How will this Office of the State Superintendent of Education transition affect student achievement?

This transition effort will lead to a design for the new OSSE that will result in an objective system of checks and balances for specific services and will strengthen the opportunities for parental involvement and in critical state-level policy work, which we know is a critical component of student achievement.

What is the reorganization of the OSSE going to look like?

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education is developing a detailed transition plan which will describe the full transition process. The OSSE is committed to including the leadership and staff of those entities that are to be merged into the transition structure.

When will the reorganization of the OSSE be completed?.

The OSSE is proceeding with the development of a transition plan that will be reviewed by the Council of the District of Columbia. The plan requires approval from the Mayor of the District of Columbia..

When will the OSSE be fully operational?.

The OSSE will include in its transition plan a full timeline for full implementation of the responsibilities of the new office which will be submitted to the Mayor and reviewed by the Council of the District of Columbia 90 days from June 12, 2007.

 What goals does the OSSE hope to achieve through this transition?.

The OSSE has begun developing a methodical, well-designed and structured transition process to accomplish four main objectives and effectively build a foundation for the District’s public education system.  These objectives include:

• Developing policies based on educational research or best practices research, as well as, best “thinking and insights” of the nation’s leading education experts, to create the policy framework of the OSSE
• Developing accountability systems that maximize internal efficiency in program operations of the new entity
• Developing and implementing a transition plan with appropriate funding and staffing levels to ensure that  functions acquired by the OSSE are staffed and managed appropriately
• Managing the merger and integration process to ensure that staff, funds, systems, and capabilities are effectively integrated and create an organization that achieves outstanding performance levels developing and implementing education policies that help equip students with the skills required for the twenty first century