DC Public Charter Schools Statistics (2026): 40+ Data Points on Enrollment, Performance, Networks & Funding

Public charter schools now educate 48% of all DC public school students — a market share that puts the District near the top of the nation in charter penetration. According to the DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB), 47,500+ students attend 132 charter campuses operated by 67 Local Education Agencies (LEAs), with waitlists exceeding 10,500 names. We compiled data from the DCPCSB Annual Report, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), MySchoolDC, and the FY2026 DC Council Budget to build the definitive 2026 reference on DC's public charter school sector — enrollment dynamics, top networks, academic performance, lottery competitiveness, and per-pupil funding.

Key Takeaways

• Public charter schools educate 48% of DC's 94,881 public school students — among the highest market shares in the United States (DCPCSB, 2025 Annual Report).
• The District has 132 charter campuses operated by 67 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) (DCPCSB, 2025 Annual Report).
• KIPP DC is the largest charter network in the District with 18+ campuses serving over 7,500 students across PK3 through 12th grade (KIPP DC, 2025 Network Report).
• More than 10,500 students sit on charter waitlists citywide, a measure of unmet demand for charter seats (DCPCSB, 2025 Annual Report).
• Public charter schools received $1.1 billion in payments from the District in FY2026 (DC CFO, FY2026 Proposed Budget).
• The charter sector's four-year high school graduation rate is approximately 85% — over 12 points above the citywide rate (OSSE, 2025 High School Graduation Rates).
• 26,105 applications were submitted through the MySchoolDC lottery in 2025, with the majority including at least one charter school choice (MySchool DC, 2025 Lottery Data Report).
• Approximately 64% of DC's charter students are Black/African American and 22% are Hispanic/Latino, reflecting the District's broader public school demographics (DCPCSB, 2025 Annual Report).
• The base UPSFF payment per charter student is $13,584 — identical to the DCPS allocation — with additional weights for at-risk, special education, and English learner status (DC Council, FY2026 Budget).
• Charter sector enrollment grew approximately 4% between 2024 and 2026 even as overall DCPS enrollment stagnated (DCPCSB, 2025 Annual Report).

1. Citywide Charter Enrollment: Nearly Half of Public School Seats

DC's public charter sector reached 48% market share in the 2025-26 school year — a steady climb from roughly 40% a decade ago. The District now operates one of the most charter-heavy public school systems in the United States, surpassed only by cities like New Orleans and Detroit. This charter ecosystem provides DC families with a wide range of options outside the boundary-based DCPS system, all tuition-free and accessible via the unified DC school lottery.

2. Top DC Charter School Networks

The DC charter landscape includes both single-campus operators and large networks. KIPP DC is the largest, with campuses spanning early childhood through 12th grade. Friendship Public Charter Schools runs eight campuses in Wards 5, 7, and 8. BASIS DC is the only DC outpost of the national BASIS network, known for one of the most academically rigorous high school programs in the country. Washington Latin PCS anchors classical-curriculum charter education. Bilingual immersion is led by Mundo Verde (Spanish) and Washington Yu Ying (Mandarin). Montessori is served by Lee Montessori, Breakthrough Montessori, and LAMB.

3. Charter Sector Academic Performance

On citywide PARCC and MSAA assessments, the charter sector slightly outperforms DCPS in aggregate, though performance varies widely by network and campus. DC public charter schools post ELA proficiency around 38% and math proficiency around 30% in grades 3-8 — both modestly above DCPS averages. The top-performing charter networks (BASIS DC, Washington Latin, KIPP DC College Prep, DC International School) achieve proficiency rates above 60%. The OSSE STAR Framework rates schools 1-5 stars, and the charter sector is overrepresented at the 4- and 5-star tier.

4. DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) Oversight

Every DC charter school is authorized and overseen by a single body: the DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB). The DCPCSB approves new charter applications, sets renewal and revocation criteria, publishes annual Performance Management Framework (PMF) ratings, and holds public meetings each month. The PMF is the District's standardized accountability framework — every charter campus receives a Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 rating annually based on academic performance, growth, attendance, and graduation outcomes. Tier 1 charters are eligible for streamlined renewal; Tier 3 charters face revocation review.

5. Lottery & Application Dynamics

All DC charter schools admit students exclusively through the MySchoolDC unified lottery. Families submit a single application ranking up to 12 schools (charter or DCPS) in priority order. The lottery runs in November-January with results released in late March. Sibling preference applies — students with a sibling already enrolled or offered a seat receive priority. Some schools also offer proximity preference (defined geographic zones). Out-of-boundary DCPS applicants compete in the same lottery alongside charter applicants. The most competitive charter seats (KIPP DC College Prep, BASIS DC, Washington Latin) have acceptance rates below 10% for unmatched applicants.

6. Charter Funding: UPSFF & Federal Sources

DC public charter schools are funded through the Uniform Per-Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) — the same per-pupil mechanism used for DCPS. The FY2026 UPSFF base is $13,584 per student, with significant additional weights for at-risk status (+$2,853), special education tiers (+$2,200 to +$30,000 depending on need), and English learner designation (+$1,810). Federal Title I and IDEA funding flows to charter LEAs based on enrollment of qualifying students. Unlike DCPS, charter schools do not receive direct DC capital appropriations — they typically lease or finance their own facilities, a structural disadvantage offset partially by the Charter Facilities Allowance of approximately $3,580 per student annually.

7. Charter Sector Demographics

The DC charter student population skews more heavily Black and Hispanic than the city's overall demographics. Roughly 64% of charter students are Black/African American, 22% Hispanic/Latino, 8% white, and the remainder Asian, multiracial, or other. The at-risk percentage is approximately 74% citywide across charters — higher than DCPS's 65%. Special education enrollment is roughly 15%, English learners 13%. These figures vary dramatically by network: KIPP DC and Friendship campuses serve predominantly Black student bodies (90%+), while bilingual charters like Mundo Verde and Yu Ying serve diverse student bodies with significant Hispanic and Asian representation.

8. Sector Growth & Future Outlook

Charter enrollment has grown approximately 4% between 2024 and 2026 even as overall DCPS enrollment plateaued. The DCPCSB approved 3 new charters in 2025 (a Montessori expansion, a STEM-focused middle school, and a high school) — set to open in 2026-27 and 2027-28. Several existing networks are also adding campuses or grades: KIPP DC is expanding its early childhood capacity, Lee Montessori is opening a 3rd campus, and Washington Yu Ying is exploring a middle-school extension. Future growth is constrained primarily by facilities — securing affordable DC school buildings remains the single largest operating challenge for charter operators.

Methodology and Sources

This sector report aggregates data from:

• DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) — 2025 Annual Report, PMF Tier ratings, charter renewal documentation
• Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) — 2025 DC Statewide Assessment Results, 2025-26 Enrollment Audit, STAR Framework, Attendance Report
• MySchoolDC — 2025 Lottery Data Report and official lottery calendar
• DC Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) — FY2026 Proposed Budget, charter payment schedules
• US Department of Education — FY2025 Title I and IDEA grant awards
• Individual charter network annual reports (KIPP DC, Friendship PCS, BASIS, Washington Latin, E.L. Haynes, DC Prep, Center City PCS)
• Urban Institute DC Education Spending Analysis 2025

All figures reflect the 2025-26 school year unless otherwise noted. Charter network enrollment counts use the most recent campus-level audits filed with the DCPCSB.

Compare DC Charter Schools

Browse our complete directory of DC charter schools for profiles of every campus, or compare across all DC public schools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. For the lottery application process, see the DC school lottery guide.