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Three months ago I walked into the 7th floor office of the Center for Education with wide eyes and butterflies in my stomach. At that time I thought I knew a good bit about education policy, I am an Ed Wonk, I told myself as I embarked on my semester in Washington. My time at CER has allowed me to put my prior knowledge to work, but it has also taught me just how much I have left to learn.

It was an exciting time to be working in the world of education. I have had the chance to follow education stories as they developed, like the Supreme Court case in Washington state against charter schools and the debate around the Opportunity Scholarship Program here in Washington DC. It was great timing that I also got to witness the historic process of reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It was especially interesting to observe this process from the dual perspectives of my two internships with CER and the US Senate. Watching as President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act into law on my 22nd birthday, December 10, 2015, was definitely the highlight of my semester.

I have loved every minute of these past few months. From attending discussion events at Washington think tanks to conducting charter and parent outreach, I am grateful for all of the work I have gotten to do for an organization that is working to pursue meaningful education reform. Each day at CER has been full of new challenges, interesting work, and exciting learning opportunities. And I have thoughtfully crafted my personal opinions on national education issues like school choice, state standards and teacher preparation processes.

Everything I have observed and learned with CER will be important as I pursue future opportunities in the education field. I am certain now that, after my graduation in May, I will continue on to a career committed to improving urban education. Whether I become a teacher in Brooklyn or a policy researcher in Washington, I will never forget my time working in this amazing place.

Lindsay Uhlinger, CER Intern

On Tuesday, December 15^th, the Fordham Institute and the DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) teamed up to host a panel discussion entitled The Future of Parent Choice in Washington DC. The panelists covered a wide range of education topics, from choice to collaboration to school rankings and reports.

Scott Pearson, Executive Director of the DCPCSB kicked off the event by discussing their latest equity reports. The charter sector faces many questions and doubts and myths from outsiders, including questions of discipline practices, accusations of pushing out weak students to bump test scores, and even discriminating against special needs students. In response to these questions, DCPCSB emulated the work being done in New Orleans and began developing Equity Reports — these documents that would be published annually to increase accountability in charters through transparency. They present data points on evolving enrollment numbers, attendance rates, suspension and expulsion counts, as well as academic student performance data.

Pearson noted that, after the first round of reports were released on the 2014-2015 school year, they have been found incredibly useful for the community and school leaders have used them to address their own weaknesses. The DCPCSB also has another report that ranks the charter schools in Washington into three tiers based on academic performance. Pearson argued that these reports and rankings have been influential for families, and that application numbers have shifted according to rankings.

Next, President of the Fordham Institute, Michael Petrilli, moderated a discussion with Pearson and two additional panelists: Cassandra Pinkney, Founder of Eagle Academy Public Charter Schools in DC, and Abigail Smith, the former Deputy Mayor of Education for Washington, DC.

The panelists spoke about charter and district relations, the topic of another Fordham Institute Report, Is Detente Possible? District-charter school relations in four cities. In response to this question, Pinkney said that cross-collaboration is incredibly important because charters and districts are both serving the same high-need population. On the other hand, Smith pointed out that “tension is natural,” especially when charters and districts find themselves competing over the same students and limited resources.

Finally, Pearson commented on the current state of choice in DC, saying that more students have moved back to the city and that is a result of the competition-driven improvements to Washington’s public schools.

What was clear to me in the audience of this panel was how attentive both DC Public Schools and the DC Public Charter School Board have been to family and community engagement throughout the development of these various initiatives. More than anything, the commitment to publicizing school data demonstrates commitment to helping families identify strong schools.

Lindsay Uhlinger, CER Intern

I can’t believe this semester is coming to an end! I have truly learned a great deal through my experiences at CER. Whether it was attending events with other leaders in the education reform movement from various organizations, or simply reading articles discussing various happenings in the education sector across the US, I have not stopped learning during my time here. All of the staff has been very encouraging in answering any, and all of my questions.

Growing up in the suburbs of Westchester County, NY, I was blessed by the opportunity to a quality education at my local public school, with supportive parents and excellent teachers that inspired passion in my studies. I never worried about looking at different options for schooling, until applying to university. Interning at CER has opened my eyes up to the world of school choice, and its importance. Every child is different, and therefore requires different outlets for learning to ensure they are achieving equal quality education.

On this note, interning with CER during the passing of ESSA has been a wonderfully exciting experience. From attending an informal dinner-discussion about ESSA prior to its passing, live streaming the hearing in the office, its passing, and witnessing history being made has been very exciting. This win for education reform results in a promising future, which I aim to be invested in, through my future career.

I am grateful to have been apart of an organization that truly makes change, and am excited to continue my involvement in the education-sector post-grad. When exploring my options for next year, I aim to pursue some sort of education-focus – whether it’s in the classroom, or working to continue effecting policy changes to ensure children across the U.S. have equal access to quality education. I have been inspired by the work done at CER, and will never forget my time here. Thank you for a truly wonderful and gratifying experience!

Karina Lichtman, CER Intern