Chelsea Coffin

Director of the Education Policy Initiative
D.C. Policy Center

Chelsea Coffin joined the D.C. Policy Center in September 2017 as the Director of the Education Policy Initiative. Her research focuses on how schools connect to broader dynamics in the District of Columbia. She has authored reports on diversity in D.C.’s schools, the D.C. schools with the best improvement for at-risk students, and the transition after high school in D.C. Chelsea has also conducted planning analysis at the D.C. Public Charter School Board, carried out research at the World Bank, and taught secondary school with the Peace Corps in Mozambique.

Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College and a Master of Arts from Johns Hopkins University (SAIS) in International Economics and Development.

You can reach Chelsea at chelsea@dcpolicycenter.org.

Written By Chelsea Coffin

Testimony | Education | Schools | Student experience

D.C. statewide assessments results show little improvement and a need for large decreases in chronic absenteeism

The CAPE statewide assessment for school year 2023-24 showed that 34 percent of students met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts (ELA), and 22.6 percent of student did so in math. These results represented small improvements over 2022-23, at 0.3 percentage points in ELA and 0.8 percentage points in math. In…

December 4, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Student experience | Workforce

Building career assets for lifelong success 

Acknowledgements  The authors are grateful to The Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott Foundation for their support of this report and to Education Forward DC for their ongoing support of the D.C. Policy Center’s Education Policy Initiative. In addition, the authors deeply appreciate the staff at government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and schools…

November 13, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Schools

Improving math instruction and achievement in older grades and for students furthest behind to strengthen outcomes

There is need to focus on strengthening math instruction and achievement in D.C. through a dedicated Task Force. Statewide assessment results show that a smaller share of students are meeting or exceeding expectation in math (23 percent in math compared to 34 percent in English Language Arts, or ELA). Furthermore, the gap…

November 6, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Workforce

Strengthening work-based learning is necessary to improve early career outcomes

Data from the American Community Survey (ACS) indicate low early career outcomes for D.C.’s public school alumni, underscoring the need to strengthen connections to CTE and work-based learning programs. For example, while D.C. lacks comprehensive data on high school alumni earnings, ACS data reveal that young adults aged 18 to 34 who…

October 24, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education

Chart of the week: Amid widespread reductions in chronic absenteeism, about half of schools saw an improvement in learning outcomes this past year. 

In late August, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released D.C. results on the CAPE statewide assessment for school year 2023-24.1 Overall, 34 percent of students met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts (ELA), and 22.6 percent of student did so in math. These results represent small improvements…

September 6, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education

Research briefing: The first years of Equitable Access in DC’s common lottery

The D.C. Policy Center prepared a briefing on the first years of Equitable Access in D.C.’s common lottery as one of the DC Education Research Collaborative’s first publications. Written by Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin, the publication reviews the lottery process for D.C. schools, the implementation of the Equitable Access option,…

August 13, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education

Chart of the week: Chronic absenteeism is still improving as of March 2024, with uptick from fall 

In June, OSSE released another mid-year attendance update for D.C.’s public schools (including DCPS and public charter) as of March 2024, sharing good news: Compared to the same period in the previous school year, chronic absenteeism decreased by 4.3 percentage points.1   Chronic absenteeism, which rose to 48 percent in the first year…

July 19, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Schools

Connecting data with actions can be useful to combat absenteeism

On B25-0754, the Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy Reduction Amendment Act of 2024, D.C. Council should remove the suggestion of an additional funding category to the student funding formula with the weight of 0.1 specifically to address chronic absenteeism. Adding a weight to address chronic absenteeism would reward schools that serve similar student…

June 26, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Schools

Early Childhood Educators in D.C. and Housing: Part II, Where do early childhood educators live?

The District’s early childhood educators live throughout the region, some facing longer commutes than others. In addition to shorter commute times, there are many workplace-level benefits and other advantages associated with living close to the workplace. For the purposes of this analysis, early childhood educators are defined as those working with infants,…

June 20, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Schools

Early Childhood Educators in D.C. and Housing: Part I, Where do early childhood educators work?

