DC's Bold Performing Schools break barriers and exceed expectations

Breaking barriers and exceeding expectations

Bold Performance Schools are the DC schools that boldly support priority students, students designated as at-risk, students with disabilities, and students of color, to reach academic success. These 12 incredible schools are proving what's possible, with proficiency rates 13.5 points higher than schools serving similar levels of priority students. They also are improving 3-4x faster than the District average since the pandemic.

The 12 Bold Performance Schools have significantly higher achievement than similar schools, and the performance of their economically disadvantaged students is nearly double the state average.

If Bold Performance Schools kept serving the same students and held their rate of improvement, the brief projects that their economically disadvantaged students would outperform the state average for all students in three years.

How the brief identifies Bold Schools

In the spring of 2024, students across the District took the first administration of the Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (CAPE), a Common Core-aligned state assessment in math and reading for grades 3-8 and high school with the same cut scores as the former PARCC test. The year's data show a 31-percentage point gap between students from economically disadvantaged households and their more affluent peers.

Several schools with a high population of priority students achieved significantly better outcomes than other schools with similar demographics. EmpowerK12 developed a mathematical model to calculate each school's Percent Proficient Above Expectations (PPAE) from its priority student populations and the grade levels it serves, and recognizes the schools that perform well above expectations. Every Bold School serves a student population where at least 30% are economically disadvantaged. The first Bold Performance Schools were named in 2016, and the designation has followed every state assessment release since.

The summary and the method are on page 3 of the brief (PDF).

The 12 schools of 2024

DCPS and public charter schools from elementary through high school. Three carry a special award this year. Whittier Elementary is the Boldest School for the highest PPAE in the city, Center City Congress Heights earns Enduring Excellence for a Bold Performance award every year since 2019, and Ron Brown High School is the Most Inspiring School, chosen by EK12 staff for its community and respect among young Black men.

The campus list and the awards are on page 6 of the brief (PDF). Every school, with its photo and story, is on dcboldschools.org.

Key practices

What Bold Performance Schools do

Over the years EmpowerK12 has interviewed the leadership teams at Bold Performance Schools. Four commonalities emerged from those conversations.

1. 1

   Break stereotypes.

   At Bold Performance Schools, a pervasive culture and steadfast commitment to high academic expectations for every single student are foundational principles. Every element of the school environment, ranging from the curriculum to the staff and even the facility design and presentation, is meticulously crafted to uphold and advance the belief that every student can and will achieve high levels of academic success.

   At Dorothy Height Elementary, special educators are so integrated into classrooms that students without IEPs frequently ask the interventionist for extra help. Digital Pioneers credits a culture of "high expectations and high empathy" for excelling through a year of tragedy.

2. 2

   Build community.

   Both adults and students act with mutual respect, accountability, and a knack for having fun! Educators and school administrators consistently highlighted the significance of fostering robust relationships among school leaders, teachers, students, and families, and frequently referred to their school community as a "tight-knit family."

   At Ron Brown High School, every school day starts with community circles. Ninth graders meet together from 10:15 to 10:40 every day, and juniors and seniors meet three times a week.

3. 3

   Focus on continuous improvement.

   Leadership teams use data for continuous improvement, leveraging it to identify areas for growth, celebrate successes, and implement strategies that enhance student outcomes. To prevent information overload, educators at Bold Schools commonly review data more frequently and in smaller, manageable segments based on priority.

   Every Bold School reported that teachers examine student data at least weekly, if not daily. Paul PCS convenes "think tanks" of administrators, teachers, operations staff and coaches to set goals and hammer out details.

4. 4

   Go the extra mile and get into the details.

   Going the extra mile means being incredibly detailed and consistent in the small things, like setting and maintaining routines and expectations. Educators understand that these seemingly minor aspects of daily school life collectively create a stable and predictable environment in which students can thrive.

   Digital Pioneers mapped schoolwide routines for keeping phones out of class, down to the exact words to use, then practiced them with adults, students and parents. Paul PCS tracks every lesson plan, the feedback on it and the misconceptions left to address.

Each practice in full, with the educators' own words, from page 8 of the brief (PDF).