Since the law firm conducting the audit into Ballou and DC high school graduation practices reports to the Office of the State Superintendent, some say it's still not good enough.
But just as the State Board of Education was about vote for an independent investigation, WUSA9’s Delia Gonçalves was told calls were made and votes were changed.
“It makes you feel kind of ashamed of your school,” said Tracy Yelverton.
Let's first remember who's really at stake here: not politicians but people like Tracy Yelverton, a 2009 Ballou graduate.
"What happened at Ballou happens all over the city it's just in the news when it’s at Ballou," he said.
According to the audit released on Tuesday, Wilson High in Northwest graduated 34 percent of its students even though they did not meet attendance requirements.
“No sooner had the news hit that we heard from former DCPS teachers who said, ‘hey I worked at another school and the same thing was happening at this school,” said Councilmember at large Robert White – one of the voices calling for an outside agency to take a hard look at how we educate our children; particularly our black and brown students 10 years after system-wide changes sold as education reform.
“We can't wait another 10 years and still see this persistent achievement gap in black students still not performing anywhere near their white counterparts and then say ‘oh, we need to change course or make some tweaks,’ said Councilmember White. “We have an opportunity to do that now and shame on us if we don't take it.”
The State Board of Education, that has little power to change policy but a strong voice to influence it, was poised to pass a resolution last month on that independent investigation when the issue was tabled.
State Board of Education Graduation Audit by WUSA9-TV on Scribd
“I don't want to throw people under the bus, but when I was approached about it I thought it was strange,” said Board of Education member Markus Batchelor (Ward 8).
Batchelor did not want to name names but others including his colleague Ruth Wattenburg (Ward 3) said Councilmember David Gross – the education committee chair – warned folks to strike it down.
“I think to play politics for something that is very serious for our families and children I thought was very disappointing,” said Batchelor.
WUSA9's Delia Goncalves reached out to all nine members of the board and two got back to her.
Board member Laura Wilson Phelan (Ward 1) tabled the measure and said she did so because she wanted to wait for the audit report findings first.
Board President Karen Williams (Ward 7) said the issue was tabled because of last minute changes, not a last minute call.
Those who responded said they tabled the issue due to last minute changes not a last minute phone call.
“I never called board members to discourage them to vote nor would I,” said Councilmember David Grosso, “I think they have to come up with their own conclusions. I spoke to a couple of State Board members who called me and asked me what to do and I said ‘you have to make your own decision up.' I don't think we need to continue spending more money and doing more and more investigations. I think we need to look at the results determine if we can believe them, which I think we will and then change things to make it better for our students.
It is their lives that hang in the balance; students who are out in the world, some with a false sense of security that their diploma means they're ready. And even if they make it through college like Tracy did, they can’t help but wonder if the system failed them.
"It's not meant for people on that side of the city to succeed," said Yelverton.
Just before news time, the State Board of Education passed a resolution calling on the D.C. auditor to commission an independent investigation into all DC schools.
The board also says they will review the 80-20 policy which marks a child absent for the whole day even if they miss just one class. But since the board’s vote is purely symbolic, the City Council must approve the independent investigation first.
The next phase of the current audit is due at the end of the month.
