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Washington Leadership Academy

Washington Leadership Academy, nominated by Charter School Growth Fund and an anonymous organization, is a high school in Washington, District of Columbia, that describes itself as a public charter school serving learners from a primarily urban area.

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Location Washington, District of Columbia

Governance Public Charter School

Grades High

Students 408

Locale Urban

Principal Eric Collazo

Demographics

Percentage of students*

3%

English Learners

100%

Free/Reduced Lunch

27%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black 87%

American Indian/Alaska Native —

Asian 1%

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —

Hispanic or Latino 10%

White 1%

2+ Races —

Why Washington Leadership Academy was nominated

Washington Leadership Academy (WLA) puts students onto life trajectories toward leadership in whatever roles they choose in tomorrow's world. By building trusting relationships and giving students unprecedented opportunities to learn and lead, WLA creates an environment where students take rigorous core classes enriched by real-world experiences and access to experts, along with student-selected projects and electives, all combined with the latest technology and innovation. All WLA students take Computer Science and gain hands-on experience with emerging technology, including virtual and augmented reality. WLA integrates civic education, social justice education, and student identity exploration through an approach that is both “high tech” and “high touch,” making a meaningful difference for students in Washington, D.C., and beyond. WLA's instructional model was designed to optimize personalization and rigor of instruction given each content area and the current state of the edtech market. In practice, this means instruction looks different from subject to subject. In content-heavy subjects such as History, WLA utilizes a flipped classroom model. In subjects that require both remediation and skill development, such as Math and English, WLA implements a two-day split model, with one section focused on grade-level content and instruction and the second focused on targeted remediation. Each subject employs different tools and teacher practices to maximize student outcomes.

Student experience design

At Washington Leadership Academy, every student takes four years of computer science, no matter their background or starting point. Students learn to code, build apps, and even get to explore AI—skills that help them think critically and create real change. WLA's classes are designed to meet students where they are, with self-paced tools that make learning flexible, especially for students with IEPs or different learning needs. Students also weigh in on major decisions - whether in professional development sessions or in WLA's Executive Team meetings. WLA is about pushing boundaries while making sure no one gets left behind. Students get the support they need, whether during class, office hours, or in pull out sessions, and it works—100% of our students get accepted to college. WLA equips students with the tools, confidence, and mindset they need to lead.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Competency/mastery-based Education
5+ years

Culturally Responsive Practices
5+ years

Restorative Practices
5+ years

Trauma-informed Practices
5+ years

All Practices

Adaptive Learning Software

Student Advisories

AI For Learning Materials

AI For Teacher Productivity

AI-assisted Tutoring

Anti-racist Practices

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Co-leadership

Community And Workforce Partnerships

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery

Industry-recognized Credentials

Mental Health Services

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

Project-based Learning

Peer To Peer Support

High Quality Instructional Materials

SEL Curriculum

SEL Integration School-wide

Student-led Conferences

Students Access Their Own Data

Student-led Goal Setting

Self-paced Learning

Students Develop Projects

Universal Design For Learning

key reasons for innovating

Address systemic inequities

Demonstrate what’s possible for other schools

Increase student agency

Date Updated: 4/1/2025

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.