Charter Review Outcomes from April 29 Board Meeting

Sojourner Truth PCS

Located in Ward 5, the school educates students in grades 6 through 11. The school believes that its Montessori model of education fosters real-world applications for students to pursue justice and practice stewardship.

During the 5-year review, the Board voted to continue the charter.

“This is a big day for you all, getting to this five-year mark. I’ve had the opportunity to be in your school and see the work you’re doing” said Chair Shantelle Wright.  I know the commitment you made, and you did all of this serving middle school students, then continuing to advance to high school through COVID. Congratulations to you for getting here!”

Executive Director Justin Lessek was glad to reflect on the school’s first five years of operation“We were honored six years ago when the board approved our charter to become the District’s first and only Montessori middle and high school. Sojourner Truth is one of few urban public Montessori middle and high schools in the nation, and it has also been our goal to be a national one. Our approach prioritizes joy, exploration, and the development of self-direction and project management skills, just as highly as we prioritize content area skills. As we look forward to the next five years, our primary aim will continue to be establishing Sojourner Truth as the nation’s premier public Montessori adolescent program.”

Principal Denise Edwards highlighted the school’s dedication to serving students with disabilities.

“Last year we had the fourth highest percentage of students with disabilities scoring a four or higher on KPLA. The same cohort is the top third of DCPS and PCS schools scoring a three or higher in KAPE math. One of our major goals when we found the school was to make Montessori accessible for students from across the district and to disrupt the notion that Montessori schools are for privileged and more economically advantaged families. We are proud to have a percentage of disadvantaged students that is on par with averages citywide.”

Congratulations Sojourner Truth PCS.

Social Justice PCS

Social Justice PCS educated 97 students, grades 5 through 8 in Ward 5. The school's mission is to catalyze an integrated and diverse community of learners to be school activists who are designers of a more just world. 

In the meeting, Gina Lucchesi, Manager of School Quality and Evaluation, stated that the school did not fully meet academic goals in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

During the 5-year review, the Board voted to continue the charter with two conditions. Read the conditions here.

In brief remarks,

Social Justice Executive Director Myron Long acknowledged that the Creating Relationships & Educational Well-being (CREW) system remains a central part to their model, supporting social-emotional growth, self-awareness, and identity building.

“Addressing the academic barriers to deliver on the promise of liberation. We know that academic success is not just about what happens in school, it’s about what’s happening at home too. That’s why we launched the first and only intergenerational guarantee income pilot called Two Guaranteed Together in partnership with the Mothers Outreach Network. By providing direct assistance to families, we’re attacking financial hardship head on because when families have economic stability, students can focus on learning.”

Each school is responsible for notifying its families about DC PCSB’s decision. Read more about charter reviews here.