SHAPING EDUCATIONAL POLICY

E.L. Haynes Founder and Head of School Jennie Niles proudly served on the city's leadership team for the US Department of Education's Race to the Top initiative, which awarded competitive grants to states for developing innovative and collaborative programs to advance student achievement. Niles worked alongside leaders from the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education and DC Public Schools and, together, developed a comprehensive plan to address the needs of all DC students in traditional and public charter schools. The result was a $75 million award to Washington, DC.

In addition to this important work, E.L. Haynes is committed to shaping local and national educational policy to support student achievement. Currently, our leadership is focused on two key issues - Special Education and Competency-Based Graduation - positioning our school at the forefront of education reform in the city.