Results (260)
Rustin Lewis: Tackling chronic absenteeism requires collective action | The DC Line
On September 16, 2024, the D.C. Policy Center was cited by The DC Line: According to the D.C. Policy Center’s most recent “State of D.C. Schools” annual report, 44% of students were chronically absent in the 2022-23 school year, with absenteeism rates still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, which stood at 29% during…
Chart of the week: Amid widespread reductions in chronic absenteeism, about half of schools saw an improvement in learning outcomes this past year.
In late August, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released D.C. results on the CAPE statewide assessment for school year 2023-24.1 Overall, 34 percent of students met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts (ELA), and 22.6 percent of student did so in math. These results represent small improvements…
Research briefing: The first years of Equitable Access in DC’s common lottery
The D.C. Policy Center prepared a briefing on the first years of Equitable Access in D.C.’s common lottery as one of the DC Education Research Collaborative’s first publications. Written by Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin, the publication reviews the lottery process for D.C. schools, the implementation of the Equitable Access option,…
D.C. Voices: High School Attendance
High school chronic absenteeism in D.C. increased between pre-pandemic and post-pandemic school years but is on a steady decline according to recent data. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) defines chronic absenteeism as missing at least 10 percent of enrolled instructional days (including both excused and unexcused, partial and…
Chart of the week: Chronic absenteeism is still improving as of March 2024, with uptick from fall
In June, OSSE released another mid-year attendance update for D.C.’s public schools (including DCPS and public charter) as of March 2024, sharing good news: Compared to the same period in the previous school year, chronic absenteeism decreased by 4.3 percentage points.1 Chronic absenteeism, which rose to 48 percent in the first year…
D.C. names interim state education superintendent | Washington Post
On June 20, 2024, the D.C. Policy Center was cited by the Washington Post: Roughly 18 out of every 100 ninth graders will earn a college degree within six years of their high school graduation, according to an estimate from the D.C. Policy Center, a local think tank. Read More: D.C. names interim state education…
DC Council hears public opinions on bills to combat student absenteeism | WJLA
On Wednesday June 26, 2024, the D.C. Policy Center was cited by WJLA: According to the D.C. Policy Center, in the 2022-2023 school year, more than 40 percent of students in D.C. were chronically absent. Read More: DC Council hears public opinions on bills to combat student absenteeismAdditional reading: State of D.C. Schools, 2022-23:…
Truancy should be addressed through evidence based, non-punitive measures
Compared to neighboring counties and closest cities, D.C. has one of the highest chronic absenteeism rates, which includes excused absences and unexcused absences that count toward truancy. In Maryland, where attendance requirements are similar to D.C. at half of the day to be counted present, Baltimore’s chronic absenteeism rate of 54 percent…
Connecting data with actions can be useful to combat absenteeism
On B25-0754, the Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy Reduction Amendment Act of 2024, D.C. Council should remove the suggestion of an additional funding category to the student funding formula with the weight of 0.1 specifically to address chronic absenteeism. Adding a weight to address chronic absenteeism would reward schools that serve similar student…
Early Childhood Educators in D.C. and Housing: Part II, Where do early childhood educators live?
The District’s early childhood educators live throughout the region, some facing longer commutes than others. In addition to shorter commute times, there are many workplace-level benefits and other advantages associated with living close to the workplace. For the purposes of this analysis, early childhood educators are defined as those working with infants,…
Early Childhood Educators in D.C. and Housing: Part I, Where do early childhood educators work?
To understand where early childhood educators work, it is first important to understand where licensed childcare in D.C. exists and what the childcare landscape looks like. The locations of child development facilities and the number of children served impact the number of educators needed to provide early childhood education services. For the…
Chart of the week: Majority of schools in D.C. on track to improve chronic absenteeism as of fall 2023
Chronic absenteeism has been a challenge post-pandemic in D.C. and across the nation. In D.C., chronic absenteeism rose from 29 percent in school year 2018-19 to 48 percent in school year 2021-22 when students returned to in-person learning, and then improved to 44 percent in school year 2022-23 (remaining higher than pre-pandemic…
D.C. Voices: Improving early literacy outcomes
The District invests in early literacy at the systems level, especially in recent years. Since Fiscal Year 2016, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has provided funding over time to a small number of non-profit, community-based organizations that provide early literacy services for students in the District or districts…
Chart of the week: D.C.’s 2024 common lottery and equitable access update
My School DC has released the results of the common lottery for school year 2024-25, which matches students who newly enroll in pre-kindergarten, at a public charter school, or at a District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) school aside from their in-boundary option.[1] Total applications are up by 2 percent, similar to…
Biden-Harris Administration Unveils Ambitious Plans to Strengthen Teaching Profession Ahead of Teacher Appreciation Week | The Washington Informer
On May 2, 2024, the D.C. Policy Center was cited by The Washington Informer: A recent study by the D.C. Policy Center found that while the District pays principals and teachers higher-than-average salaries, the ratio between principal and teacher pay is lower than the national average in surrounding states, including Maryland, Virginia,…
D.C. wants more kids to finish college. Here’s what it would take. | The Washington Post
On May 5, 2024, the D.C. Policy Center was cited by the Washington Post: There are other reasons to celebrate: More D.C. students are finishing high school and, after years of decline, the most recent data shows that the share of students enrolling in college saw a modest improvement in 2022. But the city…
Identifying what investments work as schools face difficult fiscal picture
Good evening, Chairperson Thompson, and members of the DC State Board of Education.My name is Yesim Sayin, and I am the Executive Director of the D.C. Policy Center, an independent think tank focused on advancing policies for a growing, vibrant, and compelling District of Columbia. Thank you for the opportunity to testify….
Education investments to boost attendance, improve learning, and strengthen high school in the FY25 budget need to also identify what works
Today, my testimony will focus on three needs in the District’s public education system relevant to the current budget discussions that emerged from our recent State of D.C. Schools report: boosting attendance; improving learning outcomes, especially in math; and strengthening the high school experience. This budget goes a long way to address…
Rising Graduation Rates and Falling SAT Scores for D.C. Students
The Economist recently published an analysis comparing high school graduation rates and SAT scores in U.S. schools. The article shows the two metrics have been steadily diverging from each other in the last decade, with high school graduation rates rising and SAT scores falling. The reason for this, the author argues, is that American schools have been lowering standards and graduation requirements since the early 2000s and “inflating” grades for their students. For schools that have traditionally performed higher on standardized testing, the impact of these policies is negligible, as graduation rates have remained steadily high. However, for lower performing schools, there has been a stark increase in their graduation rates over time. As universities have begun to signal a return to requiring SAT scores in their applications, we wondered if these trends held true for D.C. students.
I Hate the News | The I Hate Politics Podcast
On March 12, 2024, Education Policy Institute Director Chelsea Coffin discussed State of D.C. Schools 2022-23 on the I Hate Politics podcast: “The areas where D.C. has returned to pre-pandemic levels are in things like educator retention, which was lower than national levels pre-pandemic, and suspensions, which again D.C. was somewhat of…
Report finds 60% of D.C. high school students ‘chronically absent’ last year | The Washington Times
A March 8, 2024, article in The Washington Times cited the Education Policy Initiative’s 2022-23 State of D.C. Schools report: In its annual report released Friday with city officials, the D.C. Policy Center found that even as many city teenagers missed at least 10% of the academic year, the high school graduation rate rose…
DC schools face fiscal cliff after putting staff over students | Washington Examiner
On March 8, 2024, a D.C. Policy Center report was cited by the Washington Examiner: According to the D.C. Policy Center, Washington public schools are going to see a 13% decline in funding just after losing COVID stimulus funds. Schools used these funds to hire more employees even as enrollment fell. On average, elementary schools and…
DC’s high-impact tutoring programs are also improving school attendance | WTOP
On March 8, 2024, the D.C. Policy Center was cited by WTOP: A D.C. Policy Center report found many sessions feature three or fewer students. Read More: DC’s high-impact tutoring programs are also improving school attendance Additional reading: Landscape of high-impact tutoring in D.C.’s public schools, 2021-22
State of D.C. Schools, 2022-23: Challenges to pandemic recovery in a new normal
Quick links About the D.C. Policy Center The mission of the D.C. Policy Center is to arm decision makers with fact-based, unbiased, and reliable research and analyses to help create a vibrant local economy that can maximize opportunities for residents, workers, and businesses in the District of Columbia. Through objective and rigorous…
Money woes for DC’s public schools system | The D.C. Line
On February 20, 2024, The Fiscal Future of Public Education in the District of Columbia was cited in The D.C. Line: Bowser and Ferebee may have chosen to understate the fiscal hurt coming hard and soon to public schools. However, the D.C. Policy Center provided a klieg light with a report —…
DC Policy Center identifies alarming trends in student attendance | Fox 5 DC
On March 6th, 2024, Chelsea Coffin, Director of the Education Policy Initiative, was quoted in a Fox 5 DC segment: According to the D.C. Policy Center, 44% of students were considered chronically absent. “It’s highest for students who are economically disadvantaged and in a similar category to students who are at risk in…
D.C. schools have a stubbornly high absenteeism problem | Axios
On March 7, 2024, Executive Director Yesim Sayin was quoted in Axios: “There’s a whole new perception among parents that missing school is OK. That they can make it up,” said Yesim Sayin, the head of the D.C. Policy Center, which convened a group of 55 students, parents, and teachers to study…
Hey there’s a boundary study happening–how is it affecting YOUR community? | PoPville
The D.C. Policy Center was mentioned in an article on PoPville: DME has contracted with a team led by Perkins Eastman including WXY Studio, The D.C. Policy Center, and LINK Strategic Partners to support both studies. Read More: Hey there’s a boundary study happening–how is it affecting YOUR community? Additional reading: The role of…
Increasing attendance rates is critical to decrease recovery time for student outcomes
Today, I will preview findings from State of D.C. Schools, 2022-23 to flag which metrics are most important to show improvement in school year 2023-24. Attendance is especially critical to watch as being in school is necessary for students to benefit from any investments in public education. The D.C. Policy Center’s State…
Empowerment or Misstep? D.C.’s Cash Assistance Program Stirs Debate | BNN
The D.C. Policy Center was cited in a BNN article on February 23, 2024: The D.C. Policy Center discusses the surge in budget for District of Columbia Public Schools and public charter schools in Washington D.C., propelled by federal grants such as the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). This analysis…
Per-student funding increasing, but staff cuts possible under proposed DC schools budget | WTOP
On February 19, 2024, Executive Director Yesim Sayin was quoted by WTOP: Yesim Sayin, executive director of the D.C. Policy Center, said when the extra funding ends, school budgets are projected to “experience a loss of about 15%.” Many of the city’s public charter schools used the funding to hire staff, Sayin…
D.C. Voices: Planning for the end of ESSER funding
From fiscal year 2019 to 2024, the budget for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools in D.C. rose from $1.7 billion to at least $2.6 billion, marking a 56 percent increase while enrollment grew by 9 percent. This expansion was fueled not only by increases to the Universal Per…
DCPS Budget Raises Questions About Staffing, Pandemic-Era Programming | Washington Informer
A February 14, 2024, article in the Washington Informer highlighted the Education Policy Initiative’s report on the impending fiscal cliff for D.C. schools: As outlined in a D.C. Policy Center study titled “The fiscal future of public education in the District of Columbia,” ESSER funded DCPS’ summer programming, teacher training, support for English language…
D.C. schools budget could send more to campuses but cut staff as costs rise | Washington Post
On February 13, 2024, an Education Policy Initiative report on the potential fiscal cliff for D.C. schools was featured in a Washington Post article: Ferebee’s budget proposal was unveiled on the same day that D.C. Policy Center released a report illustrating just how heavily schools across the city have relied in recent years on…
The fiscal future of public education in the District of Columbia
Quick Links Executive Summary The fiscal landscape of the District of Columbia has experienced a significant transformation in recent years. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s swift and adverse impact on residents and the economy, the District’s finances initially remained strong, buoyed by a substantial federal fiscal aid package during fiscal years 2020-2024. Federal…
Study shows equitable access is opening doors for at-risk DC students | WUSA9
On February 2, 2024, the Education Policy Initiative’s report on Equitable Access in D.C. public schools was featured in a WUSA9 segment: A new report by D.C. policy center, a non-partisan think tank, analyzed 25 schools out of 200 in the lottery system that prioritized applications from at-risk students or kids who are experiencing…
Top D.C. Public Schools Increase At-Risk Student Enrollment After Policy Change | DCist
On January 31, 2024, an Education Policy Initiative report on Equitable Access in D.C. schools was the subject of a DCist article: The new report supports earlier research by the D.C. Policy Center, which has shown that while the Equitable Access option may only do so much to increase diversity across the…
The first year of Equitable Access: An examination of common lottery outcomes for at-risk students
Quick Links Other reports in this series Executive Summary In school year 2022-23, the District of Columbia introduced an Equitable Access (EA) option at the systems level in the common lottery system for public schools. This allowed District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools to prioritize applications from students…
7News looks at DC program achieving success when it comes to school attendance | WJLA
On January 9, 2024, a D.C. Policy Center publication on chronic absenteeism in D.C. Public Schools was cited by WJLA: The DC Policy Center called chronic absenteeism one of the greatest challenges for DC Public Schools (DCPS). The latest numbers released from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education show chronic…
7 News asks DC and school leaders what they are doing to address chronic absenteeism | WJLA
On December 20, WJLA quoted D.C. Policy Center’s testimony on chronic absenteeism: The DC Policy Center calls chronic absenteeism one of the greatest challenges for DCPS. The center reports the majority of high school students are chronically absent 60% of the time due in part to perceptions of education and relaxed graduation…
Chronic absenteeism is still higher than pre-pandemic, especially in high school grades
On December 12th, 2023, Senior Education Research Analyst at the Education Policy Initiative, Hannah Mason, testified before the D.C. Council Committee of the Whole, at its public hearing on chronic absenteeism and chronic truancy in the District.
