Spotlight On

Mission:
Capital City Public Charter School's mission is to enable a diverse group of children to meet high expectations; develop creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills; achieve deep understanding of complex subjects; and acquire a love of learning along with a strong sense of community and character.

Background:
Capital City Public Charter School, established in 2000 in Columbia Heights, is a small, award-winning public school of choice for children pre-K through eighth grade. (A charter school is a free public school that operates independently of the local school system with funding determined by a per pupil formula.) DC public charter schools administer the same standardized tests required by other DC public schools, and can be closed by their chartering authorities if they fail to deliver the results promised in their charters. Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools are public schools of choice. No one is assigned to them; parents, students, teachers and administrators actively select them. In accordance with its charter, CCPCS is required to accept any child that applies, depending on space, and is prohibited from charging tuition. When applicants exceed available spaces, admission is by random lottery. CCPCS currently has over 350 children on its waiting list.

Current Programs:
Capital City Public Charter School currently serves 236 students in grades pre-K through 8. Its students are diverse racially, culturally, and socio-economically, coming from all parts of the city. At CCPCS nearly half of its students are low-income. 36% are African-American, 31% are Caucasian, 27% are Hispanic, and 6% belong to other groups.

Capital City Public Charter School uses an innovative approach to learning based on two research-based, nationally recognized models: Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound (ELOB), which emphasizes project-based instruction to help students meet rigorous academic and character standards; and Responsive Classroom which focuses on respectful social interaction as an integral part of children's cognitive development. These two models are combined with an integrated arts program providing regular, weekly instruction in the performing (dance, drama, music) as well as the visual arts.

Funding Needs:
Although CCPCS receives funding on a per-pupil basis, the school is in need of funds to enrich and enhance its learning expeditions, provide quality after school programs, create a health and wellness program, and finish a rooftop playground.

The "Spotlight On" highlights the activities of a different 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving the Metropolitan Washington, DC community. The selection of organizations for the "Spotlight On" is based on criteria such as programmatic interests, geographic focus, and size, to ensure the broadest possible representation of the region's nonprofit sector.

If you'd like to see your NPO in the "Spotlight," e-mail a description of your organization, following the above format, to dclibrary@foundationcenter.org, with "Spotlight Submission" in the subject line.