To understand where early childhood educators work, it is first important to understand where licensed childcare in D.C. exists and what the childcare landscape looks like. The locations of child development facilities and the number of children served impact the number of educators needed to provide early childhood education services. For the…

June 18, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education

Chart of the week: Majority of schools in D.C. on track to improve chronic absenteeism as of fall 2023 

Chronic absenteeism has been a challenge post-pandemic in D.C. and across the nation. In D.C., chronic absenteeism rose from 29 percent in school year 2018-19 to 48 percent in school year 2021-22 when students returned to in-person learning, and then improved to 44 percent in school year 2022-23 (remaining higher than pre-pandemic…

May 24, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education

Chart of the week: D.C.’s 2024 common lottery and equitable access update 

My School DC has released the results of the common lottery for school year 2024-25, which matches students who newly enroll in pre-kindergarten, at a public charter school, or at a District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) school aside from their in-boundary option.[1] Total applications are up by 2 percent, similar to…

May 10, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Education Policy

Education investments to boost attendance, improve learning, and strengthen high school in the FY25 budget need to also identify what works

Today, my testimony will focus on three needs in the District’s public education system relevant to the current budget discussions that emerged from our recent State of D.C. Schools report: boosting attendance; improving learning outcomes, especially in math; and strengthening the high school experience. This budget goes a long way to address…

April 4, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Schools | Student experience

State of D.C. Schools, 2022-23: Challenges to pandemic recovery in a new normal

Quick links About the D.C. Policy Center  The mission of the D.C. Policy Center is to arm decision makers with fact-based, unbiased, and reliable research and analyses to help create a vibrant local economy that can maximize opportunities for residents, workers, and businesses in the District of Columbia. Through objective and rigorous…

March 8, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Education Policy

Increasing attendance rates is critical to decrease recovery time for student outcomes

Today, I will preview findings from State of D.C. Schools, 2022-23 to flag which metrics are most important to show improvement in school year 2023-24. Attendance is especially critical to watch as being in school is necessary for students to benefit from any investments in public education. The D.C. Policy Center’s State…

February 28, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Educational equity

The first year of Equitable Access: An examination of common lottery outcomes for at-risk students

Quick Links Other reports in this series Executive Summary In school year 2022-23, the District of Columbia introduced an Equitable Access (EA) option at the systems level in the common lottery system for public schools. This allowed District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools to prioritize applications from students…

January 31, 2024 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Student experience

Academic recovery in D.C.’s high schools is slow and accompanied by high chronic absenteeism

On Wednesday, December 6th, 2023, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified before the D.C. Council Committee of the Whole, at its public hearing on academic achievement in the District.

December 6, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Education Policy | Employment

Teacher retention in D.C. is back to pre-pandemic levels, with a lot of variation

On Wednesday, November 29, 2023, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified before the D.C. Council Committee of the Whole, at its public hearing on teacher and principal retention rates.

November 29, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Education Policy | Schools

The definition for lowest performing schools must be clarified in the School Improvement Act

On Monday, November 20, 2023, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified before the D.C. Council Committee of the Whole, at its public hearing on the School Improvement Act.

November 20, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education

Chart of the Week: 9th grade repetition is down after the pandemic

Before the pandemic, 9th grade repetition was on the rise. In school year 2019-20, 28 percent of all ninth graders were repeaters. In school year 2021-22, that share fell to 25 percent. This is likely due to the relaxation of related requirements around grading and attendance during the pandemic, which made it easier to earn the requisite credits for grade promotion.

October 26, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education

Chart of the week: New PARCC data show overall gain for DC students last year—but high school progress remained flat 

D.C. released the PARCC statewide assessment results for school year 2022-23. The results shed light on academic recovery, which was a key focus for the District during school year 2022-23—and that recovery, in terms of learning, is off to a good start. But digging deeper reveals large differences in the results between elementary, middle, and high schoolers.

September 7, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Schools

D.C.’s adult public charter schools: Who they serve, how they serve, and what they achieve

In D.C., many adults lack a high school diploma, and most jobs require some postsecondary education. Thus, career and education support for adult learners is incredibly important. While workforce training and postsecondary learning programs are common, D.C. is rare in that it has publicly funded schools at which adult learners can earn a high school degree, gain English language skills, or enroll in workforce programs.  