New Council Legislation Aims for Universal Out-of-School Time Program | Washington Informer
On December 6, 2023, Director of Research and Policy Emilia Calma was quoted in the Washington Informer: As Emilia Calma, director of policy and research at D.C. Policy Center, explained on Monday, Dec. 4, students experience the widest access gaps in high school and during the summer. She said that issues of…
Academic recovery in D.C.’s high schools is slow and accompanied by high chronic absenteeism
On Wednesday, December 6th, 2023, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified before the D.C. Council Committee of the Whole, at its public hearing on academic achievement in the District.
Two in five D.C. students were chronically absent last year, data show | Washington Post
On November 30, 2023, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin’s presentation to the “Every Day Counts!” was cited by the Washington Post: In dozens of interviews conducted by the D.C. Policy Center think tank, students, parents and teachers cited the need for time off for illnesses and mental health days amid rising…
D.C. teachers are leaving their classrooms. Here’s why | Washington Post
On December 1, 2023, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin was cited by the Wasington Post: The patterns follow a brief drop-off in turnover during the first two years of the pandemic, when teacher retention across D.C. got as high as 81 percent. Chelsea Coffin, director of the Education Policy Initiative at…
Teacher retention in D.C. is back to pre-pandemic levels, with a lot of variation
On Wednesday, November 29, 2023, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified before the D.C. Council Committee of the Whole, at its public hearing on teacher and principal retention rates.
The definition for lowest performing schools must be clarified in the School Improvement Act
On Monday, November 20, 2023, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified before the D.C. Council Committee of the Whole, at its public hearing on the School Improvement Act.
Chart of the week: Ridership for students is on the rebound but still not at pre-pandemic levels
While multiple factors may have contributed to this slower recovery, data suggest that fewer students are interested in the Kids Ride Free program. As of January 2023, 44 percent of kindergarten through grade 12 students had requested and received a MetroCard. This share was 68 percent of students at its peak during school year 2019-2020.
Loss of pandemic-related resources will test DCPS’s budgeting practices
On November 13, 2023, Executive Director Yesim Sayin testified at the Committee of the Whole’s Oversight Hearing on District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)’s budgeting practices.
New Program Intended to Expand College Access | Washington Informer
On November 8, 2023, an article by Julie Rubin was cited by the Washington Informer: In its March 2023 report, D.C. Policy Center criticized OSSE’s collection of post graduation data, saying that more information about who’s completing their postsecondary education and where could help improve college and career outcomes. According to the report,…
D.C. Voices: Juvenile Justice
We asked individuals from multiple institutions that serve incarcerated youth to find out more about how D.C. can better serve its incarcerated youth.
Amid chronic absenteeism from pandemic, fewer DC students repeating 9th grade | WTOP
On October 30, 2023, an article by Chelsea Coffin and Hannah Mason was cited by WTOP: Since the pandemic, data from the superintendent’s office shows that fewer D.C. public school students have been repeating the ninth grade. Taken at face value, that may sound like a good thing. However, a D.C.-based think…
Policy Brief: How the District of Columbia Can Create Universal Out-of-School Time Opportunities for Youth | DC Action
On October 26, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center report Needs assessment of out-of-school time programs in the District of Columbia was cited in a DC Action policy brief on out of school time programs: Disinvestment linked to structural racism, as shown by data from the DC Policy Center’s 2023 OST needs assessment of OST,…
D.C. releases ‘highest ever’ school enrollment figures | Washington Post
On October 26th, 2023 Education Policy Initiative report State of D.C. Schools, 2021-2022 was cited in the Washington Post: Before the public health crisis, schools had been growing by an average of about 1,600 students annually, according to the D.C. Policy Center, a local think tank. The city added 2,120 students to its schools…
Chart of the Week: 9th grade repetition is down after the pandemic
Before the pandemic, 9th grade repetition was on the rise. In school year 2019-20, 28 percent of all ninth graders were repeaters. In school year 2021-22, that share fell to 25 percent. This is likely due to the relaxation of related requirements around grading and attendance during the pandemic, which made it easier to earn the requisite credits for grade promotion.
Truancy Still an Issue in D.C., Community Members and Experts Say | Washington Informer
On October 25, 2023, Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin was cited in the Washington Informer: During an Every Day Counts! Task Force meeting in September, Chelsea Coffin of the DC Policy Center revealed that school attendance during the 2022-2023 academic year hadn’t reached pre-pandemic levels, even with a 12 percentage point…
D.C. school boundary study sparks debate, worry from parents | Washington Post
On September 30, 2023, our Education Policy Initiative’s s recent publication on school boundaries was cited by the Washington Post. Almost three-quarters of students in D.C. do not attend their neighborhood public school — though in-boundary enrollment is higher in wealthier areas — opting instead to apply through the common lottery to…
Chart of the week: New PARCC data show overall gain for DC students last year—but high school progress remained flat
D.C. released the PARCC statewide assessment results for school year 2022-23. The results shed light on academic recovery, which was a key focus for the District during school year 2022-23—and that recovery, in terms of learning, is off to a good start. But digging deeper reveals large differences in the results between elementary, middle, and high schoolers.
Chart of the week: D.C. teachers earn 55 cents for every dollar principals earn—but more overall than in most nearby jurisdictions
DC teacher and principal salaries are both higher than the national average and surrounding areas with the exception of New York City. The National Teacher and Principal Surveys uses representative data to demonstrate just how much these occupations earn annually.
While we know where students with special education needs live and go to school, more study is needed to address gaps in accessibility for out-of-school time programs
On June 7, 2023, Director of Policy and Research Emilia Calma testified during the Committee of the Whole Public Hearing on the provision of out of school time (OST) programs, and Bill 25-36, “Out of School Time Special Education Inclusion and Standards Amendment Act of 2023.” The testimony focuses on where students with special education needs live and go to school, as well as issues that will have to be addressed to increase OST access for students with special education needs.
The Futility of School Reform | The American Thinker
Tales of out-of-control schools regularly surface. A report from the D.C. Policy Center tells how the Washington D.C.’s often violent public school system has been boosting graduation rates while measured student academic achievement fell. Horror stories from majority Black school systems in cities like Baltimore tell of illiterates graduating in the top of their class. Nearly everyone knows why Whites flee schools as Black enrollment increases. Ironically, when professional educators finally confront these educational dystopias, everything adheres to the Black victimization narrative — yes, Blacks are routinely disproportionately punished, but this punishment just reflects society’s inherent racism.
D.C.’s adult public charter schools: Who they serve, how they serve, and what they achieve
In D.C., many adults lack a high school diploma, and most jobs require some postsecondary education. Thus, career and education support for adult learners is incredibly important. While workforce training and postsecondary learning programs are common, D.C. is rare in that it has publicly funded schools at which adult learners can earn a high school degree, gain English language skills, or enroll in workforce programs.
DC Schools Are Still Enforcing COVID Protocols, Keeping Kids Out Of Class As Grades Plummet | Daily Caller
Of third through eighth graders, 31% of students met English grade level expectations in the 2021-2022 school year, a decline from 37% during the 2018-2019 school year, according to the D.C. Policy Center
Public school enrollment in Maryland not back to pre-pandemic levels | DC News Now
A just-released report by the D.C. Policy Center says that while enrollment has rebounded post-pandemic, there has been an uptick in students dealing with mental health issues.
