FAQ

Although DCPS does not have a policy specifically addressing babysitting or staff tutoring of DCPS students, the general DC Government ethics rules have strict provisions regarding outside employment and conflicts of interest. Those provisions serve to prohibit staff members from tutoring or babysitting students of a school where the staff member is employed, prohibit staff members from advertising themselves as DCPS employees to make them more competitive for additional earned income, and prohibit the use of District government resources to advertise or promote any outside business activity.

DCPS believes that grades are in the service of ongoing learning, to provide timely feedback and personalized instruction, while making a record of growth and development. Student grades will be:

• A measure of skills and knowledge from content taught and learned;
• Based on standards-based evidence of student learning demonstrated in foundational course assignments and assessments;
• Accessible and available for revision and improvement throughout the term; and
• Provided frequently and accurately.

School Mental Health Teams are supporting students at all levels of need including families who will have all-virtual related services. Students may initiate contact with school mental health staff. This is considered a self-referral and depending on age, may require parental consent. Parents, guardians, peers, and staff may also refer a student for services. Any staff person can facilitate an introduction to a member of the Mental Health Team if families or students are unsure who to speak with about a mental health concern or inquiry about services.

Yes! DCPS will ensure that every student who needs a DCPS-issued device for virtual learning will have access to both a device and internet for School Year 2020-2021. DCPS is accomplishing this goal through a comprehensive family needs assessment process. DCPS will provide devices to students who lack access in the home.

DCPS is asking all families to report their technology access in the DCPS Technology Survey at: dcps.tech/survey. You can also complete the survey by phone by calling your school.

DCPS will provide families who lack access to internet the support needed to connect through a hotspot or data-enabled device that will allow them to connect, free of charge. DCPS is asking all families to report their internet access in the DCPS Technology Survey at: dcps.tech/survey. You can also complete the survey by phone by calling your school.

DCPS launched an electronic submission process for SY20-21 enrollment in the spring and this process continues to be available to families for SY21-22 enrollment. Enrollment packets can be found here. For SY21-22, there are no changes in requirements for families, however, alternative methods for submitting the necessary documentation electronically are available. All families will still need to complete a DCPS enrollment packet, prove DC residency, and submit all documents to their school prior to the first day of school on August 30, 2021. For more detailed information on enrollment, please see our Frequently Asked Questions. As always, we are ready and eager to support you with any enrollment questions you may have, especially if you need help with the new electronic submission process. Please do not hesitate to contact your school or the DCPS Enrollment Team at enroll@k12.dc.gov or (202) 478- 5738.

Beginning School Year 2020-2021, immunizations will be required for in-person attendance. Ensuring your child receives the right vaccinations at the right age is one of the most important ways to help them stay healthy and keep serious diseases at a distance. When we do return to in-person instruction, students who have not received their required immunizations will have 20 school days to provide immunization certification or they will be removed from in-person attendance and transitioned to virtual learning until the necessary immunization documentation is received. Please visit the DC Health website for a detailed schedule of required immunizations and page from OSSE for more information.

Please contact your child’s health care provider for confirmation.

Please visit the Health Care Access Bureau’s website for a full list of DC pediatric immunization locations or visit DCHealthlink.com if you need access to health insurance. DCPS also has seven school-based Health Centers that are serving as immunization clinics this summer. Please use the following link to view the sites and location hours.

For learning at home, attendance will be recorded based on the student logging into Canvas, DCPS’ Learning Management System, each day between 6:00 am and 11:59 pm. Canvas participation will be transferred to a student’s Aspen attendance record on a daily basis. Teachers will monitor participation in live synchronous instruction as well as tracking successful engagement with online learning activities. If students need to miss a live synchronous class, they should communicate with a teacher about how to make up for missed learning.