May 23, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education | Enrollment

Chart of the week: Roughly one third of students who match in the common lottery do so through a preference

My School DC has released the results of the 2023 common lottery, which matches students who newly enroll in pre-kindergarten, at a public charter school, or at a District of Columbia Public Schools school aside from their in-boundary option. Overall, the number of applications increased to 22,912 in 2023, up from a pandemic dip to 19,926 in 2021 but still 9 percent down from pre-pandemic levels

April 21, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education | Enrollment

Chart of the week: D.C.’s enrollment is up in school year 2022-23, with uneven growth by grade band

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has released enrollment audit data for school year 2022-23, showing that enrollment in D.C.’s public schools is up by 2.7 percent. This is a notable shift from virtually no growth in enrollment during the two pandemic school years in a system that historically adds 1,500 students a year. About two-thirds of the additional students are in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, and a significant share are adult and alternative students.

April 7, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Education Policy

Funding an Education to Employment Data System would fill an important gap in knowledge about D.C.’s public school alumni

On April 5, 2023, Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified during the FY2024 budget oversight hearing on education agencies before the Committee of the Whole. The testimony focused on the critical importance of knowing what happens to D.C.’s high school alumni that will now be possible with the creation of the Education to Employment Data System (or P20W System) in the FY 2024 Budget.

April 4, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education

State of D.C. Schools, 2021-22: In-Person Learning, Measuring Outcomes, and Work on Recovery

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 time in almost two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began in spring 2020. This report examines the transition back to in-person learning, measuring outcomes for the first time since the start of the pandemic, and beginning work on recovery.

March 15, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Educational equity

The role of school boundaries in the District of Columbia: Facts and findings on boundary participation, student representation, and facility utilization

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 seat. There is much we can explore about school boundaries: Where in the city are students are more students attending their by-right school? Which by-right schools are most representative of all public school students? How does enrollment compare to capacity at by-right school facilities? And where in the city could changes to student assignment policies impact the largest number of students?

January 25, 2023 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education | Educational equity | Enrollment

Map of the week: Where did D.C.’s former students attend postsecondary in the fall of 2020?

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 postsecondary education (including bachelor’s degree and two-year programs) within six months following graduation. This marks a decrease of five percentage points in postsecondary enrollment compared to pre-pandemic school year 2018-19. This suggests that the uncertainty brought by the pandemic led some students to delay or change their plans compared to a typical year.

December 16, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Educational equity

Public oversight testimony on literacy and the NAEP and PARCC assessments

School year 2021-22 marked an incredibly challenging transition back to in-person learning in D.C., after a difficult virtual school year 2020-21 and shortened school year 2019-20. Chronic absenteeism rose to a high of 48 percent,[i] up from 29 percent in the last full school year of 2018-19. COVID-19 cases spiked to an…

December 8, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Student experience

Public oversight testimony on attendance, chronic absenteeism, and truancy in the District of Columbia

How much school students attend is a strong indicator of student wellbeing and future academic success, making it a critical metric to track and understand. In D.C., during the virtual school year of 2020-21, even with relaxed attendance requirements, 31 percent of students were chronically absent, up from 29 percent in 2018-19. Among high school students, 35 percent of students were chronically absent, and among students designated as at-risk, this share was 48 percent.

November 30, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education

D.C. Council testimony on teacher/principal turnover and B24-355, the Statewide Data Warehouse Amendment Act

B24-355 requires collection and publishing of certain data on educators in D.C.’s public schools. However, some of the requirements would also introduce new burdens on schools, and may be better suited to periodic surveys (data collection every five years, for example) or an internal dataset. Teacher attendance, or ideally instructional time, is one data point missing from the requirements and should be added.

October 25, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | COVID-19 | Education | Enrollment

Chart of the week: Learning outcomes by cohort before and during COVID-19

Results from D.C.’s 2021-22 statewide PARCC assessment show declines in both English language arts (ELA) and math since the last time the test was administered in 2018-19. But how did learning outcomes change for a cohort of students as they moved from lower to upper grades? To take a closer look, we compared PARCC results and enrollment for elementary school students to middle school students three years later to answer two questions: First, have student cohorts experienced learning gains during the pandemic years that were similar to pre-pandemic patterns? And what do we know about how enrollment in this cohort has changed over time?

