News Releases

One-Stop Shopping for Students and Teachers at Charter Recruitment Fair

For Immediate Release: March 26, 2008
Contact: Ramona Edelin

Washington, D.C. - The D.C. Association of Chartered Public Schools ("Association") will host a recruitment fair on March 29, 2008, from 10:00am - 4:00pm at the Kennedy Recreation Center, giving parents and teachers a one-stop opportunity to explore the many public charter school options available to D.C. residents. Parents and students will be able to meet representatives from charter schools, ask questions, and complete enrollment applications on site. Teachers will be able to submit their resumes and have private interviews with school leaders. The Kennedy Recreation Center is located at 1401 7th Street, NW, near the Convention Center and Shaw Metro stops.

Many D.C. parents have been attracted to charter schools because of unique program offerings, such as performing arts, public policy, government and law, hospitality, science and technology, leadership and character development, expeditionary learning, and bilingual and international programs, among others. Teachers say they are attracted to opportunities to build positive school culture, partner with parents, and give input on important school management decisions.

"This will be a great opportunity for parents and teachers to learn about the diverse array of charter school programs all in one location," said Dr. Ramona Edelin, the Association's executive director. Dr. Edelin added, "Once they've narrowed down their choices, they may still want to visit their top school picks later, but this fair will be extremely efficient for parents and teachers who want to see all that is available, without having to spend days driving all over town." Association staff will be available to help parents sort through their options.

Public charter schools are open to all D.C. residents, on a space-available basis. Parents interested in enrolling their children in charter schools are encouraged to move quickly, as many charter schools have upcoming enrollment deadlines, and will hold lotteries if there are more applications than spaces available. This fall there will be 60 charter schools on nearly ninety campuses throughout the city, including five new schools.

The Association's 2008 Recruitment Fair is being supported by the D.C. Public Charter School Board, Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS), and the Charter School Cooperative. Corporate sponsors Aetna and Allstate are underwriting a portion of the recruitment fair's expenses. The event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is strongly encouraged, either online at www.dcpcsa.org or by calling 202/723-4104.