Testimony of Dr. Michelle J. Walker-Davis, Executive Director DC Public Charter School Board

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Testimony of Dr. Michelle J. Walker-Davis, Executive Director DC Public Charter School Board

Hearing on Academic Achievement in the District of Columbia

Committee of the Whole

November 7, 2025

Good afternoon, Chairman Mendelson, members of the Committee of the Whole, staff, and members of the public. I am Dr. Michelle Walker-Davis, Executive Director of the DC Public Charter School Board. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on academic achievement in the public charter school sector.

The pandemic underscored the need to rethink, reshape, and reimagine education in the District of Columbia. Charter school leaders across the city are rising to that challenge.

The recently released 2025 DC CAPE shows encouraging signs of improvement in DC schools. In fact, DC CAPE test scores are up across our public education system. I want to acknowledge Chancellor Ferebee and the DCPS team for its hard work toward that end. And of course, I want to acknowledge and applaud the great work happening in the charter sector, which is the subject of my testimony today as the authorizer of public charter schools in the District.

Specifically, 70 charter school campuses saw more students meet or exceed expectations in English language arts. Nearly half of those campuses improved by at least five points, and 15% gained 10 points or more. The percentage of public charter high school students meeting or exceeding expectations in English language arts is now higher than it was in 2019, before the start of the pandemic. And while math scores have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, 72 charter campuses improved the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations last year, with 38% jumping at least five points and 12% posting double-digit increases.

These results represent real progress and would not be possible without the heroic efforts of school leaders, teachers, parents, students, trustees, and community members. Nor would they be possible without this council's attention and financial support.

As important as they are, test scores are not the only measure of school achievement, particularly in the charter sector. Over the past few years, DC PCSB staff have worked with school leaders, families, and partners to roll out a data-driven academic accountability system that meets each public charter school where they are.

Known as ASPIRE, this system goes beyond a single test score to incorporate factors like student growth, achievement, attendance, and re-enrollment to provide a fuller picture of what's working well for a school and what needs more attention. ASPIRE includes five frameworks, based on students served, and ranging from PK-only to adult and alternative. DC PCSB will use ASPIRE to evaluate most schools on four categories: school progress, school achievement, school environment, and school-specific performance. That fourth category is key because it measures qualities unique to each school's mission or program-or giving schools credit for being the best version of themselves.

DC PCSB will share ASPIRE data with school leaders this calendar year, and we will publicize the full ASPIRE results in early 2026 on our website. DC PCSB will repeat this process each year thereafter to improve equity, transparency, and alignment with academic evaluation best practices.

But neither DC CAPE scores nor ASPIRE can tell the full story of academic achievement. One of the best parts of this job is visiting schools and meeting students-testifying before this committee is a close second-and on a recent visit, I met a student I'll call Amir.

Amir is thriving academically. He's eager to learn, turns in his homework on time, and scores well on his tests. But what really stood out was the web of care surrounding him. His school provides counseling to check in on his emotional well-being, a nurse who monitors his health needs, coaches who support him during the day, after-school tutoring to keep him on track, and a social worker who connects his family with community resources. He has mentors who encourage him, nutritious meals to keep him energized, and sports to help him build teamwork, confidence, and joy. Every part of Amir's school experience is designed to help him feel safe, seen, and supported-so he can show up ready to learn.

Stories like Amir's remind us that learning begins with belonging. Rising DC CAPE scores and our roll out of ASPIRE are exciting, to be sure. But our students don't just need instruction; they also need connection. They need to know the adults around them care deeply about their well-being-inside and outside the classroom.

This year, many DC public charter schools focused on strengthening core instruction and expanding enrichment to boost engagement and results. Schools built intervention blocks into schedules for targeted academic support, used learning walks with real-time coaching to refine teaching, and created small-group instruction for personalized learning. Partnerships like CitySchools Collaborative provided high-impact tutoring-up to 900 minutes for some students, equal to 40 extra instructional days. Schools also expanded enrichment and leadership opportunities, while DC Prep's new Clinical Fellowship Program trained future mental health clinicians to meet growing student needs. Across the sector, schools have voiced the need to ensure that every student has access to robust mental health supports, so students' academic and emotional well-being are both prioritized.

I'm proud that so many of our charter school leaders and teachers create safe and supportive environments for students every day. I also know that our sector's current and future success will depend in no small part on the continued support and sustained generosity of the Mayor and this Council. I look forward to working with you to make next school year even better for our students, teachers, parents, and communities.

Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.