October 14, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Student experience

Landscape of high-impact tutoring in D.C.’s public schools, 2021-22

Quick Links Access the one-page report summary here. View the launch event, including a recording, here. Introduction In D.C., learning outcomes for public school students had been improving for over two decades.[1] Then, in March of 2020, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic transitioned all students to distance learning and ended school…

October 13, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education

Chart of the week: Federal recovery spending likely increased school-level spending by an average of 2 percent in school year 2020-21

The federal government has provided three rounds of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) grants to help schools with pandemic recovery. In D.C., the three rounds of ESSER funding added up to $540 million to be spent locally by the end of FY2024. This is the equivalent of about $1,307 per student per year.

September 23, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education

Testimony to D.C. SBOE on ESSER funds and the future of school finance in the District

The three rounds of ESSER funding mean $540 million allocated to schools to be spent by the end of fiscal year 2024 (September 30, 2024). This means approximately $1,307 in additional funding per student across five school years between 2019-20 and 2023-24 for the 48 LEAs receiving ESSER funds, assuming constant enrollment from last school year. ESSER funds are therefore about 10 percent the size of the foundation level of funding per pupil for school year 2022-23, making it important to take stock of how these funds are spent along the way and what may happen when funds expire.

September 21, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Enrollment

Declining births and lower demand: Charting the future of public school enrollment in D.C.

The two main drivers of enrollment growth (births in D.C. and preference of families to live in D.C. and choose public schools) have both been on the decline in recent years. This report analyzes how changing trends will impact future enrollment projections for D.C.’s public schools.

July 13, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education | Student experience | Transportation

Chart of the week: Students’ use of public transit remains at a fraction of pre-pandemic levels

As of January 2022, student ridership on public transit, as measured by Kids Ride Free trips, was 11 percent of pre-pandemic levels (September 2019), according to data from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education’s Performance Oversight data for FY21 and FY20.

July 8, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education | Education Policy

Chart of the week: The impact of new at-risk concentration funding at the school level 

This week, the Council of the District of Columbia added a subtitle to the FY23 budget with two additional weights to the student funding formula, which would provide additional funds to schools where 40 percent or more of the student population is designated as at-risk, and to schools where 70 percent or…

May 13, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education | Educational equity | Enrollment

Chart of the week: Equitable access seat matches in D.C.’s common lottery for school enrollment

kindergarten, at a public charter school, or at a DCPS school aside from their in-boundary option. Last week, applicants to the common lottery received their results, which for the first time included an equitable access priority for students who are identified as “at-risk” with 400 applicants matching in this category.

April 15, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Education Policy

FY23 Budget Oversight Hearing: Committee of the Whole (Education Agencies)

The FY23 budget includes substantial investments in academics, with a historic increase of 5.87 percent to the UPSFF foundation level and $14 million for high impact tutoring, among others. These resources intended to boost learning outcomes are essential for success in school year 2022-23, but there is a need to focus more on the expected results. OSSE’s Annual Performance Plan has FY22 targets of 43.2 percent of students being college and career ready in English Language Arts (ELA) and 40.1 percent in Math, which indicate an increase of 6.2 percentage points in ELA and 9.1 percentage points in Math from 2018-19.

March 28, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education

State of D.C. Schools, 2020-21

State of D.C. Schools is an annual systemwide overview of public education in the District of Columbia. The report’s main purpose is to give D.C. residents, parents, caregivers, policymakers, and other stakeholders a snapshot of the overall performance of the District’s public schools. This report captures school year 2020-21 and how it continued to be impacted by COVID-19, with most students learning virtually for the entire school year. It also provides an update on 2021-22, when in-person learning resumed with the Herculean tasks of keeping students and teachers safe while making up for the unfinished learning from previous pandemic years.

March 10, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | COVID-19 | Education | Education Policy

Testimony for Performance Oversight Hearing: Committee of the Whole – Education Agencies

Likely because of the economic impacts of the pandemic, there was an increase in the percentage of students designated as at-risk to 45 percent, two percentage points higher than the previous year (see Figure 1). This was mostly driven by an increase in the number of students who were eligible for SNAP – the numbers of students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or overage decreased.

March 2, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | COVID-19 | Education | Student experience

Chart of the week: In-person learning in the 2020-21 school year

DCPS and public charter schools returned to full-time in-person learning in August 2021, which was a huge shift from the previous school year. At the start of school year 2020-21, 99 percent of students were learning virtually for five days a week, followed by a gradual re-introduction to in-person learning for some students according to D.C. School Report Card data.