How programs for adult learners are contributing to a rise in school enrollment in DC | ABC 7
On May 8, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center’s chart of the week, D.C.’s enrollment is up in school year 2022-23, with uneven growth by grade band, was cited by ABC 7: An analysis by the D.C. Policy Center shows the 2022-2023 school year enrollment climbed nearly 3% at D.C. Public Charter and Pre-k…
D.C. school enrollment boom helped by rise in adult learners | Washington Post
On May 6, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center’s chart of the week, D.C.’s enrollment is up in school year 2022-23, with uneven growth by grade band, was cited by the Washington Post: Most of those students entered prekindergarten, elementary, middle and high school classrooms. But a sizable chunk — more than one-third…
D.C. public schools increased graduation rates despite plummeting test scores, report reveals | The Lion
On April 25, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, State of D.C. Schools 2021-22, was cited by The Lion: A new report reveals that Washington D.C.’s public schools have increased their graduation rates despite marked declines in both reading and math. The D.C. Policy Center report, which compared recent data with pre-pandemic statistics,…
Chart of the week: Roughly one third of students who match in the common lottery do so through a preference
My School DC has released the results of the 2023 common lottery, which matches students who newly enroll in pre-kindergarten, at a public charter school, or at a District of Columbia Public Schools school aside from their in-boundary option. Overall, the number of applications increased to 22,912 in 2023, up from a pandemic dip to 19,926 in 2021 but still 9 percent down from pre-pandemic levels
Recommendations for out-of-school time programs in the District of Columbia
Out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as afterschool and summer programs, are important to many families the District of Columbia. Based on our analyses of where students live and go to school, locations of OST programs, potential need for additional programs, proximity analyses, and issues faced by providers and parents, this article contains recommendations for the Deputy Mayor for Education on OST programming.
Out-of-school time programs in the District of Columbia: Parent and guardian experiences
Out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as afterschool and summer programs, are important to many families the District of Columbia. The experience of families is important in understanding what kinds of out of school time (OST) programs and service levels are desired and needed, as well as barriers families face to accessing programs. To understand more about the experience of families with OST programs, the D.C. Policy Center administered a survey to parents and guardians of children who are eligible to participate in OST programs and conducted a listening session with parents who are members of Parents Amplifying Voices in Education (PAVE).
Who provides of out-of-school time programs in the District of Columbia?
Out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as afterschool and summer programs, are important to many families the District of Columbia. In addition to the number of out of school time (OST) seats available, it is important for the types of programming and services offered by providers to meet the needs of students. To learn more about program characteristics, times programs are offered, and what kinds of services and staff programs have, the D.C. Policy Center administered two surveys to providers of OST programs. This article describes provider characteristics identified through the responses to the survey, and discusses issues frequently mentioned by providers as pressure points or points of concern.
How close are out-of-school time programs to where students live?
Out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as afterschool and summer programs, are important to many families the District of Columbia. Where programs are located is an extremely important factor for access to out of school time (OST) programs in the District. For some families, having programs located close to where they live might be the most helpful, whereas for others it might be most helpful for programs to be located near where children go to school. This article presents analyses of current coverage, defined as the number of OST seats by ward compared to the total number of public school students who live in that ward as well as the number of students who attend school in that ward. It also develops metrics of exposure, which shows proximity of OST seats to children and youth weighted by the number of students.
Needs assessment of out-of-school time programs in the District of Columbia
Out-of-school time programs, such as afterschool and summer programs, are important to many families the District of Columbia. This report examines, for school year 2021-22, the subsidized OST seats that exist across the District, including how many are available versus needed, based on four different policy metrics. The greatest OST capacity, in raw numbers, is in wards where most students live and go to school. However, the number of students is still proportionally higher than the number of seats.
Chart of the week: D.C. children face unequal access to out-of-school time programs
Out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as afterschool and summer programming, provide childcare, academic support, and social and emotional development to students and families in D.C. But, access to these programs is not equal across the District.
D.C. Voices: Highlights from the release of State of D.C. Schools, 2021-22
In school year 2021-22, all students returned to in-person learning for the first time in almost two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began in spring 2020. The D.C. Policy Center’s State of D.C. Schools, 2021-22 report examines the transition back to in-person learning, measuring outcomes for the first time since the start…
How many more out-of-school time seats does the District of Columbia need?
Out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as afterschool and summer programs, are important to many families the District of Columbia. To determine what kind of out-of-school time (OST) programming and how many OST seats the city needs to invest in, the city must first determine policy goals and what populations need these services. Using the universe of children and youth attending D.C. public schools as the base (including both DCPS and public charter schools), this section identifies the potential need for subsidized out-of-school time programs based on the distribution of children and youth across two broad age groups and four broad policy targets, and identifies what gaps exist under each metric.
How many out-of-school time seats D.C. has, and where they’re located
Out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as afterschool and summer programs, are important to many families the District of Columbia. Access to out-of-school time (OST) programming is dependent on many factors, including the availability of seats and location of programs. This article presents information on the number and location of subsidized OST programs in the District of Columbia, focusing on afterschool and summer programs by location and by two main age groups: prekindergarten (PK3) to 8th grade and grades 9 to 12.
Demand for out-of-school time programming shifts, based on where students live versus where they go to school
Out-of-school time (OST) programs, such as afterschool and summer programs, are important to many families the District of Columbia. Policy decisions around OST programming, like where OST seat are located, and how the city invests funding, are highly dependent on where children live and where they go to school. To set the stage for a deeper analysis of out-of-school time programs, this article examines where students live, where they attend school, and how these vary both geographically across the city, and by various student characteristics.
D.C. school lottery sees uptick in applications, high school interest | Washington Post
It is still early — the number of students who end up attending each of D.C.’s schools will fluctuate until at least October — but interest in the lottery this year could signal that enrollment next year will be on par with this year’s figures, said Chelsea Coffin, director of the Education Policy Initiative at the D.C. Policy Center, a think tank.
Chart of the week: D.C.’s enrollment is up in school year 2022-23, with uneven growth by grade band
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has released enrollment audit data for school year 2022-23, showing that enrollment in D.C.’s public schools is up by 2.7 percent. This is a notable shift from virtually no growth in enrollment during the two pandemic school years in a system that historically adds 1,500 students a year. About two-thirds of the additional students are in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, and a significant share are adult and alternative students.
DC’s Coolidge High School to allow students to take college classes with new program | WJLA
For every 100 ninth-graders in D.C., 37 students will graduate high school but not enroll in postsecondary school. Only eight out of 100 will graduate college within six years of leaving high school, D.C. Policy Center reported.
New On-Campus Exhibit Showcases a Century of Eastern’s History | Washington Informer
During the 2021-2022 school year, Eastern High School had 766 students, the majority of whom were Black. Among all of the District public school feeder patterns, the one leading to Eastern most closely represents the District’s racial demographics, according to a report the D.C. Policy Center released earlier this year.
Out-of-school time capacity is unevenly spread across the District, and barriers to access remain
On April 5, 2023, Director of Policy and Research Emilia Calma testified during the FY2024 budget oversight hearing on education agencies before the Committee of the Whole. The testimony focused on findings on OST capacity across the District and how it compares to where students live and go to school. The testimony is based on a forthcoming D.C. Policy Center report, Needs assessment of out-of-school time programs in the District of Columbia.
Funding an Education to Employment Data System would fill an important gap in knowledge about D.C.’s public school alumni
On April 5, 2023, Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified during the FY2024 budget oversight hearing on education agencies before the Committee of the Whole. The testimony focused on the critical importance of knowing what happens to D.C.’s high school alumni that will now be possible with the creation of the Education to Employment Data System (or P20W System) in the FY 2024 Budget.
D.C.’s Test Scores and Absenteeism Rates Are Getting Worse, so Why Are More Students Graduating? | Reason Magazine
The high school graduation rate in Washington, D.C., is climbing. However, student school performance seems to be falling dramatically. While more and more seniors graduate high school, test scores are down and absenteeism is up.
Program Allows Black Male Students to Speak Candidly with Elders | Washington Informer
The American Counseling Association estimates that 40% of Black male teenagers suffer from persistent sadness and feelings of hopelessness, with nearly one out of four seriously considering suicide. On the education front, the D.C. Policy Center found two years ago that 14 percent of high school graduates who enter college could expect to obtain their degree within six years.
Republicans link DC education system to rising juvenile crime rates | Washington Examiner
Washington schools reported a sharp decline in school attendance for the 2021-22 school year, with nearly half of students missing at least 10% of the entire school year, according to the D.C. Policy Center. Roughly 42% of students were labeled as “truant.”
If test scores and attendance are down, how are more students earning high school diplomas? | KQED
On March 27, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, State of D.C. Schools 2021-22, was cited by KQED: A troubling post-pandemic pattern is emerging across the nation’s schools: Test scores and attendance are down, yet more students are earning high school diplomas. A new report from Washington, D.C., suggests bleak futures for…
Too few D.C. students finish college. This program aims to change that. | Washington Post
But amid the applause and happy tears, officials acknowledged more must be done — to not only send more children to college but also make sure they graduate. A recent report from the D.C. Policy Center, a local think tank, found that for every 100 ninth-graders in D.C., just eight will graduate college within six years of leaving high school.
PROOF POINTS: One city hits a high school graduation record but few ninth graders are predicted to end up with a college degree | The Hechinger Report
The numbers are stark in a March 2023 report by the D.C. Policy Center, a nonpartisan research organization. Almost half the students in the district – 48 percent – were absent for 10 percent or more of the 2021-22 school year. Seven years of academic progress were erased in math: only 19 percent of third through eighth graders met grade-level expectations in the subject in 2021-22, down from 31 percent before the pandemic.
Special-Needs Families Tackle School Placement, Out-of-School Time Quandaries | The Washington Informer
The report said that students with disabilities experienced high levels of absenteeism. They also had the lowest learning outcomes during the 2021-2022 school year, as seen in their scores on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career, also known as PARCC. Researchers attributed that, in part, to staffing vacancies that prevented students from receiving speech and language services and, in some cases, relegated them to a general education classroom without support.
D.C. students are exposed to more community violence
Rising community violence in the District is exacerbating the academic and socio-emotional issues students D.C. students face as they recover from effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. How can schools, in collaboration with the broader D.C. community, be part of the solution and extend their reach in supporting students holistically?
D.C. Kicks Off Once-A-Decade Process To Redraw School Boundaries | DCist
The report found that current attendance patterns in most cases do not reflect the city’s overall racial diversity, and that some schools are significantly overcrowded while others have trouble filling their seats. Still, the possible changes to boundaries are only likely to impact a relatively small number of schools and kids.
