Georgetown policy students propose timely revisions to public school safety plans for students with disabilities

At the eleventh annual Georgetown Public Policy Challenge , McCourt School of Public Policy students Nina Bachich (MPP’26), Ethan Bose (MPP’26) and Demi Tomasides (MPP’26) were awarded a $3,000 scholarship prize for their proposal to revise the District of Columbia Public Schools’ (DCPS) outdated emergency protocols to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities.

Among the more than 50 team applications submitted, five teams advanced to the final round. Each team of graduate students from across Georgetown University presented their work to a live audience and a panel of judges that included McCourt School alums, former Policy Challenge winners and local government leaders.

Since DCPS last updated its 500-page emergency response plan in 2009, the landscape of school safety has shifted dramatically, most notably with gun violence now a leading cause of death among school-aged children. “The local public school system’s existing plan devotes only nine pages to students with disabilities, leaving many students, teachers and families unprepared for real emergencies,” said Tomasides, a former teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

How a shared passion and countless hours of collaboration led to an award-winning proposal

​​For Bachich, who uses a wheelchair, the gap in guidance for students with disabilities became personal when a fire alarm went off at the McCourt School, and neither she nor her professor was confident of the proper procedures. 

Determined to address this oversight and driven by shared passion for disability policy, Bachich, Bose and Tomasides reinvigorated the McCourt School’s Disability Policy Initiative (DPI), a student-led organization dedicated to advancing disability rights and accessibility in policy. Relaunching DPI laid the groundwork for the students’ award-winning Policy Challenge proposal, A.C.C.E.S.S. – D.C. (Accessible Crisis Communication and Emergency Support Systems).

After spending countless hours researching and debating public school emergency response protocols, Bachich, Bose and Tomasides outlined a three-part solution to update emergency guidelines in partnership with local stakeholders and disability advocacy groups, install visible and braille-accessible signage in schools to mark areas of areas of refuge, areas of rescue assistance and egress, and ensure student’s unique needs are considered and communicated across key stakeholder groups.

The A.C.C.E.S.S. – D.C. team credits their success to a deeply collaborative approach, which involved many late nights and early morning meetings between classes. Rather than dividing sections, Bachich, Bose and Tomasides wrote every part together, editing their work line by line. 

“We knew that paper like the back of our hand,” shared Bose. “Any one of us could have presented each other’s sections.”

Each teammate brought unique expertise: Tomasides provided insights into school operations and classroom realities, Bose managed the financial components, sourcing cost-effective plaques and signage, and Bachich ensured the policy was comprehensive and grounded in the lived experiences of students with disabilities.

Bachich, Bose and Tomasides also invited and accepted criticism from each other along the way. “We did not always agree, but our debates, about big and small details, were collaborative and grounded in mutual respect for how each of us works,” said Tomasides.

Building support networks to drive change at the local level

The team also benefited from guidance within the Policy Challenge community. Jaclyn Clevenger , director of student engagement at the McCourt School and founder of the Georgetown Public Policy Challenge, as well as past participants, provided invaluable feedback and advice.

“It was incredible to see everyone’s creative, well-researched and developed proposals at the finals. I left happy knowing these individuals are going to be our future policymakers,” said Tomasides. 

In the coming months, Bachich, Bose and Tomasides hope to get their foot in the door with DCPS to help drive change, leaning on those they met through the Policy Challenge who have already offered their support.

“We hope that all students, those with and without a disability, parents and teachers feel confident in their school’s emergency response plan and equipped with the tools to respond in a crisis effectively,” said Bachich. “Our goal is for DC to set the national standard, and for every school to follow suit.”