February 18, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | COVID-19 | Education

State Board of Education testimony on COVID recovery data collection

One of the biggest changes in school year 2020-21 was that there was likely less instructional time and less content covered. At the start of the school year, 99 percent of students were learning virtually for five days a week (many with one day of asynchronous learning), and 79 percent of students were still doing so by the year’s end.

February 16, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Chart of the week | Education | Enrollment

Chart of the week: Public school enrollment for older students grew slightly, while elementary and pre-kindergarten declined

Newly released audited enrollment data for the District’s public schools (both DCPS and public charter) for school year 2021-22 show that enrollment stands at 94,532 students: almost the same as last year. Enrollment in high school is up by 7 percent, while adult learner enrollment rebounded from last year’s dip, growing by 8 percent. Enrollment in early grades (pre-kindergarten and elementary) declined, continuing last year’s trend.

February 4, 2022 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Education Policy

State Board of Education testimony on SR20-11: Resolution on Improving the STAR Framework

On Wednesday, December 15, 2021, Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified at the public meeting of the D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE) on SR20-11: State Board of Education Resolution On Improving the School Transparency and Reporting (STAR) Framework.

December 15, 2021 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Education Policy | Workforce

Measuring early career outcomes in D.C.

Quick links Download this report in the original PDF format here. Access the 1-page report summary here. Access the launch event page and event program here. Chapter 1. The importance of tracking early career outcomes D.C.’s public schools, serving students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, strive to prepare students to succeed as young…

November 17, 2021 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Schools

How feeder patterns influence school decisions in D.C.

Many of D.C.’s public school students change schools at some point between pre-kindergarten and grade 12, transferring into a different feeder pattern. At the final transition point, which is between 8th and 9th grade, the most popular school-to-school feeder pattern in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) system is Wilson High…

November 4, 2021 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Enrollment

Exit & Voice: Perceptions of the District’s public schools among stayers and leavers

Quick links Download this report in the original PDF format here. Access the 1-page report summary here. Download additional tables prepared with the survey data here in MS Excel format. View the launch event discussion recording here. Executive summary Enrollment in D.C.’s public schools had been steadily increasing since 2009 until the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this…

October 13, 2021 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education

Education testimony by Chelsea Coffin at the FY2022 D.C. Council budget oversight hearing

On June 3, 2021, D.C. Policy Center Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified at the Committee of the Whole Public Oversight Hearing on education, addressing what the budget means for students who are designated at-risk. You can read her testimony below or download a PDF version here.  Good morning, Chairman Mendelson…

June 3, 2021 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | COVID-19 | D.C. Voices | Education

D.C. Voices: Spending federal ESSER funds

To help schools and students cope with the extreme challenges created by COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Education awarded three rounds of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. These grants were given to states to assist schools and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on elementary…

May 27, 2021 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education

Testimony at Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery & Committee of the Whole Joint Public Oversight Hearing

On May 26, 2021, D.C. Policy Center Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin testified at the Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery & Committee of the Whole Joint Public Oversight Hearing, addressing learning gaps and ensuring that students’ mental and physical health needs are met. You can read her testimony below or…

May 26, 2021 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education

Testimony of Chelsea Coffin on pandemic distance learning at D.C. SBOE

On March 17, 2021, Chelsea Coffin, Director of the Education Policy Initiative, testified before the District’s State Board of Education (SBOE) regarding distance learning during the pandemic. You can read her testimony below, and download it as a PDF. Good evening, Members of the State Board of Education. My name is Chelsea…

March 17, 2021 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Education Policy

Testimony of Chelsea Coffin regarding education agencies at the D.C. Council oversight hearing

Good morning, Chairperson Mendelson and members of the Committee of the Whole. My name is Chelsea Coffin and I am the Director of the Education Policy Initiative at the D.C. Policy Center, where our education research focuses on how schools connect to broader dynamics in the District of Columbia. The pandemic put…

March 9, 2021 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Educational equity | Schools

At-risk application patterns in D.C.’s common lottery

The D.C. Council has passed legislation to allow (but not mandate) public charter schools to prioritize at-risk applicants in the common lottery. Charters could do so either by prioritizing an at-risk applicant pool over other student groups in the common lottery, or by reserving a certain share of their seats for at-risk…

