While it's school building looks like something straight out of Harry Potter, Washington Leadership Academy is best-known for its visionary thinking. One of only 10 schools in the U.S. to receive a $10 million grant from XQ: The Super School Project, the public charter is immersing its mostly minority, low-income students in technology--giving…

America's schools must improve outcomes in special education. Students with disabilities remain 25 percent less likely than their peers to graduate high school despite the belief among researchers that 80 to 85 percent of students with disabilities should be able to meet the same academic standards as their peers. We convened leaders from cities…

In 2013-14, the United States spent over $630 billion on its public education system in hopes of providing children with greater opportunities to excel academically and improve their life trajectories. While public education dollars have risen at a relatively fast pace historically, education policymakers and practitioners should be seeking to…

Shown to be the single most influential factor in children's early learning and development experiences, quality in early childhood education and care (ECEC) teaching has attracted increasing interest in research and policy globally. Yet almost all definitions of quality ECEC teaching to date reflect only adults' notions of the features that…

The purpose of this research brief is to describe racial and ethnic school segregation in the District of Columbia, within and between the private and public sectors (including charter schools). Using different measures, we find, unsurprisingly, a high degree of segregation within both sectors. Total segregation among private schools is driven…

The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) has prioritized efforts to support students' social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies, such as perseverance and social awareness. To measure students' SEL competencies and the school experiences that promote SEL competencies (school climate), DCPS began administering annual surveys to…

The value of both Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and efforts to embrace the idea that teachers should be held accountable for students' test scores have been debated among practitioners, policy makers, and the public for many years, but increasingly since 2010. The Common Core State Standards was implemented in 2009 to provide a basis for new…

Principals have a difficult job. It requires them to be instructional leaders, managers and mentors, all with the goal of helping every student succeed. How can school districts provide principals the support they need to excel in this challenging position? This Stories from the Field report explores how some school districts are responding to…

This study evaluated The Grassroot Project, a middle school sexual health promotion program in Washington, DC that uses university-level athlete role models and sports-based games. Seven schools were allocated to immediate (n = 160) or delayed intervention (n = 166). Students were tested before and immediately after the intervention on attitudes…

In cities across the country, school communities must contend with new challenges introduced by gentrification and the arrival of middle class and white families. This collaborative research study looks at schools where parent organizers are attempting to intervene in processes of gentrification that may further marginalize lower-income families…

Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School is considered to be the elder statesman among dual-language public charter elementary schools in Washington, D.C. It is old by charter school standards: Stokes was founded in 1998, well before the charter school boom of the 2000s, with just thirty-five students. It now serves 485…

Published histories of American art education seldom include the stories and accomplishments of Black art educators. There is a need to research, teach, and publish these histories to provide a more inclusive and equitable picture of American art education and to encourage more people of color to consider careers in the field. Using primary and…

This multi-case study seeks to understand the experiences of New York City and Washington, DC public charter school principals who have experienced leadership coaching, a component of leadership development, beyond their novice years. The research questions framing this study address how experienced public charter school principals describe the…

Place-based environmental education provides myriad physical, cognitive, social, and emotional benefits. In this study, 13 environmental educators illuminated how policy, partnerships and place shaped environmental education in pre-K-12 schools in Washington, DC. I recruited participants from the local government, nongovernmental organizations,…

In its strategic plan, "A Capital Commitment 2017-2022", DC Public Schools (DCPS) is committed to ensuring that all its schools provide rigorous and joyful learning experiences in a nurturing environment every day. As they strive to ensure every student feels loved, challenged, and prepared to positively influence society and thrive in…