Since 2017, the D.C. Policy Center’s Education Policy Initiative has brought objective analyses to education conversations in the District of Columbia. The Education Policy Initiative’s research reflects the D.C. Policy Center’s broad urban policy perspective, making our work unique in the education research space.
We recognize that public schools factor into where families want to live; how public schools mix students from different backgrounds can increase opportunities (or amplify inequities); schools can shape neighborhoods, and vice versa, even in a unified school district with a great degree of choice; and that schools can alter how employers perceive the local workforce. Thinking of the public school system through this urban policy lens is important because it focuses the policymakers on what local laws and policies can do to bring about change.
Throughout our work, we highlight inequities in education, and how these tie to other areas such as housing and workforce policies. We seek to bring new data and information to help improve outcomes for D.C.’s students, especially those students furthest from opportunity.
This year’s State of D.C. Schools, our annual systemwide overview of public education in the District, focuses on the transition back to in-person learning, measuring outcomes for the first time since the start of the pandemic, and beginning work on recovery.
Our D.C. Voices series elevates front-line perspectives, including government officials, practitioners, and community members.
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Charts of the week are published every week in the D.C. Policy Center’s email newsletter. In addition to content created across the organization, the EPI team creates education-specific charts to illustrate relevant data.
Leave a voicemail for the Education Policy Initiative at (202) 223-2233, email us at contact@dcpolicycenter.org, or click any individual staff member for their email address.
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Now in years 5 and 6 of its work, the Education Policy Initiative’s current two-year research agenda examines how D.C.’s public schools create opportunity through progress into upper grades and transitioning to workforce.
Hear from EPI experts and dig into our research at virtual and in-person events.
EPI experts are often interviewed and our research is frequently highlighted by the press.
These staff members are at the core of the Education Policy Initiative.
Our research is guided by a group of education researchers with deep knowledge of D.C.’s public schools and public school choice.
Matt Chingos
Urban Institute
Nora Gordon
Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy
Arthur McKee
CityBridge Education
Taylor White
New America
Jon Valant
Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institute
The D.C. Policy Center created the Education Policy Initiative in October of 2017 to focus on the intersection of education and demographics in D.C. Our Education Policy Initiative is supported by generous grants from Education Forward DC and the Walton Family Foundation.
