DC Schools Attracted Record Amounts of Philanthropy in Recent Years

Washington, D.C., became a magnet for philanthropy after 2007, when former mayor Adrian Fenty took control over the schools and appointed Michelle Rhee as chancellor.

In 2010, the District brought in more than $31 million from national foundations, according to an analysis by two professors at Michigan State University of grants by the 15 largest philanthropies funding kindergarten through 12th grade education that year. The total represented an extra $705 per student—far more than any other school district in the country.

More than two-thirds of the funds raised went to the D.C. Public Education Fund, which was created in 2007 to support reform efforts in the public school system.