Karen Dresden

Karen Dresden is the Head of School and Co-Founder of Capital City Public Charter School, a high performing and diverse PK-12 school of choice. Karen has been an educator for three decades, working for eight years as a teacher in DC Public Schools before becoming the founding principal of Capital City in 2000. Karen was involved in all aspects of the school’s initial start-up as a PK-8 school and led the development of Capital City’s high school program, which now boasts over 600 graduates, a 100% college acceptance rate, and a college graduation rate for first generation students that exceeds the national average. 

Under Karen’s leadership, Capital City has been an award-winning model for school reform. The school implements the EL Education model, a hands-on approach that supports students in meeting rigorous academic and character standards. President Obama described Capital City as “an example of how all schools should be.” Karen has her M.Ed from Harvard University with a Concentration in Educational Leadership. She also has her M.S. Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania and her B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. When not focusing on issues of urban school reform, Karen enjoys hiking, running, biking, plant-based cooking, and spending time with her son.

Karen is the Head of School and Co-Founder of Capital City Public Charter School.