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Parents and teachers press District 97 to restore Washington, D.C., trip amid falling participation
Summary
Parents and some teachers told the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 board that moving the eighth‑grade capstone trip away from Washington, D.C., has reduced overall participation and left students from less‑affluent families excluded; district staff outlined survey results and recommended returning to an optional out‑of‑state model while prioritizing trips that can reach broad participation.
Parents and teachers pressed the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Board of Education to prioritize a return to an annual Washington, D.C., eighth‑grade trip, arguing the out‑of‑state experience offers unique civics instruction and that recent local alternatives reduced overall and target‑group participation.
At public comment, Bob Pickrell presented district numbers showing participation dropped from 339 students on the 2024 D.C. trip to 212 students for this year’s Nashville trip. “You can see the numbers,” Pickrell said, arguing a district statement that participation among Black and Hispanic students “match[ed] or exceed[ed]” district representation painted an “overly rosy picture.”
Lisa Pelopin, who identified herself as a parent, said standing in D.C. “solidifies” civic learning and that privately organized trips by affluent families left underserved students without comparable experiences. “We must ensure that our students have that opportunity,” she said, urging district fundraising, vendor shopping, and increased district contributions so more students can attend.
District staff responded with a presentation of participation rates, family survey results and process proposals. Staff said the district uses a working threshold—85 percent participation—to classify an event as a true class trip. They reported that district‑sponsored out‑of‑state trips have not reached that threshold since 2023 (attendance figures cited by staff: prior D.C. trips at roughly 45–55 percent, Saint Louis 52 percent, Nashville 35 percent). The staff presentation noted one driver of low participation is that families hold different expectations for what constitutes an eighth‑grade experience; some families prefer shorter, in‑state options while others privately organize out‑of‑state D.C. trips.
To address competing goals, staff described a SY27 process that includes family proposals (vetted in March), fundraising parameters, a family vote in July and a student vote in the fall. For longer‑term planning (SY28 and beyond) the presentation recommended returning to a pre‑2023 model where any out‑of‑state travel is optional and the district supports trips most likely to reach the high participation target. Staff emphasized the district’s constraint under policy 6240, which obligates district support for students eligible for fee waivers and affects the district’s cost calculations.
Board members asked staff to analyze costs for fully complying with policy (including scholarships), provide clearer per‑trip cost breakdowns, and continue community outreach. One board member urged the district to work harder to make D.C. “inclusive and sustainable” rather than defaulting to local alternatives. Staff committed to returning with detailed pricing, anticipated scholarship needs, and options for reducing barriers.
The presentation concluded without an immediate board vote on a specific destination; staff said a recommendation and further updates would return to the board in September as part of the SY27 planning cycle.
