DC Charter School Waiting Lists Nearly 15,000 Names

June 26, 2012

Updated: June 26, 2012
Contact: Theola Labbé-DeBose, Director of Communications

(202) 328-2670 phone

Washington, D.C. —Nearly 15,000 names are on waiting lists at DC charter schools, according to self-reported data from the city’s 98 charter school campuses compiled by the DC Public Charter School Board. Meanwhile, more than 700 slots are still available, including several at high-performing schools ranked as Tier 1 on the PCSB’s Performance Management Framework (PMF).

“These numbers are a powerful indicator of DC families’ demand for more quality school options,” said Scott Pearson, PCSB executive director. “We realize there is a large gap between that demand and available slots, and we remain committed to being a high-quality authorizer that is transforming public education so that more DC children can attend the school of their choice.”

Jessica Wodatch, executive director of Two Rivers, a Ward 6 charter school with grades pre-K through 8, said the waiting list for theirlower school has more than 1,000 names while their upper school waiting list has 94 names. “I don’t want to discourage parents because we have found that seats open up after the school year begins -- especially in the upper grades,” Wodatch said.

For the first time, the PCSB is making available online information on waiting lists and available openings by school and grade to inform the public about trends in charter school enrollment. The information was compiled by the PCSB and reflects student names on waiting lists. For example, if a child is on three waiting lists, that will be counted three times.

The PCSB will update the information in July and August. Meanwhile, parents are encouraged to contact a charter school directly with questions about openings, and also to check on schools not listed as spaces may still open up over the summer.

To see more information, including the PCSB’s “Find a Charter School” tool, visit dcpcsb.org.

DC CHARTER SCHOOL WAITING LISTS 2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR*
Summary Table

School Name	Grades	PMF Tier	Total
AppleTree Early Learning - Amidon	Pre-K	n/a	24
AppleTree Early Learning - Columbia Heights	Pre-K	n/a	130
AppleTree Early Learning - Riverside	Pre-K	n/a	11
AppleTree Early Learning - Douglas Knoll	Pre-K	n/a	22
AppleTree Early Learning - Oklahoma Ave (East Capitol)	Pre-K	n/a	14
AppleTree Early Learning - Parkland	Pre-K	n/a	22
Arts and Technology Academy	Pre K	2	53
Bridges	Pre-K	n/a	53
Capital City - Lower	Pre-K - 8	1	1048
Capital City - Upper	9 - 12	1	237
Center City - Brightwood	Pre-K - 8	2	5
Center City - Congress Heights	Pre-K - 8	3	17
Center City - Shaw Campus	Pre-K - 8	2	1
Center City - Trinidad Campus	Pre-K - 8	1	28
Cesar Chavez - Bruce Prep	6 - 9	1	5
Community Academy - Butler Bilingual	Pre-K	1	105
DC Bilingual	Pre-K	2	376
DC Preparatory Academy - Benning Campus	Pre-K - 1	n/a	223
DC Preparatory Academy - Edgewood Elementary	Pre-K - 3	n/a	248
DC Preparatory - Edgewood Middle	4 - 8	1	136
EL Haynes - Georgia Ave	3 - 8	1	606
EL Haynes - High School Campus	9	n/a	326
EL Haynes - Kansas Ave Campus	Pre-K - 2	n/a	1406
Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom	Pre-K - 6	1	575
Excel Academy	Pre-K - 3	n/a	220
Friendship - Chamberlain	Pre-K - 8	n/a	113
Friendship - Southeast Elementary	Pre-K - 5	2	139
Friendship - Woodridge	Pre-K - 8	2	9
Friendship - Collegiate Academy/Woodson	9 - 12	2	67
Hospitality	9 - 12	2	21
Howard Road Academy - MLK Ave Campus	6 - 8	2	11
Howard Road Academy - Howard Road Campus	Pre-K - 6	3	27
Howard University Middle School of Math and Science	6 - 8	1	120
Imagine Southeast	Pre-K - 8	2	482
Inspired Teaching Demonstration	Pre-K - 3	n/a	596
KIPP DC: Aim Academy	5 - 8	1	371
KIPP DC: College Preparatory	9 - 11	1	522
KIPP DC: Discover Academy	Pre-K - K	n/a	463
KIPP DC: Grow Academy	Pre-K - K	n/a	420
KIPP DC: Heights Academy	1	n/a	154
KIPP DC: Key Academy	4 - 8	1	256
KIPP DC: Lead Academy	1	Opening Aug 2012	57
KIPP DC: Leap Academy	Pre-K - K	n/a	782
KIPP DC: Promise Academy	1 - 3	n/a	445
KIPP DC: Will Academy	5 - 8	1	221
Latin American Montessori Bilingual (LAMB) - Michigan Park	Pre-K - 5	1	633
Mary McLeod Bethune - Brookland	Pre-K – 8	2	28
Meridian	Pre-K - 8	2	35
Mundo Verde	Pre-K - K	n/a	727
Perry Street Prep - Lower	Pre-K - 8	2	22
Perry Street Prep - Upper	9 - 12	2	13
Richard Wright	8 - 9	n/a	31
Roots	Pre-K - 8	2	12
SEED	6 - 12	1	127
Septima Clark	Pre-K - 5	3	56
Shining Stars Montessori	Pre-K - K	n/a	103
St. Coletta	Pre-K – 12; Adult	n/a	24
Two Rivers - Lower	Pre-K - 5	1	1091
Two Rivers - Upper	6 - 8	1	94
Washington Latin - Lower	5 - 8	1	258
Washington Latin - Upper	9 - 12	1	129
Washington Yu Ying	Pre-K - 3	n/a	386
TOTAL AMOUNT OF STUDENTS ON WAIT LISTS			15,396

DC CHARTER SCHOOL AVAILABLE SLOTS 2012-2013 SCHOOLYEAR*

Summary Table

School Name	Grades	PMF Tier	Total
Achievement Preparatory Academy	4-8	1	60
Capital City – Lower School	Pre-K-8	1	10
Center City -Trinidad Campus	Pre-K-8	1	28
Thurgood Marshall Academy	9-12	1	40
Center City -Brightwood Campus	Pre-K-8	2	5
Center City -Shaw Campus	Pre-K-8	2	1
Friendship Woodridge	Pre-K-8	2	64
Friendship Collegiate Academy - Woodson	9-12	2	69
Friendship Junior Academy - Blow-Pierce	Pre-K-8	2	84
Mary McLeod Bethune - Brookland	Pre-K-8	2	38
National Collegiate Prep PCS	9-12	2	40
Perry Street Prep - Lower School	Pre-K-8	2	81
Center City -Congress Heights Campus	Pre-K-8	3	17
Maya Angelou –Lower School	6-8	3	77
BASIS DC	5-8	Opening Aug 2012	20
DC Scholars	Pre-K-3	Opening Aug 2012	123
Community Academy - Amos II	Pre-K-K	n/a	72
Total Available Slots			829

*As of June 26, 2012 [original request May 23, 2012]

About the PCSB: The DC Public Charter School Board (PCSB) currently oversees 53 public charter schools on 98 campuses serving nearly 32,000 students living in every ward of the city. Seventy-five percent of the students attending public charter schools qualify for free or reduced price meals. Public charter schools serve 41% of all public school students in Washington, DC. Learn more about the PCSB at dcpcsb.org.