Wednesday, January 31, 2024
12:00-1:00 PM
In an effort to increase socioeconomic diversity in schools and access to high-quality education for at-risk students, the equitable access option was introduced in D.C.’s common lottery for public schools in school year 2022-23. This allows District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools to prioritize applications from students who are designated at-risk.
Two prior D.C. Policy Center studies indicated that an Equitable Access option could significantly change enrollment patterns for schools, promoting socioeconomic diversity and prioritizing the students furthest from opportunity to access schools that opt in. This report examines common lottery outcomes for at-risk students in the first year of equitable access implementation at a systems level (two new DCPS schools had offered it in previous years).
Join us on January 31st at 12pm for the virtual release of our report, The first year of Equitable Access: An examination of common lottery outcomes for at-risk students. The webinar will offer a presentation of the findings followed by a panel discussion with local and national experts who will share their perspectives on equitable access implementation. The conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A.
Opening Remarks
Dr. Yesim Sayin, Executive Director, D.C. Policy Center
Introduction to report
Chelsea Coffin, Director of the Education Policy Initiative, D.C. Policy Center
Panel discussion
Hannah Mason, Senior Education Research Analyst, D.C. Policy Center (Moderator)
Dr. Sundai Riggins, Head of School, Inspired Teaching Demonstration Public Charter School
Maquita Alexander, Principal, Van Ness Elementary School
Michele Gray, Senior Manager of Equity and Access, DC Public Charter School Board
Alex Caple, Director, Strategic Operations and Analysis, My School DC
Dr. Jon Valant, Senior Fellow in Governance Studies and Director of the Brown Center on Education Policy, Brookings Institution
Event recording