Despite their educational success, D.C.'s public charter schools receive less funding per student than traditional public schools. This may be due, at least in part, to a lack of understanding about what charter schools really are and how they operate. Charter schools are tuition free and open to all D.C. resident students. These schools are held accountable by the D.C. Public Charter School Board and are allocated money by the government based on student enrollment numbers.

D.C.'s public charter school graduates students at 24 percentage points ahead of traditional public schools, which is also 8 percentage points ahead of the U.S. national average. In terms of diversity, D.C.'s public charter schools include more African-American and economically disadvantaged students than traditional public schools. These public charter schools are 88 percent African-American, eight percent Latino and 80 percent economically disadvantaged.

All children can learn given the right school options. These statistics are proof of D.C.'s exceptional public charter school programs, yet they are still receiving less money per student than other, lesser performing public schools.