

MEMORANDUM

TO: Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council

FROM: Phil Mendelson, Chairman

Councilmember Robert White

Councilmember Mary Cheh

Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George

Councilmember Christina Henderson

Councilmember Charles Allen

Councilmember Brianne Nadeau

DATE: September 30, 2021

RE: Request to Place Emergency Measures on the Agenda for the October 5, 2021 Legislative Meeting

Chairman Phil Mendelson, Councilmember Robert White, Councilmember Mary Cheh, Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George, Councilmember Christina Henderson, Councilmember Charles Allen, and Councilmember Brianne Nadeau request that the following measures be placed on the agenda for the October 5, 2021 legislative meeting:

§ Protecting our Children Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2021

§ Protecting our Children Emergency Amendment Act of 2021

§ Protecting our Children Temporary Amendment Act of 2021

On September 21, 2021, the Committee of the Whole held a public oversight hearing on Re-Opening District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and the District of Columbia Public Charter Schools (DCPCS) for School Year 2021-22 to hear from parents and other stakeholders on the experience of the first few weeks of in-person school amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. At that hearing, the Council heard testimony that revealed significant concerns with health and safety protocols, inadequate HVAC systems in school facilities, restrictions on access to virtual learning, and a lack of robust and transparent reporting of data on school enrollment, attendance, and overall COVID mitigation strategies for schools. This emergency legislation would address those issues.

This legislation requires that DCPS or any public charter school local education agency establish or expand an existing distance learning program to the following students: 1) those with certain high-risk medical conditions whose physician recommends that they receive distance learning; and 2) students who are ineligible for a COVID-19 vaccine and who live with an individual with a high-risk medical condition. In addition, the legislation expands the definition of excused absences to include certain absences related to COVID-19 infections for school year 2021-22 and requires certain reporting requirements related to COVID-19 cases at each local education agency and DCPS facility issues.

The draft measures are attached. Please call the Chairman, Ms. LeKisha Jordan, or Ms. Christina Setlow if you have any questions at (202) 724-8137 or (202) 724-4865.

cc: All Councilmembers

Council Officers

Christina K. Setlow, Deputy Committee Director

Committee of the Whole, Chairman Phil Mendelson

Council of the District of Columbia

1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 410

Washington, DC 20004

Ph: (202) 724-4865

Fax: (202) 724-7139

www.chairmanmendelson.com