District of Columbia's High Schools (State Card)
Updated Oct 2010 - State cards provide a statistical snapshot of high schools for each state in the nation and the District of Columbia. The cards include economic information, data on high school graduation and college completion rates, academic achievement, and states’ progress in building a longitudinal data system. Where applicable, statewide numbers are compared to the national average and include national rankings.
Education and the Economy: Boosting the District of Columbia's Economy by Improving High School Graduation Rates (State Profile)
Mar 2011 - Cutting the high school dropout rate in half for just one class would likely lead to billions of dollars in increased earnings, provide a boost to home and automobile sales, and create more than 50,000 new jobs nationwide, according to a study released by the Alliance for Excellent Education and funded by State Farm®. These findings demonstrate the economic benefits the nation—as well as each state—would likely see if its number of high school dropouts was cut in half. The state profiles estimate the potential gains in important factors including individual earnings, home and auto sales, job growth, overall economic growth, spending and investment, tax revenue, and human capitol.
Accelerating the College and Career Readiness of DC's Students (State Card)
Updated May 2011 – In 2009, the Common Core State Standards Initiative was launched with forty-eight states, the District of Columbia, and two territories coming together under the auspices of the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers to develop a common core of state K–12 English language arts and mathematics standards. Within the last year, forty-four states and the District of Columbia have adopted these standards and are now working on implementation. The attached profile captures the progress made in adopting both the common core state standards, subsequent work in ensuring those standards are accompanied by college- and career-ready assessments, and the potential benefits of preparing all students for success in college and a career.
Potential Economic Impacts of Improved Education on Washington, DC
This economic impact fact sheet helps policymakers and the public understand the extent of the economic costs to society of an educational system that serves so many students poorly. It also provides an overview of the potential economic benefits that a state could enjoy were it to invest in a high school system that prepares all high school students for graduation and success after high school.
Promoting Power
How does your local high school measure up? View the complete list of high schools in Washington, DC, and its Promoting Power.
Education News from Washington, D.C.
HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS COST WASHINGTON, DC MILLIONS IN LOST WAGES:
If the nearly 2,000 high school dropouts from the Class of 2008 had earned their diplomas instead of dropping out, the District of Columbia ’s economy would have seen an additional $504 million in wages over these students’ lifetimes. A chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/HighCost.pdf.
WASHINGTON, DC’S ECONOMY COULD SEE MILLIONS IN WEALTH ACCUMULATION BY RAISING THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE:
If the high school dropouts who currently head households in the District of Columbia had earned their diplomas, the District’s economy would have benefited from an additional $167 million in wealth accumulated by families. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/hiddenbenefits.pdf.
WASHINGTON, DC COULD SAVE MILLIONS IN HEALTH CARE COSTS BY RAISING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES
If all of the students in the District of Columbia who are estimated to drop out of school this year earn diplomas instead, the District could save more than $20 million over the course of those young people’s lifetimes. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/HandW.pdf.
WASHINGTON, DC’S ECONOMY WOULD SEE BILLIONS IF THE MINORITY GRADUATION RATE WAS RAISED TO THE LEVEL OF THEIR WHITE CLASSMATES
If the District of Columbia’s high schools and colleges were to raise the graduation rates of Hispanic, African-American, and Native-American students to the levels of white students by 2020, the potential increase in personal income in the state would add more than $5.3 billion to the District’s economy. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/demography.pdf.
WASHINGTON, DC SPENDS OVER ONE MILLION ANNUALLY ON REMEDIAL EDUCATION FOR RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
The District of Columbia spends over $1.6 million each year to provide community college remediation education for recent high school graduates who did not acquire the basic skills necessary to succeed in college or at work. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/remediation.pdf.
FIVE PERCENT INCREASE IN MALE GRADUATION RATE COULD SAVE WASHINGTON, DC MILLIONS IN CRIME-RELATED SPENDING
Were the District of Columbia to increase the graduation rate and college matriculation of its male students by only 5 percent, the District could see combined savings and revenue of almost $70 million each year. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/SavingFutures.pdf.