1 big thing: 🍎 The state of our schools | Axios
On March 15, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, State of D.C. Schools 21-22, was cited by Axios: D.C. public school students still haven’t fully recovered from the pandemic despite returning to the classroom. Driving the news: A report out today from the D.C. Policy Center says students are still struggling with the residual impacts of…
Charting D.C. schools’ road to recovery, from enrollment to retention | Washington Post
On March 15, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, State of D.C. Schools 21-22, was cited by the Washington Post: In the year that D.C. schools fully reopened after being forced to shutter campuses because of the pandemic, math and reading proficiency plummeted, more high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless, and…
District Links: New council bill aims to boost teacher retention
On March 15, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, State of D.C. Schools 2021-22, was cited by The DC Line: A report out today delves into the many changes for DC schools since the start of the pandemic. Meanwhile, nine members of the DC Council are introducing a bill that seeks to…
State of D.C. Schools, 2021-22: In-Person Learning, Measuring Outcomes, and Work on Recovery
State of D.C. Schools is an annual systemwide overview of public education in the District of Columbia. In school year 2021-22, all students returned to in-person learning for the first time in almost two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began in spring 2020. This report examines the transition back to in-person learning, measuring outcomes for the first time since the start of the pandemic, and beginning work on recovery.
D.C. collects minimal data on how students do once they’ve graduated. More data could help improve early career outcomes.
In the last budget cycle, OSSE invested in postsecondary supports including the reimagining high schools work-based learning investments, the college rising project, and the DC Futures Tuition Assistance Project. It is critical to measure the impact of these programs, as well as our school system as a whole to see how students…
Enrollment Season Compels Conversation About Educational Equity | The Washington Informer
On February 21, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, The role of school boundaries in the District of Columbia, was cited by The Washington Informer: In January, the D.C. Policy Center released a report showing that most District students — nearly three out of four — opt to leave their neighborhood to attend either…
DC’s school boundary review could advance equity, advocates say | Greater Greater Washington
“Within the Jackson-Reed feeder pattern, families tend to have the resources to either choose where they live and therefore choose their by-right school or choose to attend a private school,” said Chelsea Coffin, the Director of the Education Policy Initiative at DC Policy Center and one of the report’s authors.
School boundaries are more than just geographic lines | The DC Line
There are 116 DCPS facilities; 98 of those are considered by-right and 18 are citywide. According to “The Role of School Boundaries in the District of Columbia,” a recent analysis conducted by the DC Policy Center, 72% of students use the common lottery each year to secure a seat in a charter school or a DCPS institution outside of their community; only 28% of students attend their by-right school.
The role of school boundaries in the District of Columbia: Facts and findings on boundary participation, student representation, and facility utilization
For only the second time since 1968, D.C. is reviewing school boundary assignments. Based on their home address, these assignments determine the schools where each D.C. student is guaranteed a seat. There is much we can explore about school boundaries: Where in the city are students are more students attending their by-right school? Which by-right schools are most representative of all public school students? How does enrollment compare to capacity at by-right school facilities? And where in the city could changes to student assignment policies impact the largest number of students?
Food halls, ranked | Axios DC
Public school enrollment in our region has dipped since 2019, especially in suburban school districts.The declines might be caused by decreased demand for public schools during the pandemic and lower birth rates, per the D.C. Policy Center.
Map of the week: Where did D.C.’s former students attend postsecondary in the fall of 2020?
Out of the graduating class from the first pandemic school year of 2019-20, 51 percent of students from District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools enrolled in postsecondary education (including bachelor’s degree and two-year programs) within six months following graduation. This marks a decrease of five percentage points in postsecondary enrollment compared to pre-pandemic school year 2018-19. This suggests that the uncertainty brought by the pandemic led some students to delay or change their plans compared to a typical year.
D.C. Voices: Supporting students with disabilities
While virtual learning during school year 2020-21 presented challenges to all students, students with disabilities experienced significant impacts to their instruction because of obstacles with service delivery or difficulties identifying students who need additional interventions in the virtual format.[i] Students with disabilities were among those prioritized for an early return to physical…
D.C. is a step closer to changing its school funding model | Washington Post
“Our main funding model is that money follows students,” Sayin said. If a school loses students — but not enough in a single grade to eliminate a classroom teacher, for example — DCPS would have to figure out how to provide that school with the lost per-pupil funding.
Public oversight testimony on literacy and the NAEP and PARCC assessments
School year 2021-22 marked an incredibly challenging transition back to in-person learning in D.C., after a difficult virtual school year 2020-21 and shortened school year 2019-20. Chronic absenteeism rose to a high of 48 percent,[i] up from 29 percent in the last full school year of 2018-19. COVID-19 cases spiked to an…
‘Wave of the future’: How DC’s million-dollar investment in tutoring is helping students catch up | WTOP
It’s called high-impact tutoring — at least 90 minutes of tutoring per week, divided across a few sessions before, during or after the school day, including immediate tutor feedback. Many sessions include three or fewer students, according to a D.C. Policy Center report.
Public oversight testimony on attendance, chronic absenteeism, and truancy in the District of Columbia
How much school students attend is a strong indicator of student wellbeing and future academic success, making it a critical metric to track and understand. In D.C., during the virtual school year of 2020-21, even with relaxed attendance requirements, 31 percent of students were chronically absent, up from 29 percent in 2018-19. Among high school students, 35 percent of students were chronically absent, and among students designated as at-risk, this share was 48 percent.
Highlighting internet disparities | Axios DC newsletter
Between the lines: Before the pandemic, 28% of D.C. households lacked access to broadband internet or a home computer, according to the D.C. Policy Center. This disparity was further highlighted by the rise in remote work and virtual learning during the pandemic.
Bowser and Grant Celebrate Record D.C. School Enrollment | Washington Informer
On November 16, 2022, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, Declining births and lower demand: Charting the future of public school enrollment in D.C., was cited by the Washington Informer: The DC Policy Center released a study earlier this year that highlighted declining pre-school and elementary school enrollment in the pre-pandemic years. This had especially…
D.C. school enrollment hits 15-year high, mayor says | Washington Post
The figure represents an increase of almost 3 percent from last school year, or about 2,600 more students, according to preliminary data from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Before the pandemic, public school enrollment had been growing by an average of about 1,600 students every school year since the 2007-2008 academic year, according to the D.C. Policy Center, a local research group. That progress stalled during the public health crisis.
Increased transit delays in fall of 2021 and the potential impact on high school commutes
In the fall of 2021, students in DCPS and public charter schools returned in-person, after spending roughly a year and a half learning at home. Students returned to school at roughly the same time that most of Metro’s 7000-series trains were removed from service due to safety concerns. The reduction in service doubled wait times at Metro stations and put additional strain on the Metro’s bus network. This is concerning because transportation vulnerability, including increased commute times or unreliable service, has been linked to issues with school attendance—which may result in loss of academic achievement.
Enrollment in D.C. Public Schools Is Back Up After Dipping During The Pandemic | DCist
A July report by the D.C. Policy Center predicted enrollment in D.C.’s public schools could drop by 6,000 students — the equivalent of 16 average-sized schools — over the next five years, driven by falling birth rates and lower demand for living in the District due to the pandemic. “An enrollment decline of this magnitude would have significant implications for D.C.’s public schools.”
Chart of the week: D.C.’s decline in learning outcomes on the national assessment is similar to declines in other large cities
After years of improvement in D.C., NAEP standardized test scores released in October 2022 show that students’ performance declined across math and English for school year 2022 when compared to 2019. Nationwide and in D.C., the pandemic had a greater negative impact on math than reading.
D.C. Council testimony on teacher/principal turnover and B24-355, the Statewide Data Warehouse Amendment Act
B24-355 requires collection and publishing of certain data on educators in D.C.’s public schools. However, some of the requirements would also introduce new burdens on schools, and may be better suited to periodic surveys (data collection every five years, for example) or an internal dataset. Teacher attendance, or ideally instructional time, is one data point missing from the requirements and should be added.
D.C. Voices: High-impact tutoring and strong student-tutor relationships
As high-impact tutoring (HIT) continues to scale in school year 2022-23, it is important to take stock of provider, tutor, and teacher experiences and challenges during the first year of HIT. We asked tutoring providers, tutors, and teachers involved with HIT to tell us about the day-to-day realities of HIT in D.C. last year. What changes are being implemented during this school year, and where do they see the program going forward?
Chart of the week: Learning outcomes by cohort before and during COVID-19
Results from D.C.’s 2021-22 statewide PARCC assessment show declines in both English language arts (ELA) and math since the last time the test was administered in 2018-19. But how did learning outcomes change for a cohort of students as they moved from lower to upper grades? To take a closer look, we compared PARCC results and enrollment for elementary school students to middle school students three years later to answer two questions: First, have student cohorts experienced learning gains during the pandemic years that were similar to pre-pandemic patterns? And what do we know about how enrollment in this cohort has changed over time?
Landscape of high-impact tutoring in D.C.’s public schools, 2021-22
Quick Links Access the one-page report summary here. View the launch event, including a recording, here. Introduction In D.C., learning outcomes for public school students had been improving for over two decades.[1] Then, in March of 2020, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic transitioned all students to distance learning and ended school…
Apples to hand grenades: Why transit fare evasion is an untimely distraction | Greater Greater Washington
On October 4, 2022, D.C. Policy Center analysis on Metro’s Kids Ride Free program was cited by Greater Greater Washington: Take the Kids Ride Free program, for which every District student from age 5–21 is eligible. Distribution of SmarTrip cards for Kids Ride Free is poor, estimated at 38% last year by DC…
D.C. Voices: Safe Passage program and student commutes
A recent increase in violent crimes across the District has amplified concerns about community safety, including for students on their commutes to school. To improve student safety on their way to and from school, the Safe Passage Program places trusted adults from the community along specific routes. Mayor Bowser’s office allocated more than $4.3 million to community organizations to hire 215 Safe Passage workers during Fiscal Year 2022. We asked students, businesses, and administrators about their perceptions of safety for students during their commutes, and what experiences they have had with the Safe Passage program.
Chart of the week: Federal recovery spending likely increased school-level spending by an average of 2 percent in school year 2020-21
The federal government has provided three rounds of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) grants to help schools with pandemic recovery. In D.C., the three rounds of ESSER funding added up to $540 million to be spent locally by the end of FY2024. This is the equivalent of about $1,307 per student per year.
Testimony to D.C. SBOE on ESSER funds and the future of school finance in the District
The three rounds of ESSER funding mean $540 million allocated to schools to be spent by the end of fiscal year 2024 (September 30, 2024). This means approximately $1,307 in additional funding per student across five school years between 2019-20 and 2023-24 for the 48 LEAs receiving ESSER funds, assuming constant enrollment from last school year. ESSER funds are therefore about 10 percent the size of the foundation level of funding per pupil for school year 2022-23, making it important to take stock of how these funds are spent along the way and what may happen when funds expire.
What experts say needs to be done to disrupt historic patterns of segregation in DC’s schools | Greater Greater Washington
While a 2018 study found that giving at-risk students a higher priority would improve outcomes for just 8.2% of at-risk participants, a 2020 study by DC Policy Center was much more promising. They looked specifically at charter schools with long waitlists that had just 15% of at-risk students enrolled (city-wide, 45% of students are at-risk). At these schools, given the preference siblings get in the lottery, it was hard for at-risk students to snag a coveted spot.
