Quality Schools Initiative

Fight For Children’s Quality Schools Initiative is an innovative awards program that encourages replication of high quality programs that improve student achievement in public, charter, and independent schools in Washington, DC. As part of the program, Fight For Children awards each winning school cash grants to use towards expanding their effective practices. In addition to the grant, Fight For Children works with the leadership of the winning schools to capture the ongoing strategies these schools are using to improve student achievement. In order to encourage and facilitate replication of these successful programs, Fight For Children publishes case studies on the effective practices of the winning schools and distributes them throughout the DC community.

DC First Lady and Fight For Children board member Michelle Fenty announced Fight For Children’s 2010 award winners on April 14, 2010. KIPP DC: AIM Academy, a DC Public Charter School, won the Champion of Quality award and a $75,000 grant from Fight For Children. Truesdell Education Campus, a DC Public School, and KIPP DC: KEY Academy, a DC Public Charter School, were each awarded a Rising Star award and a $50,000 grant.

In 2010, Fight For Children recognized schools in two award categories. The Champion of Quality award, presented to KIPP DC: AIM Academy, recognizes a school that consistently demonstrates excellence in the areas of teaching and learning, leadership, and professional development. In addition, this school produces student achievement gains significantly greater than the District average. The Rising Star awards, presented to Truesdell Education Campus and KIPP DC: KEY Academy, recognize schools that regularly demonstrate excellence in many areas and show evidence of students making gains in academic achievement. These schools recognize there are areas where improvement is needed, and they have set clear goals to address those challenges.

Please view the video below to learn more about the Quality Schools Initiative and the 2009 winning schools - Bell Multicultural High School, Capital City Public Charter School, and The Washington Middle School for Girls.

Effective schools commit to a process of continuous improvement. During the 2009 Quality Schools Initiative, Fight For Children sought to learn more about three integral aspects of school improvement: leadership, family and parent engagement, and instruction. To facilitate the work, the 2009 winning schools were asked to describe practices in these areas in their applications, and Fight For Children engaged researchers to visit these schools to learn more. The 2009 winning schools all share the following traits:

Leadership is Consistent, Visionary, and Shared
Parents and Families Are Engaged
Students Learn Via Project-Based Learning and Differentiated Instruction

For more information about the effective practices of the award-winning schools, please read Elements of Excellence. If you would like a printed copy, please email Anna Yousufzai or call 202-772-0424.

Background on the Quality Schools Initiative Awards

The winning schools in the Quality Schools Initiative meet multiple eligibility requirements for the program, including increased student achievement and demonstrated best practices based on quality indicators in the areas of leadership, instruction, and professional development. An independent selection committee of leaders across DC’s education spectrum review applications and conduct campus visits of finalists before selecting the winning schools.

DC School Chooser

Fight For Children is proud to partner with GreatSchools to publish the third annual DC School Chooser, a free guide to over 275 different schools in DC to help families make the best educational choice for their children. GreatSchools is a national nonprofit whose mission is to inspire and guide parents to become effective champions of their children's education at home and in their communities.

The 2010-2011 DC School Chooser features profiles of 275 schools, including test scores and trends for DC Public Schools and DC charter schools, extracurricular activities, transportation options, tuition information, and application procedures. The DC School Chooser also includes a workbook to assist parents in determining which schools make the most sense for their families. Last year, Fight For Children distributed 15,000 copies of the guide in English or Spanish.

Through Fight For Children’s partnership with GreatSchools, the information in the DC School Chooser and much more is available in a searchable database. Visit www.greatschools.org to get school profiles, information about improving your school, and other community resources and links. You can also download a PDF of the DC School Chooser or Listado de Escuelas de D.C. Please also call the GreatSchools English Parent Hotline at 202-431-5538 or Línea Directa para Padres de Familia at 202-431-5516. You can request a printed copy of the DC School Chooser or get assistance with choosing a school.

Parent Leadership Programs

Fight For Children is also promoting quality education by empowering parents to be better stewards of their children's education and recently completed a pilot program which trained a cadre of parent leaders using a proven parent training model from the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence in Kentucky. These parents are now working within schools to organize other parents and improve their children’s education experience. In an effort to expand this work, we commissioned Symphonic Strategies to conduct a research project to understand the supply of, and market for, parent leadership programs in DC.

The central conclusion of the study is that parents in economically distressed communities may have access—even if limited—to resources that equip them with the knowledge to function in meaningful leadership roles that help to shape the future for their families, school, and communities. However, knowledge is a necessary tool, but it in itself is not sufficient to effect meaningful change. The research suggests that significant percentage of parents in economically distressed communities do not have the necessary skills to actually assume effective leadership roles that help to shape the future for their children, family, school, and community. Fight For Children believes investing in resources and programs that combine leadership skills with the knowledge about the mechanics of systemic change is the next frontier in the movement to empower parents as partners and is currently developing programs to achieve this goal.
Download the complete report, Parent Leadership Programs in the District of Columbia: Market research and Recommendations, to learn more.

Fight For Children is grateful to the Annie E. Casey Foundation for its continued support of Fight For Children's parent leadership efforts.

Download a PDF of this "Promoting Quality Education" information here.