Results (58)
Redrawing School Boundaries – Families Still Have A Chance to Provide Input | HillRag
On August 16, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center was mentioned by HillRag: DME has contracted with a team led by Perkins Eastman, a global design/architecture firm, including WXY Studio, LINK Strategic Partners and The DC Policy Center to support both the boundary and facilities studies. As of the beginning of August, they…
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.
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,…
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.
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.
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.
DC Begins School Boundary Study | HillRag
On March 21, 2023, the D.C. Policy Center’s upcoming work on a D.C. school boundaries study was reported by HillRag: The public has a chance to opine on changes, Kihn added. There will be three rounds of District-wide townhalls, an Advisory Committee, engagement with school-specific communities, a boundary study website for information…
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…
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.
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.
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.
‘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.
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.
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.”
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…
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.
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.
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.
Q&A: Tackling the achievement gap with Chelsea Coffin, director of Education Policy at D.C. Policy Center | The Afro
Chelsea Coffin joined the D.C. Policy Center in 2017 as the Director of the Education Policy Initiative, which seeks to use new data and information to improve outcomes for District students— especially, those that are underprivileged. The AFRO connected with Coffin to learn more about tackling the achievement gap and the importance of diversity in the classroom. The conversation below has been edited for length and clarity.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mendelson Taps Ex-D.C. Mayor Williams to Lead Tax Commission | Washington Informer
D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson announced he has appointed former Mayor Anthony Williams as chairman of the D.C. Tax Revision Commission, as well as five other members… the appointees to the commission are Rahsaan G. Bernard, president of Building Bridges Across the River; Erica Williams, executive director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute; Yesim Taylor, executive director of the DC Policy Center…
‘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.
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.
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.
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…
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…
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…
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…