Top officials from D.C. Public Schools and the University of the District of Columbia will meet for the first time in two years to brainstorm joint programs designed for the city’s students.
News of the plans came about a week after Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s contentious hearing with the D.C. Council over her management of the school system, leading some city officials to wonder if the meeting is a move toward appeasement.
“I brought it up at the hearing last week, but also at a hearing eight months ago,” said Councilman Michael Brown, D-at large. “I’ve been pushing and pushing, and maybe now she’s agreed.”
Rhee spokeswoman Jennifer Calloway said the timing of the meetings, to be held later this month, has more to do with adhering to a long-term plan.
“During our first two years we’ve made a concerted effort to be disciplined and focused on serving kids within our K-12 school system,” she said. “In the recent weeks our team has come up with some great ideas about ways to collaborate.”
UDC spokesman Alan Etter said simply, “We’ve been trying to put this together for a long time,” adding that the addition this year of a community college to the university may have attracted the positive attention.
“We’re thrilled to be able to work with the chancellor to approach education from a more holistic perspective,” he said.
A wealth of models exist around the region for partnerships between secondary and higher education, serving thousands of suburban students.
Montgomery College has offerings in 21 of the county’s 25 high schools, including high-level courses taught by college faculty, said Akima Rogers, the college’s director of high school programs.
“We started in 2002 as a way to meet the needs of high school seniors — rather than just letting them hang out for their senior year,” Rogers said.
In Prince George’s County, too, avenues exist both for taking courses at Prince George’s Community College and in certain high schools taught by college faculty.
Northern Virginia Community College serves nearly 2,000 students through a dual enrollment program. Many of those students attend the college and earn college credit at the same time as they’re finishing high school credits.
