Board Approves New School for Military Families

Today, the DC Public Charter School Board approved LEARN DC to open a new school in 2020-21 on the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), a Navy/Air Force base housing more than 1,200 school-aged children. The school will be operated by LEARN Charter School Network (LEARN Network), which currently operates a network of 10 elementary and middle schools in Illinois. This is their first school in Washington, DC. The K-8 college preparatory program will enroll a student population that is 50% military families stationed at JBAB and 50% DC families living all over the District. In its first year of operation, the school will educate students in grades PK-K and grade six.  

The school’s model is built to address the academic, social, and emotional needs of children from highly mobile military families. Based on the application team’s experience operating a similar charter school at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, they have found students from at-risk communities require similar supports.

LEARN DC was selected through a community Request for Proposals designed by the Ward 8 Parent Operator Selection Team (POST), made up of four military families and four non-military families. There is demand on the base for a quality option for military families to address many of the unique challenges they face enrolling and identifying great schools for their children. More information on that selection process can be found here. 

The DC PCSB Board approved the school to open if it completes these conditions:  https://www.livebinders.com/b/2441344

Read the proposal here. 

Read the staff memo to the Board here.

School to open in 2021-22 in Ward 8