November 18, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Schools

Update: Diversity in D.C.’s public schools, 2018-19

Within schools, student diversity is low in the District of Columbia. The 2018 D.C. Policy Center report, Landscape of Diversity in D.C.’s Public Schools, looked at data from the 2016-17 school year and found that there was less racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity in District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and public…

July 30, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Educational equity

At-risk priority in D.C.’s common lottery: Potential implications for access and diversity

The “At-risk priority in D.C.’s common lottery: Potential implications for access and diversity” report explores the implications of implementing a preference for at-risk students in Washington, D.C.’s common lottery, and what such a preference could mean for public charter schools in the city. Below is the full report. You can also read…

July 21, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | COVID-19 | D.C. Voices | Education

D.C. Voices: Sustainability of D.C. child care facilities during the pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, households with children are more likely to face loss of employment income than households without children nationwide. This is likely due to parents having to give up jobs or reduce their hours to shoulder the additional responsibilities of educating and caring for their children without outside help. Until…

July 15, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Education | Student experience

Where D.C.’s former students attend postsecondary

The D.C. Policy Center’s recent report, Transition to College or Career for the District’s High School Students, examined what we do and don’t know about outcomes for D.C.’s high schoolers. Fifty-six percent of D.C.’s high school graduates continue to postsecondary within six months of completing high school, but we don’t know much…

July 7, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Student experience | Workforce

Transition to college or career for the District’s high school students

“Transition to college or career for the District’s high school students” explores outcomes for D.C.’s students at the close of high school and as they become young adults transitioning into postsecondary or entering jobs. Below is the full report. You can also read the summary – available in both English and Spanish…

June 30, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Educational equity

Testimony from Chelsea Coffin at the Joint Budget Oversight Hearing for Public Education

On June 4, 2020, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education at the Joint Budget Oversight Hearing for FY21. Download this testimony.

June 4, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | COVID-19 | D.C. Voices | Education | Schools

D.C. Voices: Teacher retention and recruitment during the pandemic

Teacher quality is the most influential school-level contributor to student achievement,[i] which means retaining effective teachers is an essential component of improving student learning. Amid the challenges of distance learning during COVID-19, retaining teachers might also provide students with much-needed stability as teachers can build on their pre-existing relationships with students to…

May 19, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | COVID-19 | D.C. Voices | Education | Student experience

D.C. Voices: Mental health supports during school closures

After declaring a public health emergency for the District of Columbia on March 11th, 2020, Mayor Bowser closed non-essential businesses and issued a stay at home order, requiring residents to socially distance from those outside their households. Schools closed two days later. The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new health concerns for many,…

May 4, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | COVID-19 | Education | Education Policy

Initial national and state education policy changes in response to COVID-19

Across the country 46 states[1], including the District of Columbia, have closed schools. Beginning on March 16th, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) closed to slow the spread of COVID-19 and will remain closed through at least April 24th, following the Mayor’s declaration of a public health emergency. Public charter schools in…

March 30, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | COVID-19 | Criminal Justice | Education | Public Health

Resources for the D.C. student and education community to stay informed and safe as COVID-19 spreads

Everyday life in Washington D.C. metropolitan area and beyond is on hold, including for students, educators, and their families and caregivers. Many are sharing guidance on how we can best adjust to the new normal. Below are resources compiled by our Education Policy Initiative that may be useful. The D.C. Policy Center…

March 18, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education

Testimony from Chelsea Coffin on the Critical Risk Rate School Funding Designation Act of 2019

On March 10, 2020, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education on the Critical Risk Rate School Funding Designation Act of 2019. Download this testimony.

March 10, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education

Testimony of Chelsea Coffin, D.C. SBOE Public Meeting

On February 26, 2020, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified before the D.C. State Board of Education at a public meeting. You can read her testimony below, and download it as a PDF. Good evening, members of the State Board of Education. My name is Chelsea…

February 27, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Education Policy

State of D.C. Schools, 2018-19

ABOUT THIS REPORT This State of D.C. Schools report is a systemwide overview of education in D.C. meant to help local residents, and especially parents of current and future D.C. public school children, better understand where D.C.’s traditional public and public charter schools have made progress. The report also addresses where targeted…

January 16, 2020 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Uncategorized

Testimony from Chelsea Coffin on schools that level the playing field for at-risk students

On November 22, 2019, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education. Download this testimony. Read the underlying D.C. Policy Center article, “Access to schools that level the playing field for D.C.’s at-risk students”

