Collaborative in Action DC Education Research Collaborative Meeting Highlights – April 9, 2025

The DC Education Research Collaborative held its second quarterly meeting of 2025 on April 9. The Collaborative continued building on the brainstorming from the last meeting to dive into preliminary data and results from projects, and sharing feedback on research questions and priorities. The Collaborative also shared updates on the recruitment of new members. Members reflected on their continued commitment to shaping the Collaborative’s research priorities and ensuring that our work remains grounded in the realities of DC’s education landscape.

Community Highlights

The meeting began with a series of updates from Advisory Committee members and partners. Among the highlights:

  • McKinley Tech uplifted their Senior Projects showcase to be held on May 22, 2025, encouraging members to attend to see the work on students in CTE programs.
  • State Board of Education staff shared next steps following their recent literacy mixer with OSSE, TWU, and DCPS, focused on implementing new literacy legislation.
  • Representatives from UDC spotlighted the university’s Grow Your Own teacher preparation strategies—part of a broader effort to ensure educators are prepared to teach and stay in DC.
  • Several members reflected on the importance of data transparency and called for more storytelling around research findings to connect with educators, families, and the broader public.

Research and Partner Spotlights

Director Dara Shaw provided updates on current Collaborative research projects, including:

  • Career development opportunities available to DC Public Schools students. Advisory Committee members provided feedback on key terminology of career development opportunities and how to conceptualize and measure equitable distribution of career development opportunities in DC. 
     
  • High Demand Schools: Following feedback on the kinds of data and questions that the Collaborative members are interested in, research council member Kristin Blagg presented preliminary data and findings on defining and measuring high demand schools. Members delved into data on seat gap and predictors of seat gaps in DC public schools and public charter schools.  
     
  • In partner spotlight, Hannah Mason from DC Policy Center presented on 2023-2024 State of DC Schools highlighting a comprehensive look on DC public schools’ system health and modest progress towards recovery.
  • Publications of new partner spotlights since the last meeting, including:
    • Brookings’ analysis of the disengagement gap among youth not in school or work.
    • EmpowerK12’s new NAEP Dashboard, tracking DC student achievement trends over time.
    • A brief from the Deputy Mayor for Education’s Office of Education Through Employment Pathways, evaluating how UDC program offerings align with local labor market demand.
    • Urban Institute’s reports on child care coaching and postsecondary student navigation strategies.
       

Each of these pieces offers data, insights, and potential next steps for improving educational outcomes in DC, and are now featured on our website under “Partner Spotlights” and “Collaborative in Action.”

Looking Ahead

The next Collaborative meeting will be held on June 10, 2025. In the meantime, the Collaborative will continue sharing updates via our website and LinkedIn page. Members and community stakeholders are encouraged to submit ideas for spotlights, blog posts, or research questions they would like to see explored.

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