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DC Public Schools Grow in Enrollment As Charter Schools Lose Popularity

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The number of students enrolled in D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) this academic year has exceeded 50,000 for the first time in over 50 years, Mayor Muriel Bowser and DCPS Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee announced in a press statement on Tuesday.

According to the released preliminary data, a total of 49,056 students joined public schools in School Year 2018-19, while the figure went up to 51,060 in School Year 2019-20.

“The historic enrollment growth DCPS is seeing is a testament to the incredible work our school leaders and educators do every day to meet the needs of our students,” said Ferebee.

“My priority is to provide a great school in every neighborhood at every grade level, and I would like to thank our families for trusting us to ensure their children are receiving a high-quality education.”

While DCPS enrollment increased by four percent this year, a drop was observed in charter schools for the first time.

Among the factors that led to the public school growth in D.C.’s all eight wards are considered to be “strong programming available for students and families, focus on feeder school and in-boundary engagement, targeted marketing and recruitment strategies and excitement around newly modernized buildings,” Bowser’s statement explained.

Coolidge High School, which increased its student enrollment by 40 percent, Brookland Middle School (34 percent), Hart Middle School (20 percent), Sousa Middle School (19 percent) and Roosevelt STAY High School (17 percent) saw the highest growth compared to last school year.

“The continued growth at our public schools is proof that if we listen to and work with the community, meet the needs of our students, and build the programming and the facilities that our students need and deserve—then families will come,” D.C. Mayor Bowser said.

“We’re going to keep investing in our students and teachers to improve the quality of education and keep DCPS and our public charter schools growing for another decade to come.”

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