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DC Charter School Alliance

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Supporting the robust charter school sector in our nation’s capital 🌸 #DCCharterProud

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Some of the best moments from our 30-year conversation come from the practical details of starting a school. Hear Martha Cutts and Donald Hense share what it really took to lead and grow DC public charter schools in the early years. Full episode, link in bio.

#DCCharters #30Years #LeadersInConversation #DCEducation by @dc_charters

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2 days ago

30 years. 131 schools. Nearly half of DC’s public school students.

It started with visionary leaders who launched and led DC’s earliest public charter schools. Hear from two of them: Donald Hense and Martha Cutts, in our new Leaders in Conversation episode. Link in bio.

#DCCharters #30Years #LeadersInConversation #DCEducation #DCCharterSchoolAlliance by @dc_charters

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4 days ago

Last week, DC educators, school leaders, and partners gathered at the AI Education Leadership Summit to talk about what AI really looks like in classrooms: what's working, what's next, and how we make sure it serves every student.

Thank you to @empowerk12 for leading this convening through the Capital AI Education Collective. The Collective is a citywide initiative that brings together public charter schools, government leaders, policymakers, and business partners around a shared, equity-centered and human-centered approach to AI in PK–12 education. The DC Charter School Alliance was proud to support the Summit alongside @edforwarddc and @friendshippcs. When public charter and traditional public schools take on hard questions together, DC students win.

DC's public charter schools are helping set the pace. Speakers from Friendship PCS, Washington Leadership Academy PCS, Goodwill Excel Center PCS, Lee Montessori PCS, Statesmen College Preparatory Academy for Boys PCS, Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School, and The Next Step PCS shared how their schools are using AI to support learning while keeping student safety and responsibility front and center. The Alliance's Noah Dougherty, Director of School Talent and Academic Strategy, moderated a panel on how DC educators and their partners are using AI to support teachers and students. Thank you to everyone who shared what they're learning.

The conversation about AI in schools is moving fast. We're glad DC's charter educators are helping lead it, finding the practices worth scaling so students and teachers can thrive.

#AIinEducation #DCEducation #PublicCharterSchools #EdTech #DCSchools #DCProudCharterStrong by @dc_charters

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4 days ago

Earlier today, Director of School Talent and Academic Strategy, Noah Dougherty, testified at the DC Council hearing on technology in schools.

Noah highlighted the Alliance's four priorities for technology in schools: putting student safety, privacy, and wellness first; matching tech use to each school's mission; listening to teachers and families; and responsible innovation through efforts like the Capital AI Education Collective and the DC AI Innovation Fellowship.

Read his testimony at the link in our bio. by @dc_charters

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8 days ago

Want to hear directly from candidates looking to shape education in DC?

Join us for a 2026 DC State Board of Education Candidate Forum on Wednesday, October 14, from 6–8 PM at DC Bilingual Public Charter School. Dinner will be available, and children are welcome!

Hear directly from these candidates:

📍 Ward 1: Ben Williams
📍 Ward 3: Eric Goulet, Aaron Wesolowski
📍 Ward 5: Dr. Lynn Jennings, Jon Alfuth
📍 Ward 6: Amber A. Williams, David Parker, Joshua Wiley

Can't make it in person? The event will also be live streamed. The link is in our bio to register now! #DCProudCharterStrong by @dc_charters

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Hispanic Heritage Month is here, and this month is a great opportunity to get out, learn something new, and honor Hispanic history and culture together.

Luckily for us, we have no shortage of ways to celebrate. Check out this guide from @washingtonianmag with fun festivals, food, music, art, and community events happening across the DC area this month.

See the full guide, link in bio! by @dc_charters

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10 days ago

Meet the newest cohort of DC public charter school leaders! 🎉 Today, we're excited to welcome 40 incredible school leaders–representing 22 public charter LEAs, serving students across the city–into the New Instructional Leaders Cohort II.

Over the coming months, this group will build critical skills in people management, instructional coaching, project management, and emotional intelligence, learning from top local and national facilitators along the way.

This year’s members:

Rebecca Ain, @thesocialjusticeschool
A'maara Apparbal, @elhaynespcs
Marlon Baker, @bridgespcs
Shira Bezie, @selapcs
Taneika Blackwell, @mpcs_dc
Hannah Bowles, @cmipcs
Qualitra Brown, @capitalcitypcsdc
Jefferson BuggBey, @statesmenboys
Jennifer Carter, @friendshippcs
Sherie Coates, @citizenspcs
Christina Cook, @ChavezSchools
Mark Ellison, @dcbilingual
Candace Farrell, @basis.dc
Tashiyra Freeman, @capitalcitypcsdc
Elizabeth Haile, @carlosrosarioschool
Dr. Precious Hallman, @cmipcs
Erica Hamilton, @elhaynespcs
Malcolm Harvin-Conner, @washingtonyuyingpcs
Brittney Henderson, @capitalcitypcsdc
Jeremiah Howe, @bridgespcs
Renee Ivey, @ChavezSchools
Dominique Johnson, @friendshippcs
Chloe Jonas, @citizenspcs
Kristee Jones, @mpcs_dc
Missy LeDoux, @truthmontessori
Fred Loran, @capitalcitypcsdc
Johari Malik, @leemontessori
Eve McCarey, @briyaschool
Courtney McIntosh-Peters, @inspiredteachingschool
Peter Otunba, @mmbdapcs
Haley Pedersen, @friendshippcs
Douglas Reyes, @tnspcs
Cheyenne Scarver, @tworiverspcs
Monique Stinson, @truthmontessori
Saun Thompson, @basis.dc
Claire Tucker, @elhaynespcs
Azaria Whitaker-Bryant, @dcbilingual
Jimia Williams, @mmbdapcs
Kia Willis, @selapcs
Ernest Yombo, @carlosrosarioschool by @dc_charters

