A BOLDER FUTURE FOR DC SCHOOLS.

What is the Bold Schools initiative?

EmpowerK12 believes that DC can be the first urban city to close performance gaps this decade when schools take bold action to serve their students furthest from opportunity. Students at Bold Performance Schools achieved proficiency rates 13.5 percentage points higher than similar schools and have improved student achievement 3-4 times faster than the state average since 2022.

Why identify Bold Performance Schools?

Bold Performance Schools serve a high at-risk student population and have combined math and English language arts proficiency rates dramatically higher than schools with similar demographics. Citywide, only 28 percent of DC students met or exceeded expectations in math and English language arts this past spring 2024. For economically disadvantaged students, those numbers are just 13 percent. Track DC’s education recovery using the EK12 dashboard. Bold Schools serve at least 30% students from economically disadvantaged households and have proficiency rates exceeding pre-pandemic expectations for schools serving similar students.

2024 Bold Performance Schools’ Proficiency Compared with Other Schools

How are 2024 Bold Performance Schools selected?

Schools are determined using the 2024 Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (CAPE) data and their Percent Proficient Above Expected (PPAE) calculations (using four sophisticated models) that project what percentage of students are expected to be proficient given a school’s demographics. Bold Performance Schools have proficiency rates for students at least 10 percentage points higher in math and reading combined (PPAE of 10+) than how schools with similar demographics performed.

Proficiency Improvement from 2022 to 2024 for Bold Performance Schools Compared with Other Schools

2024 Bold Performance Schools

Located in Ward 8, Serves PK-3 - 8

Located in Ward 6, Serves Grades 9 - 12

Located in Ward 7, Serves Grades 4 - 8

  • Located in Ward 4

  • Serves 4-8

Located in Ward 4, Serves PK-3 - 5

Located in Ward 8, Serves PK-3 - 5

  • Located in Ward 4

  • Serves 9 - 12

  • Located in Ward 7

  • Serves Grades 9 - 12

  • Located in Ward 4

  • Serves PK-3 - 5

Located in Ward 8, Serves Grades 4-8

Located in Ward 5, Serves Grades 4 - 8

Located in Ward 5, Serves PK-3 - 3

DC Bold Schools is an initiative of EmpowerK12 (EK12).

EK12 analyzes data utilizing rigorous methodologies to help all education stakeholders understand how our schools are performing on a variety of metrics, including how well schools serve at-risk students, which is central to the organization’s mission. Learn more about EK12’s mission and how we support bold school improvement through access to rigorous data analytical tools, training educators to turn data into action, and by fostering collaborative improvement by identifying real-time bright spots across a broad network of schools.

Connect with us.