Testimony on the Schools First in Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021
Three of the concerns we expressed in January – implementing an inflationary adjustment in a high inflation year, baking the existing inequities into the system, and basing calculations on proposed budgets and not actual spending — remain under this staff draft. We also have two additional concerns, related to new language and stemming from new information.
The ripple effects of how – and if – kids are able to commute safely to school | Greater Greater Washington
Research by the DC Policy Center found that in 2021 almost 80% of people lived within half a mile of a homicide (which are on the rise in DC) occurring that year. Black residents, however, are 19 percentage points more likely than their white peers to live within that radius.
D.C. launches grant program to expand early child care facilities | Axios DC
According to the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute, early childhood educators, who are predominantly Black and brown, earn a median annual income of approximately $31,950 — barely above minimum wage and not on par with public school teachers. The median teacher pay in D.C. is just over $81,000, says the D.C. Policy Center.
Chart of the week: School districts are struggling to retain and recruit teachers
In the 2021-2022 school year, D.C. public and public charter schools retained an average of 74 percent of their teachers, compared to a national average of 84 percent. However, some areas of D.C. have faced lower teacher retention than others, with greater shares of teachers in Wards 6, 7, and 8 choosing to leave their schools.
How school boundaries and feeder patterns shape DC’s housing and education inequalities | Greater Greater Washington
At-risk kids are also less likely to get into their lottery choices. A major reason is that the lottery gives preference to siblings, according to research by the D.C. Policy Center, which tends to maintain school demographics rather than disrupt them.
D.C. Schools Face Major Substitute Teacher Shortage: Analysis | Washington Informer
On August 3, 2022, the D.C. Policy Center’s Chart of the week, Ongoing substitute teacher shortages affect schools’ ability to function, was cited by the Washington Informer: D.C. Public Schools may face a huge shortage of substitute teachers in the upcoming academic year, which could have an impact on classrooms and school…
Nationals Fans Have Lost Hope. Here’s Why They Shouldn’t | City Cast DC
Meanwhile, with three weeks to go until school starts back up, DC Public Schools is facing a serious shortage of substitute teachers. The number of subs has dropped by 50 percent in the past two years, according to a new D.C. Policy Center report. A lot teachers say they’re quitting because of low pay, lack of benefits, and COVID concerns.
DC Substitute Teachers Cite Low Pay, Lack of Benefits for ‘Mass Exodus’ | NBC 4
According to a recent analysis from local research group D.C. Policy Center, the number of substitutes on the DCPS payroll has gone down from 987 at the start of 2020 to 501 in the first quarter of 2022. It’s not known exactly how many substitutes there are going into the upcoming school year, as D.C.’s public employee salary database has yet to update with the most recent quarter’s data.
Chart of the week: Ongoing substitute teacher shortages affect schools’ ability to function
D.C. has not escaped the national substitute shortage facing districts across the country. According to public salary data published by District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), the number of substitute teachers on the payroll has dropped from a peak of 987 in the first quarter of 2020, to 501 in the first quarter of 2022 (data are not available for public charter schools). While enrollment has shrunk in DCPS schools by four percent since 2019, the decrease in substitutes has outpaced that.
D.C.’s changing public school enrollment: Trends by ward
How do and enrollment trends differ across different areas of D.C.? While the number of births decreased across all wards, some wards have seen larger declines than others. These declines have varying levels of significance for enrollment trends as the relationship between the number of births and where students live and where they enroll in school varies across the city. While we can look to births and cohort retention ratios to project future public school enrollment by grade, it is very challenging to do so by ward.
Chart of the week: The majority of teachers in the District are rent burdened
The increasing cost of renting an apartment in the District of Columbia is making it more difficult for essential community workers (teachers, nurses, police officers etc.) to live in or near the communities they serve. Given the current salaries teachers receive, how affordable is the city for the median teacher? Comparing the…
D.C.’s changing public school enrollment: Trends by race and grade band
in recent years, the share of students who are Black enrolled in D.C.’s public schools has declined across all grade bands – due in part to fewer births to mothers who are Black and weaker preferences for pre-kindergarten during the pandemic.
Report shows enrollment in DC schools is down and projected to continue to decline | WJLA
A report by the DC Policy Center shows enrollment growth stalled in D.C. schools during the pandemic and if the trend continues, an enrollment that currently stands at 87,000 could decline to 81,000 by 2026.
D.C. school enrollment expected to drop after years of increases | Washington Post
Enrollment in D.C.’s traditional public and charter schools is expected to drop over the next five years, a disappointing turn for a city that had celebrated more than a decade of growth in its public schools. The current enrollment stagnation and anticipated decrease in the coming years — according to a study released Wednesday by the local research group D.C. Policy Center — was propelled by declining birthrates and adults leaving the city or pulling their children out of public schools during the pandemic.
Study reveals decline in DC school enrollment, what’s expected in coming years | WTOP
School enrollment numbers in D.C. are projected to decline, the latest shift after years of growth in its public and charter schools.
Declining births and lower demand: Charting the future of public school enrollment in D.C.
The two main drivers of enrollment growth (births in D.C. and preference of families to live in D.C. and choose public schools) have both been on the decline in recent years. This report analyzes how changing trends will impact future enrollment projections for D.C.’s public schools.
Chart of the week: Students’ use of public transit remains at a fraction of pre-pandemic levels
As of January 2022, student ridership on public transit, as measured by Kids Ride Free trips, was 11 percent of pre-pandemic levels (September 2019), according to data from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education’s Performance Oversight data for FY21 and FY20.
D.C. bypasses national public school enrollment drop | Axios DC
D.C.’s high school graduation rate was on the decline for years, D.C. Policy Center’s Education Policy Initiative director Chelsea Coffin tells Axios. But it increased during the pandemic as some graduation requirements were relaxed or waived. What to watch: Coffin says the decrease in D.C. births will impact public school enrollment in the future, especially for younger students.
Chart of the week: Pandemic enrollment in postsecondary institutions has been more stable in D.C. than across the country
Nationally, enrollment across public and private/not-for-profit postsecondary institutions (including undergraduate, graduate, two-year, and four-year programs) declined by 3.6 percent from Fall 2019 to Fall 2020. D.C.’s enrollment likewise declined, but to a lesser extent.
Chart of the week: The impact of new at-risk concentration funding at the school level
This week, the Council of the District of Columbia added a subtitle to the FY23 budget with two additional weights to the student funding formula, which would provide additional funds to schools where 40 percent or more of the student population is designated as at-risk, and to schools where 70 percent or…
D.C. Voices: D.C. schools ramped up mental health resources during the pandemic. How well do these services address student needs?
While schools invested in supports like hiring additional staff and providing social-emotional integration trainings during the 2020-21 school year, many students and families reported challenges when trying to access mental health resources. In this latest installment in our D.C. Voices series, we hear directly from students, researchers, and administrators to learn more about the barriers students may face when accessing services and how available mental health services currently meet needs.
Chart of the week: Equitable access seat matches in D.C.’s common lottery for school enrollment
kindergarten, at a public charter school, or at a DCPS school aside from their in-boundary option. Last week, applicants to the common lottery received their results, which for the first time included an equitable access priority for students who are identified as “at-risk” with 400 applicants matching in this category.
Groups call on D.C. to classify more kids as at-risk for academic failure | Washington Post
The D.C. Policy Center, a local research group, crunched the numbers and determined that expanding the eligibility for at-risk funds could cost the city anywhere between $20 and $33 million each year. Analysts figured that many children who would fall under these new categories already qualify for at-risk funding because their families qualify for food stamps.
FY23 Budget Oversight Hearing: Committee of the Whole (Education Agencies)
The FY23 budget includes substantial investments in academics, with a historic increase of 5.87 percent to the UPSFF foundation level and $14 million for high impact tutoring, among others. These resources intended to boost learning outcomes are essential for success in school year 2022-23, but there is a need to focus more on the expected results. OSSE’s Annual Performance Plan has FY22 targets of 43.2 percent of students being college and career ready in English Language Arts (ELA) and 40.1 percent in Math, which indicate an increase of 6.2 percentage points in ELA and 9.1 percentage points in Math from 2018-19.
State of D.C. Schools, 2020-21
State of D.C. Schools is an annual systemwide overview of public education in the District of Columbia. The report’s main purpose is to give D.C. residents, parents, caregivers, policymakers, and other stakeholders a snapshot of the overall performance of the District’s public schools. This report captures school year 2020-21 and how it continued to be impacted by COVID-19, with most students learning virtually for the entire school year. It also provides an update on 2021-22, when in-person learning resumed with the Herculean tasks of keeping students and teachers safe while making up for the unfinished learning from previous pandemic years.
Testimony for Performance Oversight Hearing: Committee of the Whole – Education Agencies
Likely because of the economic impacts of the pandemic, there was an increase in the percentage of students designated as at-risk to 45 percent, two percentage points higher than the previous year (see Figure 1). This was mostly driven by an increase in the number of students who were eligible for SNAP – the numbers of students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or overage decreased.
Chart of the week: In-person learning in the 2020-21 school year
DCPS and public charter schools returned to full-time in-person learning in August 2021, which was a huge shift from the previous school year. At the start of school year 2020-21, 99 percent of students were learning virtually for five days a week, followed by a gradual re-introduction to in-person learning for some students according to D.C. School Report Card data.
State Board of Education testimony on COVID recovery data collection
One of the biggest changes in school year 2020-21 was that there was likely less instructional time and less content covered. At the start of the school year, 99 percent of students were learning virtually for five days a week (many with one day of asynchronous learning), and 79 percent of students were still doing so by the year’s end.
Chart of the week: Public school enrollment for older students grew slightly, while elementary and pre-kindergarten declined
Newly released audited enrollment data for the District’s public schools (both DCPS and public charter) for school year 2021-22 show that enrollment stands at 94,532 students: almost the same as last year. Enrollment in high school is up by 7 percent, while adult learner enrollment rebounded from last year’s dip, growing by 8 percent. Enrollment in early grades (pre-kindergarten and elementary) declined, continuing last year’s trend.
D.C. Council testimony on school budget bills 24-570 and 24-571
Bill 24-571, “The Schools Full Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021” aims to prove schools budget stability by ensuring that schools will have at least the same budget as they got in the previous year unless the school loses a grade level, is poised for closure or must absorb students from a school poised for closure, or there is a systemwide shock that reduces total DCPS formula funding by more than 5 percent.
State Board of Education testimony on SR20-11: Resolution on Improving the STAR Framework
On Wednesday, December 15, 2021, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified at the public meeting of the D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE) on SR20-11: State Board of Education Resolution On Improving the School Transparency and Reporting (STAR) Framework.
