In December 2024, 30 residents from Wards 7 & 8 are shaping ElectED DC’s policy agenda.

Launched in December 2024, this monthly cohort brings together community members and subject-matter experts to dig into the issues that affect student success – from school quality and economic stability to healthcare and neighborhood safety.

The goal: a community-authored set of policy recommendations delivered to education leaders and elected officials. The people closest to the problems are writing the solutions.

On June 16, 2026, the District of Columbia Board of Elections will hold a primary election for the Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 8 seat. 

This will be the first Council election to use ranked-choice voting under Initiative 83. ElectED DC will endorse and support the candidate in this race who, as a legislator, will prioritize the needs of Wards 7 and 8 students, will maintain a collaborative relationship with their fellow council members, and will actively work within their ward to build relationships with ward community leaders and residents. 

ElectED DC will make its endorsement after considering responses from submitted candidate questionnaires and interviews.

For too many students East of the River, the way they’re being taught doesn’t match the way they learn. That mismatch is one of the biggest gaps in our education system, and it’s one we can close.

The Genius Initiative is ElectED DC’s working group focused on fixing this. We’re working to bring tried-and-tested learning tools, the kind historically reserved for well-resourced families, to our kids in Wards 7 & 8. Tools that help parents and teachers understand how a student learns best, so they can actually teach to that student’s strengths.

As our findings come together, we’ll share them with the community, educators, and policymakers so every family has access to what works and an experience where the student can thrive instead of being left behind by a one-size-fits-all system.

DC has 25 dual-language immersion schools. Only 3 are East of the River. Zero are middle schools.

That’s not a gap – it’s a barrier. Students in Wards 7 & 8 deserve the same access to language immersion that families in other parts of the city take for granted.

ElectED DC is working with partners to expand dual-language middle school options East of the River, building on the success of schools like Global Citizens and Elsie Whitlow Stokes that are already proving what’s possible.