Public education in the District of Columbia

The Washington, D.C. public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, the District of Columbia had 50,971 students enrolled in a total of 116 schools in one school district. There were 4,100 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 12 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, the District of Columbia spent on average $22,856 per pupil.^[1] The state's graduation rate was 69 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.^[2]

General information

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how the District of Columbia compares to the national level for the most recent years for which data is available.

Academic performance

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Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Washington, D.C.'s scores fell below the national average in each category during the 2012-2013 school year.^[3]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Washington, D.C. and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[4][5][6]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[7] Washington, D.C. schools reported a graduation rate of 62.3 percent in 2013, lower than the national average.

In Washington, D.C., more students took the SAT than the ACT, earning an average SAT score of 1,400.

Dropout rate

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Washington, D.C. was higher than the national average at 6.1 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 5.8 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[8]

Educational choice options

See also: School choice in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. had the highest private school attendance in the country with over 21 percent of school age children in the district attending private schools during the 2011-2012 school year. Other school choice options in the district include charter schools, online learning, public school open enrollment and homeschooling.

Developments

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[9]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[10]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

The District of Columbia is not one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[11][12]

The District's public education revenue came primarily from local funds. NASBO did not report on the percent of Washington, D.C.'s budget that was spent on education during fiscal year 2013.

Revenue breakdowns

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[12]

In Washington, D.C., the primary source of school system revenue came from local funds, at $1.2 billion.

Expenditure breakdowns

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[13]

Public education expenditures in Washington, D.C. totaled approximately $1.9 billion in fiscal year 2012.

Personnel salaries

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Washington, D.C., the average salary increased by 10.2 percent.^[14]

Issues

After being appointed Chancellor of Education by Mayor Adrian Fenty, Michelle Rhee proposed a two-track system of pay for teachers. Under one track, teachers would relinquish tenure and, following a trial period of a year, make up to $130,000 in merit pay based on their effectiveness. All teachers new to the district would enter employment on this track. The second track would allow teachers to keep tenure and accept a smaller raise.^[15] The Washington Teacher's Union opposed the plan. Union President George Parker said on PBS that, after 17 months of negotiations with Rhee and no agreement, teacher morale was the lowest it had been in his 25 years in Washington, D.C. public schools.^[16]

Organizations

State agencies

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is tasked with the goal of raising the quality of education for all Washington, D.C. residents.^[17] To accomplish this goal, the OSSE sets district-wide policies, provides resources and support and is accountable for all public education in the district.^[18]

The mission statement of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education reads:^[18]

The Washington, D.C. State Board of Education has nine elected members, one for each ward of the district and one at-large member.^[20]

Unions

In 2012, the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Washington, D.C. ranked 33rd overall for union power and influence, or "weak", which was in the fourth tier of five.^[21]

The Washington Teachers' Union, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, represents the district's teachers.^[22]

List of local District of Columbia school unions:^[23]

• Washington Teachers' Union
• National Education Association

Studies and reports

ABCs of School Choice

The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice publishes a comprehensive guide to private school choice programs across the U.S. In its 2014 edition, the Foundation reviewed Washington, D.C.'s Opportunity Scholarship Program. The program gives vouchers to low-income students to attend private schools within the district. The Foundation found that the $20 million funding for the program was not sufficient to allow all students who qualify to use the program and suggested that funding be expanded to allow more families to participate.^[24] The full Friedman Foundation report can be found here.

State Budget Solutions education study

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

Quality Counts 2014

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, an organization that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and Washington, D.C.. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Washington, D.C. received a score of 81.5, or a B- average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. The state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 82.7, or a B average. The lowest score was in "K-12 achievement" at 59.2, or an F average. Washington, D.C. had the second-lowest K-12 achievement score in the country, after Mississippi. The chart below displays the scores of Washington, D.C. and the United States.^[25]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

In the news

In October 2009, Chancellor of Education Michelle Rhee fired 400 school personnel, including 266 educators, in order to close a budget shortfall. Union members claimed the budget shortfall was a manufactured excuse to clear teachers out of Washington, D.C. public schools.^[26]

The union sought to compel the public school system to reinstate the 266 teachers pending arbitration of a grievance the union filed under its contract.^[27] In November 2009, the D.C. Superior Court denied the union's request for a preliminary injunction.^[28]

Recent news

This section links to a Google news search for the terms "Washington, D.C. + education"

See also

• Historical public education information in the District of Columbia
• Washington, D.C. Department of Education
• Washington, D.C. school districts
• School choice in Washington, D.C.
• Charter schools in the District of Columbia
• Washington, D.C.
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links

• D.C. Public Charter School Board
• District of Columbia Public Schools
• D.C. Public Schools Budget and Finance
• Washington Teacher's Union
• District of Columbia Public School Ratings by PSK12
• District of Columbia Public School Ratings by Great Schools

Footnotes

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