A great public school for every student in DC
We envision a DC where students starting furthest from opportunity can chart their own path and thrive.
A path forward for all students
Since 2016, Education Forward DC has supported DC education leaders, schools, parents, and students to make meaningful improvements in schools. From an increase in resources, improvements in academic achievement, and additional quality options for students, the landscape of education in DC is changing for the better.
Even though the education ecosystem in DC is improving, not every student has benefited equitably. Only one in four students from low-income households attends a high-performing public school. And the gaps in outcomes are felt most by students designated as economically disadvantaged — a group disproportionately made up of students of color, students with disabilities, and English learners.
Our work to create a path forward for all DC students — especially those furthest from opportunity — isn’t finished.
From Progress to Promise
Education Forward DC combines strategic grantmaking, hands-on partnerships, and citywide coordination across both public school sectors to improve school quality, develop the leaders and teachers students deserve, and advance the policy conditions that build on DC’s progress and fulfill the promise of a great public school for every DC student.
How our grantees are changing education in DC
DC Education News
Testimony of Ed Forward DC to the DC Council on School Closure Lottery Preference
July 6, 2026 Education Forward DC’s Managing Partner Margie Yeager delivered the following testimony to the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee of the Whole...
Five Years of Progress in DC Education: Our Fund II Report
June 30, 2026 Five years ago, we launched Fund II as schools were reopening after more than a year of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, DC has...
Education Forward DC Invests $250,000 in School Leader Lab to Scale Teacher Leadership and Retention Program
Investment will support a refresh and expansion of the Teacher Leader Cohort, supporting DC's most effective teachers and addressing retention gaps June 23, 2026...
DC Charter Facilities Fund Launches to Transform Access to Capital for Quality School Buildings
WASHINGTON, DC (May 4, 2026) – The DC Charter Facilities Fund (DCCFF) launched today, creating a new $250 million revolving loan fund designed to address barriers DC...
Testimony of Ed Forward DC to the DC Council on OSSE Performance Oversight
Education Forward DC’s CEO Bisi Oyedele delivered the following testimony to the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee of the Whole at a March 4, 2026 FY26...
Ed Forward DC FY2025 Impact Report
We’re excited to share with you our 2025 Impact Report, detailing our work over the last year investing in leaders who are committed to recovering and reimagining...
Testimony of Ed Forward DC to the DC Council on Public Charter School Review and Renewal in the District
Education Forward DC’s Managing Partner Margie Yeager delivered the following testimony to the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee of the Whole at a October...
Education Forward DC welcomes five new board members
In March 2025, the Ed Forward DC board elected five new individuals to the board of directors. These new board members bring decades of experience and expertise in DC...
Ed Forward DC FY2024 Impact Report
We’re excited to share with you our 2024 Impact Report, detailing our work over the last year investing in leaders who are committed to recovering and reimagining...
Testimony of Ed Forward DC to the DC Council on Oversight of Education for Students with Special Needs
Education Forward DC’s Partner for Schools, Talent, and Equity Rashida Young delivered the following testimony to the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee of...
Ed Forward DC grantee schools kick off a new school year
Schools across the District of Columbia are back in session! The entire Ed Forward DC team is so happy to see the smiling faces of students returning to class after...
Ed Forward DC, OSSE, Flamboyan partner to provide microgrants to improve school climate
Education Forward DC has partnered with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and Flamboyan Foundation to assist schools in building more positive...
What’s in DC’s FY25 budget for education?
Education remains a top funding priority for the District of Columbia, thanks to the work of Mayor Bowser and the DC Council. In late June, the Council finalized its...
Schools share lessons learned from piloting different approaches to improve student, staff well-being
Today Education Forward DC, in partnership with Transcend, released Supporting Student and Staff Well-Being: School Pilots in Action, a white paper exploring what four...
WEBINAR: Data to Action: Insights from Well-being Data and School-Based Mental Health Pilots
Join us for the release of updated data examining students’ well-being, building on the work started last year to understand better how students are fairing during the...
Black male educators deserve support. That’s where NABME comes in.
We’re failing a key group who may be key to our students' success: Black male educators. “Black men are coming into education more than any other demographic,” said...
Testimony of Ed Forward DC to the DC Council on the FY25 Education Budget
Education Forward DC’s Managing Partner Margie Yeager delivered the following testimony to the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee of the Whole at a hearing...