D.C. Voices: Using information on early career outcomes
Survey data suggest that students with access during high school to career supports such as connections to employers, exposure to careers, and professional counseling tend to earn wages 20 percent higher than their peers—and such access could have lasting impacts. In this latest installment in our D.C. Voices series, we hear directly from students and counselors about the implications better early career outcomes data could have as students make their postsecondary education and career choices.
‘At-risk’ D.C. students to get priority in pre-K lottery | Washington Post
A 2020 study conducted by the D.C. Policy Center found that prioritizing at-risk students had the potential to improve their chance “to match at a school they have ranked and to increase socioeconomic diversity, especially at a subset of schools that serve low percentages of students who are at-risk.” The study said sibling preference preserved schools’ preexisting demographics by making it harder for students without siblings at a school to get in.
Enrollment In D.C. Public Schools Drops For Second Year In A Row | DCist
Most students who left their schools at the end of last year did not transfer to another campus within the city but moved out of the District entirely, according to city officials. It is hard to pinpoint exactly how many of those departures are because of the pandemic. Chelsea Coffin, who directs education research at the D.C. Policy Center, said birth rates in the District have declined since 2016, a possible indicator that fewer students can be expected to enroll in school.
Measuring early career outcomes in D.C.
Quick links Download this report in the original PDF format here. Access the 1-page report summary here. Access the launch event page and event program here. Chapter 1. The importance of tracking early career outcomes D.C.’s public schools, serving students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, strive to prepare students to succeed as young…
Oyé Palaver Hut Brings African Culture, Conflict Resolution East of the River | Washington Informer
Earlier this year, the D.C. Policy Center collected data showing that isolation and increased economic hardship during the pandemic further primed young people for socioemotional challenges. In anticipation of months of unresolved trauma spilling into the classroom, Yaa-Anna participated in workshops about trauma-informed instruction.
How feeder patterns influence school decisions in D.C.
Many of D.C.’s public school students change schools at some point between pre-kindergarten and grade 12, transferring into a different feeder pattern. At the final transition point, which is between 8th and 9th grade, the most popular school-to-school feeder pattern in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) system is Wilson High…
District Links: Robert White makes his mayoral bid official; new report delves into why DC families leave public schools; and more | The DC Line
“Parents who move their children from D.C. public schools to surrounding jurisdictions cite school quality and housing affordability as major contributing factors to leaving — but what makes a quality school varies widely by household, a new report out today by the D.C. Policy Center found.
Why some parents leave D.C. public schools | Axios D.C.
On October 13, 2021, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, Exit & voice: Perceptions of the District’s public schools among stayers and Leavers, was cited by Axios D.C.: Parents who move their children from D.C. public schools to surrounding jurisdictions cite school quality and housing affordability as major contributing factors to leaving —…
Morning links: Racine declines 2022 run | Axios D.C.
Parents who move their children from D.C. public schools to surrounding jurisdictions cite school quality and housing affordability as major contributing factors to leaving — but what makes a quality school varies widely by household, a new report out today by the D.C. Policy Center found.
Exit & Voice: Perceptions of the District’s public schools among stayers and leavers
Quick links Download this report in the original PDF format here. Access the 1-page report summary here. Download additional tables prepared with the survey data here in MS Excel format. View the launch event discussion recording here. Executive summary Enrollment in D.C.’s public schools had been steadily increasing since 2009 until the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this…
11 charter schools in DC will give admissions preference to at-risk students | WTOP
On September 18, 2021, the D.C. Policy Center Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin was cited by WTOP: During a public hearing in July 2020, before the law was passed, Chelsea Coffin, the director of the Education Initiative of D.C. Policy Center, testified before the city council on the report the center published on…
Eleven D.C. Charter Schools To Give Admissions Preference To At-Risk Students | DCist
On September 17, 2021, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, At-risk priority in D.C.’s common lottery: Potential implications for access and diversity, was cited by DCist: In an analysis published last year, the D.C. Policy Center determined that a new at-risk preference would likely accomplish those goals. “Implementing a priority for at-risk applicants…
Friendship PCS Blow Pierce Campus Maintains Ties with Parents During In-Person Learning | Washington Informer
On September 8, 2021, D.C. Policy Center’s article, Challenges outside of school for D.C.’s students and families during the pandemic, was cited by the Washington Informer: A report published by the D.C. Policy Center in March found that District children who stayed home during the pandemic experienced social isolation, anxiety and depression. As adults…
D.C. public schools’ plans for instruction in school year 2020-21
In October 2020, all 67 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in the District submitted their Continuous Education and School Recovery Plans (CEPs), providing information on what changes they were aiming to implement during school year 2020-21 to best serve their students. The plans were mandated by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)…
D.C. Voices: Social studies standards in D.C.’s public schools
In July 2020, the District of Columbia State Board of Education (DC SBOE), in partnership with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), created the Social Studies Standards Advisory Committee to review and update the District’s social studies curriculum. These standards were last revised in 2006. The goal of this…
Landscape of student engagement during the pandemic
One year after schools physically closed on March 16, 2020,[1] an estimated 88 percent of students in the District of Columbia were still learning from home[2], as most programs for students in kindergarten to grade 12 remained virtual through the end of the fall 2020 semester and start of the spring 2021…
D.C. Voices: Professional development for teachers in summer 2021
In focus groups conducted by the D.C. Policy Center in August 2020, some teachers reported that when D.C.’s public and public charter schools transitioned to distance learning in March, they didn’t have the tools they needed to design and deliver virtual lesson plans. They didn’t know how to best engage students in…
Education testimony by Chelsea Coffin at the FY2022 D.C. Council budget oversight hearing
On June 3, 2021, D.C. Policy Center Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified at the Committee of the Whole Public Oversight Hearing on education, addressing what the budget means for students who are designated at-risk. You can read her testimony below or download a PDF version here. Good morning, Chairman Mendelson…
D.C. Voices: Spending federal ESSER funds
To help schools and students cope with the extreme challenges created by COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Education awarded three rounds of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. These grants were given to states to assist schools and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on elementary…
Testimony at Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery & Committee of the Whole Joint Public Oversight Hearing
On May 26, 2021, D.C. Policy Center Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified at the Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery & Committee of the Whole Joint Public Oversight Hearing, addressing learning gaps and ensuring that students’ mental and physical health needs are met. You can read her testimony below or…
Outcomes for high school students during the pandemic
High school students in D.C. have been especially impacted by the pandemic. In an EmpowerK12 survey of 2,500 public charter school students, high schoolers’ responses indicated that they were the least confident in their ability to succeed during distance learning compared to students in other grade bands.[i] Although some have thrived in…
D.C. Voices: Summer 2021 programming to address learning loss and student well-being
For students at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), and many public charter schools, the 2020-21 school year will end on or around June 24, 2021. After the academic year ends, many students will participate in summer programs to address reduced learning and socialization over the last year. In 2017, at least…
D.C.’s adult learners during the pandemic: Results from a Fall 2020 survey
The disproportionate health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 health pandemic have been widely documented. In Washington, D.C., adult learners suddenly found themselves pivoting to virtual learning while simultaneously navigating heightened concerns about their employment, health, and housing. In May 2020, adult charter schools in D.C. conducted a survey of learners to…
D.C. Voices: Lessons learned after a year of virtual instruction
On March 24, 2020 – exactly one year ago – D.C. public schools and many public charter schools began their first day of distance learning. The D.C. Policy Center’s State of D.C. Schools report documents how students, parents, and teachers (representing the most directly impacted groups) experienced this transition to virtual instruction.[i]…
Testimony of Chelsea Coffin on pandemic distance learning at D.C. SBOE
On March 17, 2021, Chelsea Coffin, Director of the Education Policy Initiative, testified before the District’s State Board of Education (SBOE) regarding distance learning during the pandemic. You can read her testimony below, and download it as a PDF. Good evening, Members of the State Board of Education. My name is Chelsea…
State of D.C. Schools, 2019-20
State of D.C. Schools, 2019-20 is an annual systemwide overview of education in the District of Columbia. Its main purpose is to give D.C. residents, parents, caregivers, and other stakeholders a snapshot of the overall performance of the District’s public schools.
Challenges outside of school for D.C.’s students and families during the pandemic
Health The health impacts of the pandemic have been concentrated among Black and Latino residents, likely related to unequal access to healthcare and essential work status across race and ethnicity lines, among other factors. As of February 15, 2021, residents of Wards 7 and 8 accounted for 28 percent of the District’s…
Testimony of Chelsea Coffin regarding education agencies at the D.C. Council oversight hearing
Good morning, Chairperson Mendelson and members of the Committee of the Whole. My name is Chelsea Coffin and I am the Director of the Education Policy Initiative at the D.C. Policy Center, where our education research focuses on how schools connect to broader dynamics in the District of Columbia. The pandemic put…
Economic characteristics across D.C., students, and COVID-19
Most students in the District of Columbia have been learning from home since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March of 2020. School closures have likely been more challenging for students living in low-income households than for those in higher income households – households in Wards 7 and 8 are less likely than…
D.C. Voices: School priorities for the District’s new research-practice partnership
What does a successful research-practice partnership look like? In 2018, the D.C. Council enacted legislation to create a research-practice partnership (RPP) in support of actionable, independent research for the District’s education sector. An education research-practice partnership is a collaborative engagement between researchers and education agencies that aims to identify paths for continued…
D.C. Voices: Data suggest a decline in routine vaccinations during COVID-19
In D.C., students are required to receive certain vaccines to attend school,[1] a practice that increases community protections against potentially life-threatening diseases. However, data show that routine vaccination rates among kindergarteners in D.C. are declining, and had been even before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 school years, the…
D.C. Voices: Transitioning to postsecondary school or the workforce during the pandemic
The public health and economic crises caused by COVID-19 have created additional challenges for students who are navigating the transition from high school to postsecondary school or to the workforce. High school seniors in spring 2020 found it difficult to visit schools, complete the necessary tests, apply for financial aid, and discuss…
District Links: Another deal to return teachers to classrooms falls apart… | The DC Line
On November 18, 2020, the D.C. Policy Center’s report, At-risk application patterns in D.C.’s common lottery, was cited by The DC Line: Families of at-risk students are less likely to participate in the school lottery and submit applications prior to the deadline, a new report from the D.C. Policy Center found. Even so, author Chelsea Coffin says, there…
At-risk application patterns in D.C.’s common lottery
The D.C. Council has passed legislation to allow (but not mandate) public charter schools to prioritize at-risk applicants in the common lottery. Charters could do so either by prioritizing an at-risk applicant pool over other student groups in the common lottery, or by reserving a certain share of their seats for at-risk…
D.C. Voices: How can we safely and successfully transition to in-person learning?