November 22, 2019 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Educational equity

More difficult to get a spot at D.C.’s leveler schools

The recent D.C. Policy Center report, Access to schools that level the playing field for D.C.’s at-risk students, examined where in the city at-risk students have the shortest commutes to “leveler schools”—schools with the very highest growth for at-risk students.[1] About a third of the population under 18 lives within a typical…

October 17, 2019 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Educational equity

Access to schools that level the playing field for D.C.’s at-risk students

Test scores have improved for D.C. students in recent years, even taking into account demographic shifts in the city’s public school students.[1] However, achievement gaps persist by race and ethnicity, special education and English learner needs, and at-risk status. Access to high-quality schools—schools with strong academic outcomes and the student support systems…

September 30, 2019 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment | Housing

Even for early grades, there is a weak link between where families live and where students attend school

Since the mid-2000s, the District of Columbia has experienced a population boom accompanied by rising housing values—and, in recent years, more students in public schools. In most cities with similar population growth, housing prices rise in tandem with the number of school-age children in neighborhoods with schools that are perceived as high-quality….

September 26, 2019 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment | Housing

D.C.’s disconnect between enrollment growth and neighborhood change

The D.C. Policy Center report “D.C.’s disconnect between citywide enrollment growth and neighborhood change” examines changes in enrollment, school-age population, and housing values, finding that although these three are growing in parallel for the city, they are not linked neighborhood by neighborhood. Download the report as a PDF here. The District of…

August 26, 2019 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Enrollment

Testimony from Chelsea Coffin on the Master Facilities Plan Approval Resolution of 2019

On June 5, 2019, D.C. Policy Center Director of the Education Policy Initiative Chelsea Coffin testified on PR23-0193, The “Master Facilities Plan Approval Resolution of 2019” before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Education. Download this testimony. Read the underlying D.C. Policy Center essay “Enrollment still expected to increase…

June 6, 2019 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment

Enrollment still expected to increase despite slower population growth in D.C.

Population growth in the District of Columbia is slowing and migration patterns are changing. Population growth in 2018 was 2,400 lower than the previous year (growth of 6,764 in 2018 compared to 9,116 in 2017).[1] While D.C.’s growth used to be driven in part by domestic migration, the District’s current population gains…

May 20, 2019 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Student experience

Racial and ethnic diversity over time in D.C.’s schools

One key finding of the recent D.C. Policy Center report “Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools: What Does School Diversity Look Like in D.C.?” was that racial and ethnic diversity is low in the city’s public schools,[1] even considering the composition of D.C.’s students – individual schools were less diverse than the public…

February 6, 2019 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Student experience

No Guarantee of a Seat at D.C.’s Most Racially Diverse Schools

How easy is it to get a seat at D.C.’s most diverse schools? This blog post examines the relationship between diversity scores and waitlists as a follow up to the D.C. Policy Center report, Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools. Racial and ethnic diversity in D.C.’s traditional public and public charter…

December 20, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Student experience

What does school diversity look like in D.C.?

The D.C. Policy Center report “Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools: What Does School Diversity Look Like in D.C.?” presents a snapshot of racial and ethnic diversity as well as economic diversity in D.C.’s public schools, characteristics of D.C.’s most diverse schools, and how diversity has changed in recent years. Only…

December 17, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Press releases | Education

Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools, Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Analysis of Diversity in D.C. Schools Finds Little Overlap Between Racial and Economic Diversity New data shows a diversifying Washington region, but diversity is hard to find school by school in the District of Columbia. A new report, “Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools”, by D.C. Policy Center…

December 17, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Student experience

Landscape of Diversity in D.C. Public Schools

New data shows a diversifying Washington region, but diversity is hard to find school by school in the District of Columbia.

December 17, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment | Housing

School-age population likely to grow most outside the Wilson High School boundary

Where is the school-age population likely to live? This post examines population forecasts and housing prices to highlight areas of the city that could see a growth in the population aged 3-17 as a follow up to the D.C. Policy Center report, Will Children of Millennials Become Future Public School Students?. If…

September 27, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment

Two drivers of D.C.’s public school enrollment increase

Why has enrollment in D.C.’s public schools grown? This blog post examines births and cohorts staying in schools at higher rates over time as two drivers of enrollment growth to follow up on the D.C. Policy Center report, Will Children of Millennials Become Future Public School Students?. Enrollment in D.C. traditional public…

September 20, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Enrollment | Housing

Will Children of Current Millennials Become Future Public School Students?

