MEET JOSHUA
About Joshua
Educator. Advocate. Community Builder. Neighbor. Teacher. Principal. Change-maker. History-maker. Leader. Mentor. Student.
Joshua Wiley is an Assistant Principal at Whittier Elementary School in Ward 4. He has worked in both DC public schools and public charter schools supporting students, families, and teachers. He’s also mentored teachers, helping to set both them and their students up for success.
Education is Joshua’s heart and soul. Joshua is the son of a teacher. He grew up immersed in his mom’s classroom preparations and paper grading, learning to love the dedication and attention to detail that made his mom a wonderful teacher. He knew from a young age that he wanted to pass along his family’s love of learning to the next generation - a dream he fulfilled in DC.
Joshua attended Texas Southern University, an historically Black university, to pursue a degree in mathematics. While he was there, Joshua discovered that there was a gap between STEM experiences for students in grades 1 - 12. To address this problem, Joshua created a campus organization called STEM Scholars that builds connections for STEM success in Black communities.
After graduating from college, Joshua followed in his mother’s footsteps and became a middle school math teacher. His students excelled. Joshua found innovative ways to engage his students in learning experiences in and out the classroom through culturally relevant content.
Joshua’s continuous success as a teacher brought him to Washington, DC, where he became an Instructional Specialist, a role that allowed him to coach teachers under a new student-centered paradigm that aims to empower students, give them a voice, and grow their confidence. Joshua helped teachers grow and improve using data and research to ensure student success.
Joshua’s successes earned him a position as Assistant Principal at Whittier Elementary School in Ward 4, a Title One school where he works to bring the joy of learning to a diverse community.
With experience in both public and charter schools, Joshua is now running to be the Ward 6 State Board of Education representative. He will be the first-ever public school educator on the State Board of Education. His passion for education comes with a belief that all students deserve a high-quality public education and that we must do more to ensure every student has the resources they need to succeed. Joshua knows from experience that we can create stronger schools by providing equitable resources for all, reducing teacher turnover by uplifting educator voices, and building open school communities that thrive on transparency.