As the District takes steps to identify what changes need to be made to safely and successfully transition back to in-person learning, the D.C. Policy Center reached out to school leaders, parents, teachers, and students to ask: In short term, what changes would make students, teachers, and staff feel safe attending school in person? What academic and socio-emotional supports would ensure student success? What about in the medium and long-term?
District Links: DCPS cancels plans for in-person instruction for some students next week; 95 voting centers open for Election Day; and more | The DC Line
On November 3, 2020, the D.C. Policy Center’s article, COVID-era health care workforce capacity in Washington, D.C., was cited by The DC Line: A new report from the D.C. Policy Center examines the District’s COIVD-era health care workforce, including the geographic distribution of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and other health providers in the District. In…
The impact of COVID-19 on D.C.’s adult learners: Results from a Spring 2020 survey
Washington, D.C. is one of the highest-earning, most educated cities in the country, yet almost 20 percent of families with children under 18 live below the poverty line and 45,000 adult residents do not have a high school diploma. Adult-serving public charter schools in D.C. reduce these disparities by working with adult learners to put them on a path toward economic prosperity.
D.C. Voices: Distance learning supports for students with disabilities and English learners
The shift to distance learning last spring created access and language barriers for some of D.C.’s most vulnerable students, including students with disabilities and English learners. In this installment of our D.C. Voices series, we asked, how are schools serving students with disabilities and English learners during distance learning this fall? What lessons were learned last spring?
D.C. Voices: Rebooting distance learning
On July 30, 2020, Mayor Bowser announced that D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) would begin the 2020-21 school year entirely virtually. Most public charter schools have made similar decisions, including the city’s two largest charter networks: KIPP DC PCS and Friendship PCS. This virtual start will follow a shortened 2019-2020 school year that…
D.C. Voices: What factors are parents weighing as they make enrollment decisions for their children?
On July 30, 2020, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that public schools in the District would start the academic year virtually and remain that way until November 6, 2020. This announcement does not apply to the city’s public charter schools, which educate nearly half of the city’s public school students. While a…
Testimony from Chelsea Coffin on the Expanding Equitable Access to Great Schools Act of 2020
On July 31, 2020, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education on B23-0717, the Expanding Equitable Access to Great Schools Act of 2020. Download this testimony.
Update: Diversity in D.C.’s public schools, 2018-19
Within schools, student diversity is low in the District of Columbia. The 2018 D.C. Policy Center report, Landscape of Diversity in D.C.’s Public Schools, looked at data from the 2016-17 school year and found that there was less racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity in District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and public…
At-risk priority in D.C.’s common lottery: Potential implications for access and diversity
The “At-risk priority in D.C.’s common lottery: Potential implications for access and diversity” report explores the implications of implementing a preference for at-risk students in Washington, D.C.’s common lottery, and what such a preference could mean for public charter schools in the city. Below is the full report. You can also read…
D.C. Voices: Sustainability of D.C. child care facilities during the pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, households with children are more likely to face loss of employment income than households without children nationwide. This is likely due to parents having to give up jobs or reduce their hours to shoulder the additional responsibilities of educating and caring for their children without outside help. Until…
Where D.C.’s former students attend postsecondary
The D.C. Policy Center’s recent report, Transition to College or Career for the District’s High School Students, examined what we do and don’t know about outcomes for D.C.’s high schoolers. Fifty-six percent of D.C.’s high school graduates continue to postsecondary within six months of completing high school, but we don’t know much…
Transition to college or career for the District’s high school students
“Transition to college or career for the District’s high school students” explores outcomes for D.C.’s students at the close of high school and as they become young adults transitioning into postsecondary or entering jobs. Below is the full report. You can also read the summary – available in both English and Spanish…
D.C. Voices: How will facilities and operations adapt when schools reopen?
On May 22, 2020, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that D.C. Public Schools would begin its next school year on August 31. Public charter schools are determining their start dates independently, but it’s likely that some will align their calendars with DCPS. It remains uncertain whether students will attend school in-person, learn virtually,…
Testimony from Chelsea Coffin at the Joint Budget Oversight Hearing for Public Education
On June 4, 2020, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education at the Joint Budget Oversight Hearing for FY21. Download this testimony.
D.C. Voices: Teacher retention and recruitment during the pandemic
Teacher quality is the most influential school-level contributor to student achievement,[i] which means retaining effective teachers is an essential component of improving student learning. Amid the challenges of distance learning during COVID-19, retaining teachers might also provide students with much-needed stability as teachers can build on their pre-existing relationships with students to…
D.C. Voices: Mental health supports during school closures
After declaring a public health emergency for the District of Columbia on March 11th, 2020, Mayor Bowser closed non-essential businesses and issued a stay at home order, requiring residents to socially distance from those outside their households. Schools closed two days later. The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new health concerns for many,…
D.C. Voices: The challenges of distance learning
In response to COVID-19 social distancing protocols, educators in D.C. have had to confront the daunting task of virtually teaching almost a hundred thousand students. It’s crucial to continue supporting schools in navigating this transition, but it’s also important to recognize that distance learning cannot provide the same experience as traditional schooling….
Initial national and state education policy changes in response to COVID-19
Across the country 46 states[1], including the District of Columbia, have closed schools. Beginning on March 16th, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) closed to slow the spread of COVID-19 and will remain closed through at least April 24th, following the Mayor’s declaration of a public health emergency. Public charter schools in…
Resources for the D.C. student and education community to stay informed and safe as COVID-19 spreads
Everyday life in Washington D.C. metropolitan area and beyond is on hold, including for students, educators, and their families and caregivers. Many are sharing guidance on how we can best adjust to the new normal. Below are resources compiled by our Education Policy Initiative that may be useful. The D.C. Policy Center…
Testimony from Chelsea Coffin on the Critical Risk Rate School Funding Designation Act of 2019
On March 10, 2020, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education on the Critical Risk Rate School Funding Designation Act of 2019. Download this testimony.
Student achievement is on the rise, but critical gaps persist
The D.C. Policy Center’s State of D.C. Schools, 2018-19 report highlighted where D.C.’s traditional public and public charter schools have made progress as well as where targeted improvements are still necessary. Learning outcomes can be examined in the same way – student achievement on D.C.’s state assessment is on the rise, but large…
When students don’t feel safe in the neighborhood: How can schools help?
In D.C., a large share of children and youth up to age 17 are likely to be exposed to traumatic events: 21.3 percent have been exposed to an adverse childhood experience, including an estimated 9 percent who have been a victim or witness to neighborhood violence. Community violence often happens without warning, which can cause feelings of sudden, horrifying shock and loss of control and safety. It involves intentional acts to harm others, which can lead to feelings of extreme mistrust of others and powerlessness.
Testimony of Chelsea Coffin, D.C. SBOE Public Meeting
On February 26, 2020, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified before the D.C. State Board of Education at a public meeting. You can read her testimony below, and download it as a PDF. Good evening, members of the State Board of Education. My name is Chelsea…
What D.C. schools need to do to tackle chronic absenteeism
In the two years since a graduation controversy at Ballou High School exposed a serious student absenteeism problem across the city, D.C.’s traditional public schools and many of its public charter schools have deployed numerous interventions to improve attendance. Extensive evidence suggests that absenteeism undermines learning, beginning in very early grades. National…
State of D.C. Schools, 2018-19
ABOUT THIS REPORT This State of D.C. Schools report is a systemwide overview of education in D.C. meant to help local residents, and especially parents of current and future D.C. public school children, better understand where D.C.’s traditional public and public charter schools have made progress. The report also addresses where targeted…
New D.C. education data show how school choice plays out across wards
This post originally appeared on the Urban Institute’s Greater DC blog. D.C.’s school choice policies allow families to send their children to schools outside their neighborhood boundaries, and more than three-quarters of D.C. students attend a school that isn’t their in-boundary or neighborhood school. Some of those students go to school…
More difficult to get a spot at D.C.’s leveler schools
The recent D.C. Policy Center report, Access to schools that level the playing field for D.C.’s at-risk students, examined where in the city at-risk students have the shortest commutes to “leveler schools”—schools with the very highest growth for at-risk students.[1] About a third of the population under 18 lives within a typical…
Access to schools that level the playing field for D.C.’s at-risk students
Test scores have improved for D.C. students in recent years, even taking into account demographic shifts in the city’s public school students.[1] However, achievement gaps persist by race and ethnicity, special education and English learner needs, and at-risk status. Access to high-quality schools—schools with strong academic outcomes and the student support systems…
Even for early grades, there is a weak link between where families live and where students attend school
Since the mid-2000s, the District of Columbia has experienced a population boom accompanied by rising housing values—and, in recent years, more students in public schools. In most cities with similar population growth, housing prices rise in tandem with the number of school-age children in neighborhoods with schools that are perceived as high-quality….
D.C.’s disconnect between enrollment growth and neighborhood change
The D.C. Policy Center report “D.C.’s disconnect between citywide enrollment growth and neighborhood change” examines changes in enrollment, school-age population, and housing values, finding that although these three are growing in parallel for the city, they are not linked neighborhood by neighborhood. Download the report as a PDF here. The District of…
Testimony from Chelsea Coffin on the Master Facilities Plan Approval Resolution of 2019
On June 5, 2019, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified on PR23-0193, The “Master Facilities Plan Approval Resolution of 2019” before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education. Download this testimony. Read the underlying D.C. Policy Center essay “Enrollment still expected to increase…
Updated data suggests despite D.C.’s slowing population growth, school enrollment still expected to increase
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 20, 2019 CONTACT: Chelsea Coffin, Director, Education Policy Initiative (202) 223-2233 chelsea@dcpolicycenter.org WASHINGTON, D.C. – Released today, an updated report using new data from 2018 indicates that despite the District of Columbia’s slowdown in population growth, enrollment is expected to continue to increase, as births have stabilized…
Enrollment still expected to increase despite slower population growth in D.C.
Population growth in the District of Columbia is slowing and migration patterns are changing. Population growth in 2018 was 2,400 lower than the previous year (growth of 6,764 in 2018 compared to 9,116 in 2017).[1] While D.C.’s growth used to be driven in part by domestic migration, the District’s current population gains…
Funding sources and expenditure patterns of out-of-school time programs in D.C.
Out-of-school time programs in D.C. In 2016, an estimated 33,400 children and youth attended subsidized afterschool programs in the District of Columbia, and at least 15,000 children and youth participated in subsidized summer programs. These estimates are from a report the D.C. Policy Center published in October 2017, “Needs Assessment of Out-of-School Time…
The Funding Landscape of Out-of-School Time Programs in the District of Columbia: Full Report
This report describes the current funding landscape of out-of-school time (OST) programs in the District of Columbia. It explores where funding for OST programs comes from, where funds are distributed, and how these funds are used. The report also explores the potential fiscal needs of expanding OST programs, opportunities that are available to expand and better use existing funds, and bottlenecks that might impair expansion efforts.
