In Washington, D.C., Charter Schools Are Hurting Public Schools

Published May 18, 2016 at 1:52 PM EDT

The Jefferson Academy booth at EdFEST, D.C.'s public school fair in December, tries to attract students to the middle school. Jefferson is eschewed by many parents of students from Capitol Hill feeder school Brent Elementary. (Matthew S. Schwartz/WAMU)

Charter schools throughout the country are increasingly competing with public schools for students. In Washington DC, nearly half of all students attend charter schools, some switching to them between grades. This can wreak havoc on the stability of enrollment from one grade to the next. Matthew Schwartz from Here & Now contributor WAMU visited Brent Elementary, a public school that has seen a steep decline in enrollment.

WAMU: How One D.C. Elementary’s 5th Grade Enrollment Highlights Concerns About Middle School

Reporter

Matthew Schwartz, reporter, WAMU. He tweets @SchwartzReports.

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.