Kevin P Chavous Profiles

By Nicole Crawford-Tichawonna
Howard Magazine, Fall 2004
"The Reformer"

Of the many lessons Councilmember Kevin Chavous (Ward 7) says he learned while a student at Howard's law school, one stands out: "You understand why you have to pay homage to those who came before you and have the fortitude to chart your own course."

As chairman of the Council's education committee, Chavous, who graduated in 1981, has chartered a controversial course as a local and national leader of the charter school movement. Charter schools, according to the federal No Child Left Behind Act, are independent public schools designed and operated by educators, parents, community leaders, educational entrepreneurs and others. Designated local or state educational organizations monitor their quality and effectiveness, while allowing them to operate outside traditional public school systems.

Opponents, however, say charter schools take much-needed funding away from traditional public schools. Chavous argues that they give parents and their children better options: "This notion that 'one size fits all' is one of the biggest failings of public education," he says. "It's shameful that nearly half of the kids who enter American public high schools don't graduate. We don't allow many of our children to reach their full potential."

Washington's charter school movement is "one of the country's most robust," he says. He speaks nationally on the issue and has advised jurisdictions in Texas, Indiana, Florida and Missouri on organizing charter schools. For his efforts, he received the MAC (Major Achievers in Charters) award in 2000; and this summer, he published Serving Our Children: Charter Schools and the Reform of American Public Education (Capital Currents Books), continuing the national conversation.

During his tenure on the Council, Chavous introduced legislation to lower the age requirement for the District's compulsory attendance law from five to three years old. He appointed a commission to study ways for the city to transition to universal pre-kindergarten, and fought to keep the embattled University of the District of Columbia, D.C.'s only public land-grant college, open.

Says Chavous: "My commitment to education is the driving point behind my public service."