Ed Forward DC FY2023 Impact Report
We’re excited to share with you our 2023 Impact Report, detailing our work over the last year investing in leaders who are committed to recovering and reimagining...
Ed Forward DC issues RFP for School Support Center
Education Forward DC seeks to identify an organization to develop a business plan and launch plan for a School Support Center in Washington, DC. The organization will...
Gains made in latest assessments, but students still need outsized support post-pandemic
DC students made gains on citywide assessments compared to the previous year, according to data released late last month by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of...
City education leaders look ahead to the future of investing in DC schools
After years of continued growing investments in DC schools, the District of Columbia could be facing a more challenging fiscal picture at a time when DC students need...
Rashida Young joins Ed Forward DC to lead schools, talent, and racial equity investments
Rashida Young joined the Education Forward DC team in April as Partner for Schools, Talent, and Racial Equity. As Partner for Schools, Talent, & Racial Equity,...
New data provides a snapshot of DC student well-being a year after returning to in-person learning
New data released today provides insights into how students in the District of Columbia are faring since they returned to the classroom after nearly two-and-a-half...
Additional schools share experience with innovative staffing pilots
Today, Education Forward DC released an update to its original It's About Time: Learnings from a Staffing Innovation Pilot white paper, which shared several schools'...
Ed Forward DC FY2022 Impact Report
We're excited to share with you our 2022 Impact Report, detailing our work over the last year investing in leaders who are committed to recovering and reimagining...
Testimony of Bisi Oyedele to the DC Council on Academic Assessment Data
Education Forward DC’s CEO Bisi Oyedele delivered the following testimony to the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee of the Whole at a hearing on academic...
Education leaders discuss supporting student success through the recovery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwKY-VWssuM&t=2529s Last month, Education Forward DC brought together policymakers, education advocates, and students to dive into...
Stabilizing our education ecosystem requires stability in our teachers and school leadership.
Education Forward DC’s CEO Bisi Oyedele delivered the following testimony to the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee of the Whole at a hearing on the...
Data points to significant work ahead to support students’ academic achievement
Significantly fewer DC students are on track for college and career after more than two years of disrupted learning, according to the first citywide assessments...
Learnings from a staffing innovation pilot
In spring 2022, Education Forward DC funded a staffing innovation pilot to support schools in exploring how they might innovate on their staffing model to increase...
DC students share challenges, hopes for schools’ recovery
Last month, DC students shared their experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic with participants at Better Than Before, the first in a series of events hosted by Education...
Bisi Oyedele named Education Forward DC’s next CEO
The Board of Directors has chosen Bisi Oyedele to succeed Maura Marino as Education Forward DC’s Chief Executive Officer in September.
New fund. New look.
Last year Education Forward DC embarked on its second round of investing in the visionary leaders who are transforming education to ensure great public schools for...
Recover & Reimagine: Our next five years
The challenges for DC students and families in the last 20 months of the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be overstated. Loss of loved ones, financial stress, managing learning...
Five years of impact for DC students
In July, Education Forward DC celebrated five years of accelerating the work of visionary education leaders in the District of Columbia. In that relatively short amount...
New study details pandemic’s academic impact on DC students
Camila Camborda is the Senior Analyst on our Advocacy and Public Engagement Team Most DC students fell behind on math and reading while learning remotely during the...
As DC recovers, we must lay the groundwork for a reimagined, equitable school experience
Testimony of Managing Partner Bisi Oyedele to the Council of the District of Columbia’s Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery & Committee of the...
Students and families share experiences with distance learning in new report
Today, the DC Policy Center released its annual snapshot of DC’s education landscape and school experience, the State of DC Schools Report. Traditionally, this report...
A growing achievement gap in DC calls for a new deal
Margie Yeager is a Partner with our Advocacy grant making team. A new report from EmpowerK12 finds that the achievement gap is growing in DC and that DC students are...
Fast facts about the #PreferenceEquity legislation
Margie Yeager is a Partner with our Advocacy grant making team. This week, DC Council unanimously passed legislation to create a lottery preference for at-risk students...
Devices, internet access, and groceries for DC’s students
Sean is Chief Strategy Officer at Education Forward DC. A partnership between Education Forward DC, the DC Public Education Fund, and Greater Washington Community...
