June 4, 2020 My name is Shannon Hodge and I am testifying on behalf of FOCUS. I will also soon be assuming the role of Executive Director of the DC Charter School Alliance, a merger of FOCUS and the Association of Public Chartered Schools. Together, we will be the collective…

June 4, 2020 Chairman Mendelson, Chairman Grosso, and Members of the DC Council Committee on Education and Committee of the Whole, thank you for inviting my testimony today at this Joint Budget Oversight Hearing. I am Dr. Ramona Edelin; and for the past 14 years I have served as Executive…

Charter School Advocates Call on Council to Approve Education Increase in Final FY21 Budget Washington, D.C. — Today, FOCUS Interim Executive Director Anne Herr released the following statement in response to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s release of the FY21 Budget. The budget, which includes a 3% increase to the Uniform Per…

by Alison Collier, interim co-executive director of Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS) Beyond the tragic toll of fatalities, intensive-care intubations and infections that have forced a radical rethink of daily life, the coronavirus has brought a halt to the District’s strong economy and the revenue it generates… Read the full story here: https://thedcline.org/2020/05/14/alison-collier-dont-balance-the-budget-on-the-backs-of-vulnerable-children/

By FOCUS staff National Charter Schools Week is an annual celebration of charter school education in America — a movement that is grounded in the idea that zip codes should not determine destiny, that education should not be one-size fits all, and that parents are best equipped to choose what…

By FOCUS Staff Next week, Mayor Bowser will release her budget, and, while we know that many tough choices will be made, we stand with her in making education funding a priority. The coronavirus has shed light on the many inequities in our school system, and we must give schools the resources they need to support students, particularly those identified as at-risk. Afterall, if our schools are not financially strong, they will not be able to fulfill their responsibilities to students, families, and the community. Read more perspectives below:

April 24, 2020 By FOCUS staff In the midst of uncertainty, Washingtonians need to be able to rely on the federal government to help forge a path to stability. …

By FOCUS Staff Even though school buildings will not reopen during this school year, teachers, families, and students will continue to do the hard work of virtual learning. Trying to replicate the academics and community that exist within our schools is a monumental challenge, and we are heartened by the…

March 10, 2020 Thank you Chairman Mendelson, Chairman Grosso, Councilmember White, and staff for the opportunity to share our thoughts and opinions about Bill B23–365, which would create a Critical At-Risk Weight in the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) to supplement funds for schools with more than 70% of students identified as…