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11 days ago

Washington Leadership Academy (@wlapcs) is one of the first schools in the country to fully embrace AI in the classroom, and it's showing what safe, responsible AI use looks like. 🛡️

As D.C.'s first computer science public charter high school, WLA puts safety first. The school uses a clear rubric that tells students how much AI they can use on each assignment, chooses AI tools that protect student data, and teaches students to question AI and understand its limits instead of just using it. That same thinking shows up at the school's annual Hackathon, where students use AI to tackle real-world problems.

WLA's leadership on AI safety has also won the school new grant funding to help other schools strengthen their own AI safety practices, spreading responsible AI use to classrooms across D.C.

💡 We're proud to see one of our public charter schools leading the way on what's next in education! #DCProudCharterStrong

📸 Washington Leadership Academy by @dc_charters

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12 days ago

Congratulations to Daniela Anello, Chief Executive Officer of @dcbilingual, on receiving the SOMOS Award in Education from Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (@oladcgov)! 🎉

This award recognizes Daniela's outstanding contributions to making DC a better place for us all. Her leadership is a reminder that public charter school leaders are important figures in and out of school–helping to shape communities and strengthen the life of every resident.

We're proud to have Daniela as a part of our public charter school community. Congrats Daniela! 👏 #DCProudCharterStrong by @dc_charters

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16 days ago

Thank you, Chairman Mendelson and the DC Council!

The Council has officially recognized three decades of DC public charter schools. We're grateful to Chairman Mendelson for introducing the resolution and championing charter school students, and to the full Council for honoring this milestone.

131 schools. 47,000+ students. All eight wards. 🎉

Swipe to read the full resolution ➡️

#DCProudCharterStrong #PublicCharterSchools #DCEducation by @dc_charters

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17 days ago

What a night! 🎉 Our outgoing and incoming Executive Committee members came together around one table to share stories and wisdom, and to pass the torch.

These school leaders represent DC's public charter sector and help shape the direction of our work. Bringing both committees together means the lessons of the past year go straight into the year ahead, strengthening our advocacy for schools, students, and families across the city.

To our outgoing members: thank you for your dedication and leadership. To our incoming members: welcome! We can't wait to build what's next together. #DCProudCharterStrong

Meet our SY 2026-27 Executive Committee:

Laina Cox, @capitalcitypcsdc
Sanjay Mitchell, @chavezschools
Laura Maestas, @dc_prep
Natalie Smith, @citizenspcs
Shannon Hodge, @kippdcschools
Clarisse Mendoza, @mayaschools
Tracy White, @paulpcs
Vivian Robledo, @tnspcs
Belicia Reaves, @tworiverspcs
Elizabeth Torres, @washingtonglobalpcs

And thank you to our SY 2025-26 Executive Committee:

Peter Anderson, @washingtonlatinpcs
Nicole Hanrahan, @laycca
Shannon Hodge, @kippdcschools
Kennesha Kelly, @kingsmanacademy
Justin Lessek, @truthmontessori
Claire Libert, @youthbuildpcsdc
Sanjay Mitchell, @chavezschools
Tracy White, @paulpcs
Russ Williams, @centercitypcs by @dc_charters

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17 days ago

Great conversations happen when education and business leaders sit at the same table. 🤝

Our Executive Director, Ariel Johnson, joined the Federal City Council's Emerging Leaders Program for a panel on public education in DC. She was joined by Chelsea Coffin, Deputy Director at the DC Policy Center, and Dr. LaJoy Johnson-Law, @dcsboe Ward 8 Representative, public charter school parent, and charter board member.

Together, they covered:
📊 Research on the strengths of DC's public charter school sector
💰 Funding equity for every public school student
🏫 The ongoing need for quality school facilities
🤝 Why partnerships between the business community and education organizations matter

Thank you to the Federal City Council for convening these emerging leaders, and to Chelsea and Dr. Johnson-Law for a thoughtful, candid discussion. When DC's civic and business leaders invest in public education, our students and our city win.

#DCEducation #PublicCharterSchools #EducationEquity #DCProudCharterStrong by @dc_charters

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18 days ago