What if equity was a part of accessing great schools?
Margie Yeager is a Partner with our Advocacy and Grantmaking team A new report from the DC Policy Center demonstrates what it would mean to preference equity for...
Looking ahead to our fifth year
As Education Forward DC enters its fifth year of supporting the leaders and organizations determined to provide great outcomes for all students, we find ourselves in...
Fighting to end systemic racism and for racial justice
Dear partners, friends, and colleagues, Last week, we released a statement condemning the brutality of racism and committing to double down in our efforts to fight for...
Getting to Inclusive Schools: An Interview with Timani Richardson
Education Forward DC believes that schools in DC should reflect and serve the citywide diversity of students’ needs and interests so that every student can grow and...
The 2018-19 State of DC Schools Report
By Margie Yeager Margie Yeager is a Partner with our Advocacy grant making team At Education Forward DC we understand that high-quality, equitable public schools can...
Education Forward DC Recent Grants
It’s the beginning of the New Year and the Education Forward DC team is busy in our grantmaking in service of our five-year goal of doubling the number of underserved...
Inside Education Forward DC: Simone Webster
Simone is a Senior Analyst on the Schools and Talent team What makes you interested in education in DC? I believe that, when done well, education can be transformative...
Seeking School Applicants to Deepen their Capacity to Serve the Mental Health Needs of Students
Within our first five years, Education Forward DC aims to double the number of underserved students in DC who are college and career ready. In service of our goal, we...
Education Forward DC’s School Quality and Equity Strategy
Education Forward DC is on track to meet our five-year goal to double the number of underserved students who are college and career ready, but we are always thinking...
Empowering DC Students Through the High School Selection Process
Education Forward DC believes that schools in DC should reflect the citywide diversity of students' needs and interests so that every student can grow and learn in a...
Education Forward DC Recent Grants
July marked the beginning of Education Forward DC’s third year and we’re excited to partner with new organizations and leaders in service of our five-year goal of...
Celebrating Three Years of Education Forward DC
Today, Education Forward DC celebrates our third anniversary of working to foster a city of high-quality, equitable public schools for every DC student and family. It...
Announcing Education Forward DC’s New Start Grant Recipients
Education Forward DC has supported leaders opening schools since our founding in 2016. In March, we launched our formal New Start Grant process as part of our broader...
The Black Swan Academy: Empowering Black Youth through Civic Leadership and Engagement
Education Forward DC supports organizations that amplify the voices of students and families to inform school decisions through our Public Engagement grants. We are...
Inside Education Forward DC: Annie Fullas
Annie Fullas is the Special Assistant to the CEO, Maura Marino Ethical and philosophical traditions play an essential role in shaping the motivations of individuals and...
Recent Education Forward DC Grants
We continue to be busy in our grantmaking and provided over $6 million in grant commitments since November to 14 grantees in service of our goal of doubling the number...
Supporting Emerging Leaders through School Leader Lab
At Education Forward DC, our human capital investments are focused on ensuring that every public school in DC has the high-quality teachers and school leaders that...
Understanding Perceptions and Drivers of School Choice Among DC Parents
By Margie Yeager Margie Yeager is a Partner with our Advocacy investments team At Education Forward DC, we believe that public schools in DC should reflect the citywide...
Inside Education Forward DC: Fonda Sutton
Fonda Sutton is a Partner with our Public Engagement investments team. I’ve spent my entire career working in the public education sector here in the District of...
Partnering with Education Forward DC Webinar
On Monday, January 28th, Education Forward DC hosted a webinar to explain how we partner with organizations and entrepreneurs to achieve our five year goal to double...
Education Forward DC Webinar: Monday, January 28, 2019 11:00am-12:00pm ET
Education Forward DC’s mission is to support visionary education leaders to foster a city of high-quality, equitable public schools for every DC student and family. In...
New Education Forward DC Grants
2018 has been a busy year for Education Forward DC as we continue to support organizations to foster high-quality, equitable public schools for every student in DC. Our...
America to Me : A Conversation Around Race and Equity in Public Schools
America to Me is a ten-part docu-series by Academy-Award nominated director Steve James that follows a year in the life of students, teachers, and administrators at Oak...
