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Last Wednesday night, the State Board adopted two new resolutions related to students’ in-school cellphone use and school facilities’ HVAC improvement needs. The State Board also approved transmission of the draft Furthering Admissions Inclusion and Representation Act of 2025, or FAIR Act, to D.C. Council for consideration. Voting was held after six hours hearing from more than 60 constituents ranging from students to parents to teachers.

Call to improve indoor air quality.

State Resolution 25-1, Addressing Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Issues in D.C. Public Schools, was adopted as amended by vote of 11-to-zero.*  The resolution was proposed by student representative Anna Mayer, senior at School Without Walls in Ward 2.
 
With adoption, the State Board calls for Mayor Bowser, D.C. Council and the Department of General Services to ramp up repairs and maintenance of school facilities’ HVAC systems. The State Board also calls for greater preparation to modernize systems, biannual inspections, more robust indoor air quality monitoring and reporting, and that efforts be made to ensure all schools are prepared for compliance with more comprehensive indoor air quality standards.
 
Adoption of SR25-1 follows a State Board panel discussion on District schools’ indoor air quality in January 2025. The panel included District government and school officials, parents, and HVAC and school health experts. Last week, on February 12, D.C. Council also heard from members of the public and school personnel about indoor air quality and heating inadequacies in school facilities.

Call to ban cellphones.

State Resolution 25-2, Calling for the Elimination of Student Cellphone Usage During the School Day, was adopted as amended by vote of six-to-three, with two abstentions.* With adoption, the State Board calls for:

• School day-long, student cellphone-use bans to be implemented District-wide for the 2025-26 school year.
• The Office of the State Superintendent, D.C. Public Schools and the D.C. Public Charter School Board to strengthen policies concerning emergency communications with students’ parents or guardians.
• D.C. Council to pass Bill 26-0073, the Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025, introduced in January by Councilmember Pinto (Ward 2)

Speaking in favor of the resolution, Eboni-Rose Thompson, State Board member representing Ward 7, said, “The status quo is not a good one. Consistency is important… I think this is a timely policy, and I look forward to the discussion at the Council level.”
 
The resolution’s three nay votes were all delivered by the State Board’s student representatives. They urged further clarification on funding, emergency communication procedures and tech equity. Earlier in February, the Student Advisory Committee, which is co-chaired by the student representatives, opposed SR25-2 by vote of 17-to-eight.
 
Adoption of SR25-2 follows a State Board hearing in December 2024 on cellphones in schools.

Call to prohibit legacy admissions practices in D.C. postsecondary schools.

In a unanimous vote, the State Board agreed to transmit the draft FAIR Act of 2025 to D.C. Council.
 
If received, considered and passed by Council as is, the bill would prohibit legacy and donor admissions preferences at District postsecondary schools, barring those noncompliant from receiving District-issued licenses, permits, contracts and financial support. Exceptions would be made for institutions with student populations of at least 30 percent Pell Grant-eligible students and for descendants of enslaved individuals whose labor benefitted applied-to institutions.

READ THE DRAFT LEGISLATION.
 
Twenty-seven of those who testified before the State Board supported the FAIR Act. No one spoke in opposition. Eric Goulet, Ward 3 representative to the State Board and principal writer of the draft legislation, thanked the individuals who testified, saying, “I appreciate your leadership and advocacy on this issue.”

Statement from State Board President Jacque Patterson:

“The calls made Wednesday night were the culmination of countless hours engaging and listening to our constituents. Today, we are honored as ever to represent them, to be their elected voice. We stand ready to partner with our peers and friends across the District in advancing this work that will strengthen our students, schools and communities.”

*Vote counts include those of the student representatives, which are recorded but do not decide outcomes.