Oversight

Listening to Our Community: How it Improves our Work

At DC PCSB, we know that schools work hard every day to serve students, families, and communities. One of the ways we support that effort is by listening to the individuals that share concerns through our Community Complaint hotline. These concerns offer valuable insights into what’s working well—and where families and neighbors may be experiencing challenges.

Over the past three school years, the total number of complaints and concerns has steadily declined, which shows that schools are finding ways to proactively address issues, strengthen communication with families, and resolve concerns at the school level before they escalate:

 

  • SY 2022–23: 139 total complaints
  • SY 2023–24: 115 complaints (17.27% decrease)
  • SY 2024–25 (YTD): 113 complaints (1.74% decrease)
     

While volume is trending downward, the most frequent concerns remain consistent. Health and safety continues to top the list, followed by discipline and special education.

 

Top Complaint Types by Year:

 

  • SY 2022–23
    1. Health & Safety 
    2. Special Education 
    3. Discipline
  • SY 2023–24
    1. Health & Safety 
    2. Discipline 
    3. Bullying
  • SY 2024–25 (YTD)
  1. Health & Safety 
  2. Discipline 
  3. Special Education

We share this information not to place blame, but to lift up themes we’re hearing from individuals that share. In many cases, school leaders responded quickly and thoughtfully—demonstrating the commitment and care that define their leadership.

Our goal is to be transparent about how we respond to feedback and to continue supporting schools and those who share feedback in creating safe, responsive, and inclusive school environments. We believe that strong community relationships, open communication with callers, and proactive problem-solving are essential to our collective success.

As we collaborate with schools to find solutions, here are two examples of how schools addressed formal community complaints:

  • One school adjusted its arrival/dismissal procedures in response to neighborhood concerns.
  • Another school developed an in-school safety plan to address a bullying complaint.

These voices don’t just highlight problems; they can also lead to meaningful change. We remain committed to listening, responding, and partnering with schools to take action, when necessary.  This feedback drives improvement, and our response is grounded in accountability and care.