DC has a belief gap.
The Issue
The belief gap is the difference between what people think DC students can achieve and what they are actually capable of. The belief gap limits opportunity. When the belief gap persists, students furthest from opportunity are left behind. Our public campaign focuses on closing the belief gap. The belief gap shows up in three ways:
Achievement Gap
For too long, students have not attended school consistently or performed on grade level. Right now, only about 2 in 5 students are proficient in 4th grade English Language Arts on DC CAPE, and just 1 in 4 students are proficient in 4th grade math. That has to change. When students are not on grade level, they are locked out of future opportunities in life, college, and career. We must close the achievement gap, so every student reads and does math on grade level.
Funding Gap
There is this pervasive belief that for DCPS students to succeed, public charter school students have to do without. We reject that scarcity mindset. Charters educate nearly half of D.C. public school students, yet they receive roughly $2,000 less per student in operating funds than DCPS. When factoring in facilities funding and capital investments, the total funding gap grows to nearly $9,675 per student. We must close the funding gap that exists. When funding isn't equal, opportunity isn’t equal, and students pay the price.
Degree and Credential Gap
Only 16% of D.C. students are meeting the SAT College and Career Ready Benchmark, and only 18% of 2011-2012 ninth-graders completed a degree by 2022. We must close the degree and credential gap so every student has a pathway, not a dead end.
Sign this petition if you believe!
- I believe all students, no matter their background, can achieve academically.
- I believe all students deserve the resources they need to succeed, no matter what school they attend.
- I believe all students can graduate and earn a degree or an industry recognized credential.
The time to act is now! Sign your name and share this petition with three other people. After signing, be sure to check your email and confirm your signature so it counts. #ClosetheGapDC
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The Issue
The belief gap is the difference between what people think DC students can achieve and what they are actually capable of. The belief gap limits opportunity. When the belief gap persists, students furthest from opportunity are left behind. Our public campaign focuses on closing the belief gap. The belief gap shows up in three ways:
Achievement Gap
For too long, students have not attended school consistently or performed on grade level. Right now, only about 2 in 5 students are proficient in 4th grade English Language Arts on DC CAPE, and just 1 in 4 students are proficient in 4th grade math. That has to change. When students are not on grade level, they are locked out of future opportunities in life, college, and career. We must close the achievement gap, so every student reads and does math on grade level.
Funding Gap
There is this pervasive belief that for DCPS students to succeed, public charter school students have to do without. We reject that scarcity mindset. Charters educate nearly half of D.C. public school students, yet they receive roughly $2,000 less per student in operating funds than DCPS. When factoring in facilities funding and capital investments, the total funding gap grows to nearly $9,675 per student. We must close the funding gap that exists. When funding isn't equal, opportunity isn’t equal, and students pay the price.
Degree and Credential Gap
Only 16% of D.C. students are meeting the SAT College and Career Ready Benchmark, and only 18% of 2011-2012 ninth-graders completed a degree by 2022. We must close the degree and credential gap so every student has a pathway, not a dead end.
Sign this petition if you believe!
- I believe all students, no matter their background, can achieve academically.
- I believe all students deserve the resources they need to succeed, no matter what school they attend.
- I believe all students can graduate and earn a degree or an industry recognized credential.
The time to act is now! Sign your name and share this petition with three other people. After signing, be sure to check your email and confirm your signature so it counts. #ClosetheGapDC
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Petition created on April 27, 2026