D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown is holding an additional hearing on a bill to require District students to take the SAT or ACT before they can graduate high school.
Only youths aged 21 and younger are invited to testify at the Saturday afternoon hearing on Brown’s College Preparation Plan Act of 2012, which would also require graduates to apply to college or trade school.
A number of youth testified in support of Brown’s bill at a Feb. 16 hearing.
Lyric Carter, a senior at Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering Senior High School, will be a freshman studying English at Temple University this fall.
“I know to some students it will seem like a punishment…but I am a living test to show this is not at all a punishment but a push for students to reach their full potential,” Carter said.
Not all of the testimony was positive. Brown did not receive unilateral support for D.C. school officials. Scott Pearson, executive director of the D.C. Charter School Board, said the measure was “overreaching” and that many charter schools were already adopting similar policies.
Carrie Wright, the chief academic officer of D.C. Public Schools, said she does not personally believe the school system needs an additional barrier to graduation.
Chancellor Kaya Henderson, however did voice some support at another hearing on DCPS’ performance and budget.
