District of Columbia

News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in the District of Columbia
Screenshot 2026 07 01 at 4.21.57 PM
Early Childhood Video A Charter School Finds 'Looping' Strategy Benefits Youngest Students
Capital City Public Charter School, the first parent-founded charter school in the nation’s capital, takes a unique approach to early learning.
Marvin Joseph & Yi-Jo Shen, July 1, 2026
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1 min read
In this May 5, 2018, file photo, graduates at the University of Toledo commencement ceremony in Toledo, Ohio.
Graduates at the University of Toledo commencement ceremony in Toledo, Ohio, on May 5, 2018. Two judges have ruled against the Trump administration's overhaul of a public service loan forgiveness program for which teachers have qualified.
Carlos Osorio/AP
Law & Courts Judges Strike Down Trump Admin.'s Student Loan Forgiveness Overhaul
Two judges sided with advocates who said the program risked becoming a tool for political retribution.
The Associated Press, July 1, 2026
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3 min read
Members of the Supreme Court sit for a group portrait in Washington, Oct. 7, 2022. Bottom row, from left, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Elena Kagan. Top row, from left, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Supreme Court justices will take the bench Monday, July 1, 2024, to release their last few opinions of the term, including their most closely watched case: whether former President Donald Trump has immunity from criminal prosecution.
Members of the Supreme Court sit for a group portrait in Washington, Oct. 7, 2022. Bottom row, from left, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito, and Justice Elena Kagan. Top row, from left, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The high court, on June 30, 2026, rejected President Donald Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Law & Courts Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship, Rejecting Trump's Proposed Limits
The justices relied on the 14th Amendment and federal law to rule that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen.
The Associated Press, June 30, 2026
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4 min read
Civics teacher Aedrin Albright stands before her class at Chatham Central High School in Bear Creek, N.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.
Civics teacher Aedrin Albright stands before her class at Chatham Central High School in Bear Creek, N.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. Educators are working to understand the best ways to teach civics as the U.S. Department of Education emphasizes plans for "patriotic education."
Allen G. Breed/AP
Social Studies How Educators Can Teach Civics in Today's Political Climate
Experts share tips on ways to approach civics education with civility and critical thinking.
Jennifer Vilcarino, September 24, 2025
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4 min read
GettyImages 1165535297
E+
Early Childhood How Old Should a Kindergartner Be? Parents and Districts Clash Over Cutoff Dates
As some districts and states strictly enforce kindergarten cutoff dates, parents feel the squeeze.
Elizabeth Heubeck, September 12, 2025
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6 min read
Schools in Caldwell Parish, La., merged to create grade band campuses.
Schools in Caldwell Parish, La., merged to create grade band campuses.
L. Kasimu Harris for Education Week
School & District Management What Makes—or Breaks—a District's School Merger Plan
District leaders in a rural, red area and a progressive city took different tones on rezoning.
Alyson Klein, July 25, 2025
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11 min read
A student bikes to Miner Elementary School, a public school located between the Capitol Hill and Rosedale communities of Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2025.
A student bikes to Miner Elementary School, a public school located between the Capitol Hill and Rosedale communities of Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2025.
Charlotte Kesl for Education Week
School & District Management A School Pairing Plan Promised Equity, and Stirred Backlash
D.C.'s effort to pair two schools with divergent demographics backfired, dividing the community.
Alyson Klein, July 25, 2025
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16 min read
052124 DigitalLiteracy SM BS
Curriculum Video These Two Key Questions Form the Heart of Digital Literacy Instruction
Crucial lessons around digital literacy and digital safety can be framed around these two questions.
Olina Banerji & Sam Mallon, May 22, 2025
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1 min read
school garden BS
Student Well-Being & Movement Video How Urban Schools Bring Lessons to Life Through Gardening
School gardens can connect classroom lessons with the wider world while offering lifelong learnings for students.
Sam Mallon, April 3, 2025
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3:55
Broken and repaired: 3D symbol of a Dollar.
Education Week and Getty
Education Funding What the Latest Federal Funding Law Means for Schools
The new federal spending resolution leaves the door open for continued disruption to federal education funding.
Mark Lieberman, March 17, 2025
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6 min read
The 2025 National Teacher of the Year Finalists, from left: Ashlie Crosson, Janet Damon, and Jazzmyne Townsend. Mikaela Saelua, of American Samoa, is the fourth finalist.
The 2025 National Teacher of the Year Finalists, from left: Ashlie Crosson, Janet Damon, and Jazzmyne Townsend. Mikaela Saelua, of American Samoa, is the fourth finalist.
Courtesy photos
Teaching Profession The National Teacher of the Year Finalists Spotlight Literacy's Power
The four 2025 Teacher of the Year finalists highlight literacy’s power to engage students and shape lifelong readers.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 12, 2025
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7 min read
Teacher Brie Wattier leads a 7th and 8th grade social studies class at the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School for a classroom discussion on the credibility of social media posts and AI-generated imagery on Nov. 19, 2024 in Washington, D.C.
Teacher Brie Wattier leads an 8th grade social studies class at the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School for a classroom discussion on the credibility of social media posts and AI-generated imagery on Nov. 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Courtesy of Dylan Singleton/University of Maryland
Curriculum Inside a Class Teaching Teens to Stop Scrolling and Think Critically
The course helps students learn to determine what’s true online so they can be more informed citizens.
Olina Banerji, December 9, 2024
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9 min read
Vector illustration of a woman sitting indian style with her arms spread wide and a rainbow above her head.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being & Movement In Their Own Words These Students Found Mental Health Support in After-School Programs. See How
3 students discuss how after-school programs benefit their well-being.
Lauraine Langreo, May 17, 2024
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6 min read
Officers with the New York Police Department raid the encampment by pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University on April 30, 2024, in New York. The protesters had seized the administration building, known as Hamilton Hall, more than 20 hours earlier in a major escalation as demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war spread on college campuses nationwide.
New York City police officers raid the encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University on April 30, 2024. Although not as turbulent as what is happening on many college campuses, K-12 schools in some pockets of the country are also contending with conflict stemming from the Israel-Hamas war.
Marco Postigo Storel via AP
School & District Management Israel-Hamas War Poses Tough Questions for K-12 Leaders, Too
High school students have joined walkouts, while charges of antisemitism in three districts will be the focus of a House hearing this week.
Mark Walsh, May 6, 2024
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9 min read