The livestream below will begin at the time of the event.

A PDF of the slides presented during this event can be downloaded here.

About half of all public school students in district and charter schools in Washington, D.C. are considered at-risk. However, at-risk students and non-at-risk students are not evenly distributed across the district’s schools. Only 25 percent of at-risk students attend a highly rated school, compared to 58 percent of non-at-risk students. And, in recent years, a majority of D.C. schools have become less economically diverse, or have seen no change in their economic diversity. Could an enrollment preference for at-risk students increase equity and integration in D.C. schools? 

Join us on Tuesday, July 21 at 2:00 PM EST as we discuss new research on the implications of implementing a preference for at-risk students in Washington, D.C.’s common lottery, and what such a preference could mean for public charter schools in the city. 

Please register to obtain the Zoom link.

Featuring:

  • Daniela Anello, head of school, DC Bilingual PCS
  • Chelsea Coffin, director of the education policy initiative, D.C. Policy Center
  • Halley Potter, senior fellow, The Century Foundation
  • Ana Rodriguez, parent leader, PAVE
  • DaSean Jones, parent leader, PAVE

Presented by The Century Foundation and the D.C. Policy Center.

Speaker Bios

Daniela Anello is the head of school at DC Bilingual Public Charter School. She leads the strategic vision, implementation, and growth of DC Bilingual both academically and operationally. DC Bilingual is a Tier 1 school as ranked by the DC Public Charter School Board, and the New Teacher Project ranks DC Bilingual in the top quartile of all DC charter schools for its strong instructional culture. 

A member of the DC Bilingual community since 2009 and head of school since 2015, Daniela has been a critical leader as the school has become an independently operated charter school; secured its own facility; and grown to serve 478 pre-K through grade 5 students. Daniela is a graduate of the New Leaders, Emerging Leaders, and Aspiring Principals Program and completed the literacy specialist master’s of arts program at Teachers College, Columbia University. A native of Chile, Daniela lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and two children, both DC Bilingual students. 

Chelsea Coffin is the director of the Education Policy Initiative at the D.C. Policy Center, where her research focuses on how schools connect to broader dynamics in the District of Columbia. She has authored reports on diversity in D.C.’s schools, the D.C. schools with the best improvement for at-risk students, and the transition after high school in D.C. Chelsea has also conducted planning analysis at the D.C. Public Charter School Board, carried out research at the World Bank, and taught secondary school with the Peace Corps in Mozambique.

Halley Potter is a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, where she researches public policy solutions for addressing educational inequality. She is an expert on school integration, preschool equity, charter schools, and college access. She is coauthor, with Richard D. Kahlenberg, of A Smarter Charter: Finding What Works for Charter Schools and Public Education (Teachers College Press, 2014). Halley’s writing has been published in numerous news outlets, including The New York Times, Washington Post, US News, and Educational Leadership, and she has appeared on MSNBC and public radio. She has testified before lawmakers as well as provided technical assistance and presented research to school superintendents, principals, school board members, and teachers across the country.

Ana Rodriguez is the parent of two daughters attending DCPS middle and high schools. She is a PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education) Ward 5 board member, and holds additional roles at Whole Life Ministries International, North Capitol Collaborative, Inc., and the Bloomingdale Civic Union.

DaSean Jones is a parent leader with PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education), where he has served on the Ward 8 Parent Leaders in Education (PLE) board since its inception in 2017. He also serves on PAVE’s first citywide PLE board with parent leaders from across the city. DaSean is a native Washingtonian who graduated from Anacostia High School and received his bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology from the University of the District of Columbia. He currently lives in Ward 8 and works in D.C.’s Child and Family Services Agency as a PEER (Parent Engagement Educational Resource) specialist, dedicated to the safety, permanence, and well-being of children and families in the District. DaSean is a proud and committed father of four children—one of whom is in high school and attends Columbia Heights Education Campus, two of whom will be attending Columbia Heights Education Campus/Lincoln Middle School, Achievement Prep Public Charter School, and one of whom attends Eagle Academy Public Charter school. He is also a brother of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and an avid swimmer.