Maya Martin: PAVE, Parent Leaders, and the Power of Voice
A fifth generation Washingtonian, Maya Martin worked at Achievement Prep and Center City Public Charter Schools, helped launch the My School DC unified enrollment...
Inside Education Forward DC: Celeste Huizar
Celeste Huizar was an intern with the Education Forward DC team from December 2017 to May 2018. Celeste graduated in May 2017 from the University of California,...
Celebrating two years of Education Forward DC
July 1st marked the second anniversary of Education Forward DC! It has been an exciting, inspiring, and challenging ride as we work to foster a city of high-quality,...
An Interview with Education Forward DC CEO, Maura Marino: Leading the Charge for Better D.C. Schools
Thank you to Tom Vander Ark for hosting Education Forward DC’s CEO, Maura Marino, on his Getting Smart podcast. Learn more about Maura, Education Forward DC’s work...
Learning With Our Grantees as Partners in the Work
By Sarah Barrett Sarah Barrett is a Manager with our Human Capital Investments team. When we started Education Forward DC, we tried to capture a specific approach to...
Mashea Ashton: Digital Pioneers Academy, Computer Science, and Character
A school focused on computer science? “Sometimes I think it isn’t even that innovative; it just makes sense,” says Mashea Ashton, Founder and CEO of Digital Pioneers...
PARCC Testing and Using Student Data to Improve Instruction
By Caitlin Campbell-Hahn Caitlin Campbell-Hahn is a Senior Analyst with our Schools Investments team. Caitlin taught middle school students in Washington, DC and Boston...
A State Report Card For All Families
By Ryan Jones If you’re one of the thousands of families in DC who just submitted school choices in the citywide school lottery, My School DC, you know that finding...
Urban Teachers Fellow Named “New Teacher of the Year”
This evening, Taylor Parson will be recognized as one of seven outstanding teachers at the Standing Ovation for DC Public Schools (DCPS) annual awards event hosted by...
What We Know (and Don’t) About the Public Schools DC Parents Want
By Sujata Bhat Sujata Bhat is Senior Manager of Public Engagement at Education Forward DC. Parents in the District generally prefer schools for their kids that are...
With New Middle School for DC Boys, Shawn Hardnett Follows His North Star
Shawn Hardnett has served as a chief academic officer and principal coach in DC since 2010 and in January 2016 decided he was ready to strike out on his own. With...
Collaborating to Develop Great Instructional Talent
At Education Forward DC, we aim to build community among DC education leaders and provide a forum for tackling collecting issues facing education organizations across...
Antwan Wilson Selected as Next DCPS Chancellor
Earlier today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that she was nominating Antwan Wilson to be the next Chancellor of DC Public Schools. Mayor Bowser made her selection after...
Search for the Next DCPS Chancellor Begins
Kaya Henderson has spent her career serving DC’s public school students in various positions, and since 2007 has led efforts at DC Public Schools to improve achievement...
2016 PARCC Results Released
[author title="Author"] Today, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education released the results of the DC state assessment, the Partnership for Assessment of...
Building Instructional Culture with TNTP’s Insight Survey
[author title="Author"] At Education Forward DC, we know that students thrive in schools led by great teachers and leaders. That’s why our strategy includes supporting...
Back to School 2016
[author title="Author"] As summer winds to a close, DC’s students and teachers are heading back to school, and with the new year brings new learning opportunities...
DC Schools Fund: End of Fund Report
[author title="About the Author"] Education Forward DC is building on the progress made through NewSchools Venture Fund’s DC Schools Fund. Recently, NewSchools issued a...
Measuring Equity Matters
[author title="About the Author"] In order to help our schools better prepare historically underserved student populations, we need to understand how well schools and...
The DC Schools Landscape: By the Numbers
[author title="About the Author"] Washington, DC has a rich set of school options for families. Today, there are over 87,000 students enrolled in public schools....
Supporting Our Highest Need Students
[author title="About the Author"] At Education Forward DC, we are committed to serving our most vulnerable students. Over time, we have learned more about which...
Supporting School Leaders
This summer, 30 principals and principal supervisors are building their instructional leadership skills with support from Education Forward DC. The group is...
Meet Education Forward DC!
Today, we are thrilled to announce the launch of Education Forward DC! Education Forward DC is a new nonprofit organization working to advance quality and equity in our...
