Final Report
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) conducted a comprehensive review of District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) boundaries and feeder patterns and public school student assignment policies in 2023 in accordance with the Attendance Zone Boundaries Act of 2013. This review focused on solving current and anticipated future challenges relating to clear rights, adequate capacity, and equitable access to public schools for the next 10 years.
The 2023 Boundary and Student Assignment Study presents final recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Student Assignment and Boundaries ("Advisory Committee"), chaired by the Deputy Mayor for Education and whose membership included a diverse group of education stakeholders from across all eight wards. The Advisory Committee met from March 2023 through March 2024 to identify the study’s guiding principles, discuss challenges, propose solutions, and develop system-level and school-specific recommendations informed by data and community feedback.
Within the robust system of school choice and an evolving education landscape, these recommendations seek to both strengthen the District’s public school system consisting of by right DCPS schools complemented by citywide DCPS and public charter schools for the future. See below for the Advisory Committee’s final recommendations to the Mayor.
Read the report with final recommendations.
Information about DCPS’s and other agencies' implementation plans for the accepted recommendations, which include the major milestones, timelines, and phase-in policies, will be linked here in the coming months. Changes from adopted recommendations would take effect no sooner than SY2025-26, starting in August of 2025. New policies will be clear in advance of the common lottery process that begins in December 2024.
Advisory Committee on Student Assignment and Boundaries
The Advisory Committee is a group of education stakeholders from all eight wards of Washington, DC. The Advisory Committee formulated guidelines and principles for public school assignment and choice policies and practices; reviewed data and information; listened to the community and interpreted feedback; and developed the recommendations and scenarios that are included in the final report. Meetings were live streamed and open to the public. Information about the Advisory Committee members, meetings, and materials is posted on the 2023 Advisory Committee page of this site.
Town Halls
The DME held three rounds of citywide town halls during the project. Information about the town halls and materials is posted on the town hall page of this site.
Specific School Communities
DME engaged with over 30 school communities that may be significantly affected by any boundary or feeder pattern revision. Learn more about school meetings for the Boundary and Student Assignment Study.
Technical Project Team
DME led this initiative with support from a contracted technical team headed by Perkins Eastman DC including WXY Studio, LINK Strategic Partners, and the D.C. Policy Center.
Questions or comments? Please reach out to the DME's planning and analysis team.
Jenn Comey, Director of Planning and Analysis
Rebecca Lee, Associate Director of Planning and Analysis