David Grosso, Candidate for City Council At-Large

D.C. has made great strides in reforming our education system but much more needs to be done and we need to move quickly. The educational achievement gap in D.C. between white and non-white, rich and poor, remains the largest in the country. D.C. residents, rightly, want this gap filled. Why? Our children cannot wait.

As  a candidate for D.C. Council, my priority will be to ensure that D.C.’s children receive a top-notch education that will prepare them to become engaged and active adult members of our society. 

Let's start by raising standards for all our students, regardless of their family backgrounds or financial circumstances. Simultaneously, let's create an environment where teachers are rewarded for doing their jobs: giving their students every opportunity to achieve excellence. 

More importantly, the D.C. Council needs to provide as much oversight as is needed to ensure that Chancellor Kaya Henderson and her team have the support to be successful as quickly as possible. This is one of many reasons why I'm running for Council.

Every child deserves a high-quality modern education within walking distance of their home from preschool through the time they grow up and become active contributing members of society. A high quality education is not just the responsibility of school officials. Every D.C. resident has the responsibility to get involved, whether or not they have children in our schools. I encourage you to check out  my latest position paper on education reform.

I want a city full of mentors and advocates, where neighbors fill the seats at school sports games, theater performances and school beautification days. When adults support the children in their neighborhoods, we tighten our social fabric, improve our education system and give our children the tools that will set them on the path to become active, engaged citizens in a better D.C.