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 education in DC and confronting the challenges before us by growing high-quality public school options, addressing racial inequities, recruiting and retaining excellent leaders, and fostering equity-centered change.
In the last year, Ed Forward DC has undergone changes. And though we have new leadership and new team members, what has not changed is our unwavering commitment to the visionary education leaders working to create high-quality, equitable learning experiences for the District of Columbia’s students and families. Our investments, taken together with the hard work of the entire education sector, have helped bring about positive trends since the “end” of the pandemic. We’re starting to see signs of academic recovery in the District. Annual assessments have shown continued college and career readiness increases since students returned to the classroom in 2021. Studies and data from our partners show positive growth in early learning. And schools have seen increased investments in our students, signifying our city leaders’ continued commitment to education.
We still have a long way to go to provide every DC student access to a great public school that prepares them to meet their vision for a successful future. Students are still feeling the effects of unfinished learning. Black and brown students, students with disabilities, and English learners are too often not receiving the support they need to thrive and have felt the negative impacts of the last few years more than their peers. Students’ social and emotional well-being continues to be a pressing concern for school leaders and families. Chronic absenteeism is worse now than before the pandemic. And our city faces an uncertain fiscal future.
These challenges are not unique to DC, but they present an opportunity for DC to lead the way in creating better outcomes for all our students. The positive change contained within our impact report is a testament to what can be accomplished together. Through continued support and partnership, we are certain that we can tackle the challenges before us and achieve our vision of a DC where students starting furthest from opportunity can chart their own path and thrive.
