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I never planned to be an early educator. In 2018, I was working as a cashier and knew I needed a change, so I applied to be an assistant teacher at a child care center. Once I started, everything clicked. It felt natural to work with…

In Congress Heights, a stretch of Alabama Avenue SE has been fenced off for construction of a new 179-unit apartment building planned entirely as affordable housing. On paper, it’s exactly the kind of investment Ward 8 has been promised…

Washington, DC, is one of the most opportunity-dense cities in the country. It is home to federal agencies, global employers, research institutions and fast-growing industries. But along with opportunity density comes a high degree of…

“My kids are not being prepared to keep up with a changing world,” a parent told me at a recent PTO meeting. As I’ve talked with families and educators about DC’s Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements initiative, I’ve heard…

I was born in 1986. Marion Barry had just started his third term as mayor. The space shuttle Challenger disaster had shocked the nation. The Washington football team made it to the NFC championship game as a wild card. And, while seatbelts…

When I first began teaching young children in the District of Columbia, I knew I had found my calling. Helping children learn, grow, and discover the world around them became my "why" — the reason I've stayed in this work for so many…

If you’ve tried to buy tickets for popular events in DC lately, the odds are high that the event sold out in seconds and you were forced to purchase severely marked-up tickets from an online reseller. On Wednesday, the DC Council…

DC’s latest results on our annual statewide test of student achievement, known as CAPE, are a major milestone, showing that when we collaborate and stay focused on evidence-based practices, our students thrive. DC students are making…

DC youth need secure housing so they can spend their time, attention and energy on building their futures — not merely surviving. Youth experiencing homelessness are full of potential, dreams and aspirations. However, due to circumstances…

Most personal purchases today happen with a quick swipe or tap of a credit or debit card. It’s fast, convenient and safe — thanks to massive investments in fraud protection and secure payment networks. But now, that system is under threat…

The struggle for DC’s autonomy has never been more urgent, as federal-level attacks destabilize our local government and stall our local budget process. President Donald Trump’s slashing of federal jobs and vital programs is causing pain…

When people lose jobs and income, stress levels rise — and for individuals with a history of controlling or abusive behavior, that can become a catalyst for violence. We’ve seen it after every economic downturn and most recently in very…

Across the country, veteran-owned businesses handle $1.3 trillion in sales each year and provide jobs to more than 5 million Americans, according to the Small Business Administration. Each of these nearly 2 million businesses, whether they…

DC should be doing its best to allow all of its students to find successful careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In 2023, the median annual wage of STEM occupations was $101,650, compared to $46,680 for…

Washingtonians are serious about education, and DC Council hearings focused on education over the past several years are proof: Hundreds of witnesses sign up every time, including dedicated teachers, invested parents, thoughtful students…

Government has a fundamental responsibility to provide an excellent education to the next generation. To meet the moment, we must get cellphones out of the classroom and empower our students to learn and our teachers to teach without…

While well-meaning, a recently proposed DC Council bill to mandate training for public charter school boards fails to address the real problem in DC’s public schools: the city’s large, growing racial gap in student achievement. At-large…

Change takes time. This is the reality of improving literacy outcomes in Washington, DC — a reality that is both challenging and hopeful. As the city embarks on the implementation of DC’s Early Literacy Education Task Force…

In a period of just four years, DC families have gone from unprecedented levels of economic security — thanks to pandemic aid programs — to a point where thousands are overwhelmed by unaffordable rents and food prices, with few options for…

As a senior reflecting on my time as a student in DC schools, I am particularly grateful for the experiences I’ve had after school. Out-of-school-time (OST) programs have opened so many doors for me — transforming my life, giving me…