DC PCSB's ASPIRE: A new era of school accountability

When I joined the DC Public Charter School Board (DC PCSB) five years ago, my vision was clear: every family should have access to quality school options and a transparent, equitable way to measure school performance. Achieving that vision required building an accountability system that reflects our schools’ progress and challenges and helps every student, family, and educator see a clear path toward excellence.

That vision is now reality. This year, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, DC PCSB is publicly reporting school performance data and launching our revised academic accountability system, ASPIRE .

ASPIRE which stands for Annual School Performance Index Report & Evaluation is more than an acronym. Built through years of collaboration with school leaders, educators, fa