In this report for the Progressive Policy Institute's 21st Century Schools Project, the author examines charter schooling in Washington, D.C., including the region's unique history of charter schooling and the challenges these schools face. She is optimistic about the future of the District's charter school movement, but argues that District and congressional leaders must address some of the problems Washington, D.C., charter schools face in order for them to fulfill their promise. This report is an important resource for educators, policymakers, journalists, and others interested in charter schooling, both in the District and nationally. (Contains 55 endnotes.)