This report examines births and public school enrollment by cohort, and estimates that public school enrollment in the District of Columbia may grow by as many as 21,100 students by 2026-27. Half of this growth is likely to occur in middle and high school grades.

September 18, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment

How D.C.’s Young Families May Shape Public School Enrollment

The D.C. Policy Center report “Will Children of Current Millennials Become Future Public School Students?: How D.C.’s Young Families May Shape Future Public School Enrollment” examines births and public school enrollment by cohort, and estimates that public school enrollment in the District of Columbia may grow by as many as 21,100 students…

September 18, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Education Policy

Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin’s testimony at the Public Hearing on Bill 22-776, District of Columbia Education Research Advisory Board and Collaborative Establishment Amendment Act of 2018

Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin is giving testimony on July 13, 2018 at the public hearing on Bill 22-776, District of Columbia Education Research Advisory Board and Collaborative Establishment Amendment Act of 2018, in the D.C. Council. Read the testimony here.

July 13, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Enrollment

Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin’s testimony at the Public Oversight Roundtable on the Future of School Reform in the District of Columbia

Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin is giving testimony on May 16, 2018 at the Public Oversight Roundtable on the Future of School Reform in the District of Columbia (Part II) in the D.C. Council. Read the testimony here.

May 16, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment

Public charter schools in the neighborhood

How do public charter school participation rates vary across the city, and which public charter schools enroll many students from the surrounding area? This blog post examines public charter school outcomes as a follow up to the D.C. Policy Center report, Schools in the Neighborhood: Can Neighborhood Characteristics Explain Enrollment at In-boundary…

May 3, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment

Schools in the Neighborhood: Exploring the Data

Three-quarters of public school students in the District attend a school other than the in-boundary school in their neighborhood, where they have a right to attend. But boundary participation rates, or the percent of public school students who attend their in-boundary school, vary widely across the city and are extremely high in…

April 19, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Enrollment

Schools in the Neighborhood: Full Report

This report examines the connections between neighborhood characteristics and boundary school enrollment rates among the District of Columbia’s public school students to identify commonalities across school neighborhoods that draw higher proportions of in-boundary students.

April 17, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment

Can Neighborhood Characteristics Explain Enrollment at In-Boundary Schools?

The D.C. Policy Center report “Schools in the Neighborhood: Can Neighborhood Characteristics Explain Enrollment at In-Boundary Schools?” examines the connections between neighborhood characteristics and boundary school enrollment rates among the District of Columbia’s public school students, and finds there’s only one pocket of the city where a majority of families in public…

April 17, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Enrollment

Characteristics of neighborhoods with high in-boundary school enrollment

Chelsea Coffin, Director of the D.C. Policy Center’s Education Policy Initiative, spoke at a poster session at a conference organized by The Lab @ DC on Tuesday, February 27, 2018.  Her presentation previewed new findings from a study of D.C. students’ enrollment patterns at in-boundary and out-of-boundary public schools and public charter schools that will be published…

February 27, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Testimony | Education | Student experience

Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin’s testimony on the Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017

Education Policy Initiative Director Chelsea Coffin is giving testimony on January 30, 2018 about the “Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017” in the D.C. Council. Read the testimony here.

January 30, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Reports | Education | Student experience

Banning suspensions is a blunt tool to reduce exclusionary discipline [Updated]

Update: The text has been updated with footnotes 2 and 3 to include context on two cited studies. (2/2/2018).  The proposed “Student Fair Access to School Act of 2017” prohibits out-of-school suspensions aside from the most extreme disciplinary incidents. The bill follows a trend of disciplinary policy reform in nearly 27 states and…

January 30, 2018 | Chelsea Coffin
Articles | Education | Student experience

Is D.C. on pace to meet its graduation rate targets?

Update 11/30/2017 To provide context for this analysis in light of recent reporting by WAMU questioning the validity of Ballou High School’s graduation rates in 2016-2017, the state Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) would decrease to an estimated 70.6 percent if Ballou High School seniors who missed at least 60 days of…

November 10, 2017 | Chelsea Coffin