Lewis D. Ferebee: Ready to get to work on education
I remember the summers I spent at Fairfax Village in the Hillcrest neighborhood, here in the District with my Aunt Beatrice. She was also in the family business of education, a retired teacher from Scott Montgomery Elementary School in Shaw — named after Dr. Winfield Scott Montgomery, a former assistant superintendent of schools, who was born into slavery in Mississippi in 1853 but went on to graduate with honors from Dartmouth College and had a successful career in education.
During those summers in DC, Aunt Beatrice would take me to the Frederick Douglass House, and I remember walking through those rooms thinking how one day Washington, DC, could be my home too. A few decades later, my family and I are proud to call DC our new home.
Like many, I learned about work and life from my parents and extended family. At North Carolina Central University, I had the opportunity to volunteer at C.C. Spaulding Elementary, a school across the street from campus, with a group of students who were not reading on grade level. Through this experience, I realized the joy of teaching a young person to read. I chose a career as a public servant, not out of obligation or to fulfill parental expectations, but because I believe in the promise education provides as an equalizer and as a means of increasing social mobility. I experienced this impact firsthand as a student and through my parents’ eyes as educators.
Now, as the chancellor of DC Public Schools, I hope to charge ahead in earnest fulfilling the promise of providing every student with a high-quality education after my confirmation by the DC Council. Over the past few weeks, I’ve visited schools in every ward to meet with students, teachers, principals and community members. For DCPS’ next phase of excellence, I want every student from pre-K to 12th grade to be afforded the same luxury that I had — access to rigorous and relevant instruction, meaningful public engagement that sets students up for success, and, for our youngest learners, continued expansion of early education opportunities. Students deserve a holistic learning experience that prepares them to take advantage of the growth and opportunity in every ward across this thriving city. I envision a system that shares its triumphs and, more importantly, its challenges, transparently. This is the only way forward on the path to success.
Since both of my parents were educators, I find myself thinking about the values they instilled in me as a child when I meet with community members and learn about their beliefs, challenges, hopes and dreams. My promise to residents is that I will maintain a direct line of communication with the DC community — even in the face of hardship.
I recognize that what may have worked in other school systems may not be the best solutions for DCPS. Our community has a diverse set of needs and a one-size-fits-all approach to education will not take us where we need to go. My track record proves that I am an educator and leader who strives persistently and courageously for student-centered results. For example, I successfully employed transformation efforts in Indianapolis to drive turnaround for low-performing schools and raise the district’s graduation rate by 15 percentage points, with black students surpassing the state average for graduation. In Durham Public Schools in North Carolina, where I led all academic functions earlier in my career, we narrowed the achievement gap between black and white students. In two years, the achievement gap narrowed by 5 percentage points on state end-of-course tests.
While there have been serious challenges and missteps over the last decade of reform here in DC, it is clear that Mayor Muriel Bowser and local leaders have made tremendous investments in education and recognize its importance. I am prepared to learn the landscape, continue hearing from the community, and determine collaboratively what is best for the students and families of the District of Columbia. I look forward to continuing my ongoing visits to schools and engaging teachers and families in hopes of increasing transparency and building upon the positive work that has already been done across DCPS. I am excited by the possibility of bringing stable leadership as chancellor and catapulting the success of our students to benefit the region and become a bellwether in education for our nation. Together, we can achieve equity for all DCPS students and chart a new course for educational excellence.
Lewis D. Ferebee is acting chancellor of the DC Public Schools. He served as superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools from September 2013 to January 2019. He holds a doctorate in educational leadership from East Carolina University, a master’s degree in school administration from The George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from North Carolina Central University.
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