Testimony of Executive Director Yesim Taylor on Confirmation of State Superintendent of Education Hanseul Kang
On March 6, 2019, D.C. Policy Center Executive Director Yesim Sayin Taylor testified before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education on the “State Superintendent of Education Hanseul Kang Confirmation Resolution of 2019.” Read her testimony here.
Beyond diversity to equitable, inclusive schools
By Laura Wilson Phelan and Lee Teitel After centuries of exclusion and segregation within the American education system, major policy efforts in the last 60 years have focused on desegregating schools in terms of getting a diverse set of students into school buildings. In some American cities today, desegregation also occurs…
Racial and ethnic diversity over time in D.C.’s schools
One key finding of the recent D.C. Policy Center report “Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools: What Does School Diversity Look Like in D.C.?” was that racial and ethnic diversity is low in the city’s public schools,[1] even considering the composition of D.C.’s students – individual schools were less diverse than the public…
No Guarantee of a Seat at D.C.’s Most Racially Diverse Schools
How easy is it to get a seat at D.C.’s most diverse schools? This blog post examines the relationship between diversity scores and waitlists as a follow up to the D.C. Policy Center report, Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools. Racial and ethnic diversity in D.C.’s traditional public and public charter…
What does school diversity look like in D.C.?
The D.C. Policy Center report “Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools: What Does School Diversity Look Like in D.C.?” presents a snapshot of racial and ethnic diversity as well as economic diversity in D.C.’s public schools, characteristics of D.C.’s most diverse schools, and how diversity has changed in recent years. Only…
Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools, Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Analysis of Diversity in D.C. Schools Finds Little Overlap Between Racial and Economic Diversity New data shows a diversifying Washington region, but diversity is hard to find school by school in the District of Columbia. A new report, “Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools”, by D.C. Policy Center…
Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools
New data shows a diversifying Washington region, but diversity is hard to find school by school in the District of Columbia.
D.C.’s Master Facilities Plan Will Shape the City’s Balance Between Neighborhood Schools and Charters – Washington City Paper
On October 10, 2018, Rachel M. Cohen at Washington City Paper wrote about Chelsea Coffin’s report “How D.C.’s Young Families May Shape Public School Enrollment.” The D.C. Auditor projects school enrollment to grow by 12,000 to 17,000 students in the next 10 years, with the bulk of that growth occurring in the…
School-age population likely to grow most outside the Wilson High School boundary
Where is the school-age population likely to live? This post examines population forecasts and housing prices to highlight areas of the city that could see a growth in the population aged 3-17 as a follow up to the D.C. Policy Center report, Will Children of Millennials Become Future Public School Students?. If…
Future enrollment is likely to grow in upper grades
How will enrollment in D.C.’s public schools grow? This blog post examines which grade bands are expected to grow the most over the next ten years as a follow up to the D.C. Policy Center report, Will Children of Millennials Become Future Public School Students?. Public school enrollment in D.C. has been…
Two drivers of D.C.’s public school enrollment increase
Why has enrollment in D.C.’s public schools grown? This blog post examines births and cohorts staying in schools at higher rates over time as two drivers of enrollment growth to follow up on the D.C. Policy Center report, Will Children of Millennials Become Future Public School Students?. Enrollment in D.C. traditional public…
Will Children of Current Millennials Become Future Public School Students?
This report examines births and public school enrollment by cohort, and estimates that public school enrollment in the District of Columbia may grow by as many as 21,100 students by 2026-27. Half of this growth is likely to occur in middle and high school grades.
How D.C.’s Young Families May Shape Public School Enrollment
The D.C. Policy Center report “Will Children of Current Millennials Become Future Public School Students?: How D.C.’s Young Families May Shape Future Public School Enrollment” examines births and public school enrollment by cohort, and estimates that public school enrollment in the District of Columbia may grow by as many as 21,100 students…
Will Children of Current Millennials Become Future Public School Students?, Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Analysis of D.C. Families Indicates Middle & High School Enrollment Could Turn a Corner — If Millennials Can Afford to Stay in the City Enrollment in DC public schools is expected to increase by 21,100 students from the end of school year 2016-17 to 2026-27. Most growth will occur…
Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin’s testimony at the Public Hearing on Bill 22-776, District of Columbia Education Research Advisory Board and Collaborative Establishment Amendment Act of 2018
Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin is giving testimony on July 13, 2018 at the public hearing on Bill 22-776, District of Columbia Education Research Advisory Board and Collaborative Establishment Amendment Act of 2018, in the D.C. Council. Read the testimony here.
Primer on research-practice partnerships
As an addendum to D.C. needs research for school improvement and audits for oversight, but not from the same source, the D.C. Policy Center produced a research-practice partnerships primer to explain the basics of successful arrangements and highlight the extent to which the proposed D.C. education research collaborative aligns with existing partnerships. Access the primer…
D.C. needs research for school improvement and audit for oversight, but not from the same source
The D.C. Council is considering an education research collaborative that would carry out priority research on education in D.C. However, its current approach has one major flaw: the Council plans to place this entity under the Office of the D.C. Auditor, where it will also carry out an audit of D.C.’s education…
Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin’s testimony at the Public Oversight Roundtable on the Future of School Reform in the District of Columbia
Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin is giving testimony on May 16, 2018 at the Public Oversight Roundtable on the Future of School Reform in the District of Columbia (Part II) in the D.C. Council. Read the testimony here.
Public charter schools in the neighborhood
How do public charter school participation rates vary across the city, and which public charter schools enroll many students from the surrounding area? This blog post examines public charter school outcomes as a follow up to the D.C. Policy Center report, Schools in the Neighborhood: Can Neighborhood Characteristics Explain Enrollment at In-boundary…
Schools in the Neighborhood: Exploring the Data
Three-quarters of public school students in the District attend a school other than the in-boundary school in their neighborhood, where they have a right to attend. But boundary participation rates, or the percent of public school students who attend their in-boundary school, vary widely across the city and are extremely high in…
Schools in the Neighborhood: Full Report
This report examines the connections between neighborhood characteristics and boundary school enrollment rates among the District of Columbia’s public school students to identify commonalities across school neighborhoods that draw higher proportions of in-boundary students.
Schools in the Neighborhood, Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Analysis of School Enrollment Finds Few Predictable Pathways Through 12th Grade for D.C. Families Three-quarters of all public school students living in the Wilson High School feeder pattern attend their in-boundary school, but elsewhere in D.C., a nearly equal share go out of boundary or choose charters. WASHINGTON,…
Can Neighborhood Characteristics Explain Enrollment at In-Boundary Schools?
The D.C. Policy Center report “Schools in the Neighborhood: Can Neighborhood Characteristics Explain Enrollment at In-Boundary Schools?” examines the connections between neighborhood characteristics and boundary school enrollment rates among the District of Columbia’s public school students, and finds there’s only one pocket of the city where a majority of families in public…
Characteristics of neighborhoods with high in-boundary school enrollment
Chelsea Coffin, Director of the D.C. Policy Center’s Education Policy Initiative, spoke at a poster session at a conference organized by The Lab @ DC on Tuesday, February 27, 2018. Her presentation previewed new findings from a study of D.C. students’ enrollment patterns at in-boundary and out-of-boundary public schools and public charter schools that will be published…
The loss of DC TAG could disrupt college attendance among the children of low-income families
On February 12, 2018, the Trump Administration announced it had eliminated funding for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DC TAG) program in its Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request to Congress. If the Congress follows through—and this is still a big if —District families will lose $40 million in federal funding that helps…
Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin’s testimony on the Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017
Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin is giving testimony on January 30, 2018 about the “Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017” in the D.C. Council. Read the testimony here.
Banning suspensions is a blunt tool to reduce exclusionary discipline [Updated]
Update: The text has been updated with footnotes 2 and 3 to include context on two cited studies. (2/2/2018). The proposed “Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017” prohibits out-of-school suspensions aside from the most extreme disciplinary incidents. The bill follows a trend of disciplinary policy reform in nearly 27 states and…
Proposed Partial Suspension Ban Requires Shift in Mindsets
In the fourth quarter of 2017, Councilmember David Grosso, the chairperson of the Committee on Education, introduced the “Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017” with three co-sponsors. The bill would severely limit the use of out-of-school suspensions and instead ask educators to create a positive school climate through restorative practices…
Is D.C. on pace to meet its graduation rate targets?
Update 11/30/2017 To provide context for this analysis in light of recent reporting by WAMU questioning the validity of Ballou High School’s graduation rates in 2016-2017, the state Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) would decrease to an estimated 70.6 percent if Ballou High School seniors who missed at least 60 days of…
Announcing Education Policy Initiative
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ANNOUNCING EDUCATION POLICY INITIATIVE WASHINGTON, D.C. October 26, 2017 – The D.C. Policy Center is growing and now launching its new Education Policy Initiative to study how the city’s education policies, demographic changes, housing options, and transportation intersect. Since its establishment in 2016, the D.C. Policy Center…
New report on out-of-school time programs shows gaps between needs and capacity
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New report from the D.C. Policy Center finds that many children and youth participate in out-of-school time programs in the District, but there are gaps and mismatches between needs and capacity The report reviews capacity and need for afterschool and summer programs and identifies program gaps across the city….
Needs Assessment of Out-of-School Time Programs in the District of Columbia (2017)
Abstract This report describes the current landscape of out-of-school time (OST) programs in the District of Columbia. It takes stock of existing OST programs and assesses the extent to which these programs are meeting the needs of children and youth attending D.C. public and public charter schools. The report focuses on “subsidized”…
Out-of-School Time Programs in D.C.: Mismatches in capacity and need
Today, the D.C. Policy Center is releasing a new report, “Needs Assessment of Out-of-School Time Programs in the District of Columbia,” which examines the extent to which out-of-school time programs—offered after school and during the summer—are meeting the needs of children and youth attending D.C. public and public charter schools. We worked…
Four principles to guide child care policy in D.C.
The District’s child care crunch has been well-documented. Earlier this year, WTOP produced a five-part series on D.C.’s child care crisis, in addition to pieces from the Washington Post and WAMU. Most recently, D.C. made national headlines by requiring that lead teachers at child care centers earn a bachelor’s degree by 2020, the…
How should we measure D.C.’s “child care gap”?
D.C.’s parents are in a bind. While the District offers free pre-K for its three- and four-year-olds, finding high-quality child care from a licensed provider for infants and toddlers is challenging at best. D.C.’s licensed child care capacity for children under age three is limited, and the spots that are available are…
Threading the needle between housing costs and school value
This is the third part in a series. Read part 1 and part 2. When considering houses for sale in Washington D.C.’s Ward 4, my wife and I see tree-lined streets, great parks, and neighborhoods still affordable for middle-income buyers. Filling the District’s northern point, most of Ward 4 is wedged between Rock…