A 2005 poll found that 78% of Americans did not know that residents of the District of Columbia have less representation in Congress than residents of the 50 states.

DCPS has one of the highest-cost yet lowest-performing school systems in the country, both in terms of infrastructure and student achievement.

According to 2012 U.S. Census Bureau data, the population of Washington, D.C., was 50.1% Black or African American, 42.9% White (35.5% non-Hispanic White), 3.8% Asian, and 0.8% Native American Indian, Alaskan, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander.