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New: April 4 Student & Family Response - The DC Survey About Your School (DC SAYS)
OSSE’s first-annual DC SAYS survey has logged in more than 12,000 family, 43,000 student and 8,000 staff responses. Way to go!
In response to your feedback, we are extending the survey window for students and families until Friday, April 4, primarily to give flexibility for students that want to participate but missed their opportunity previously. We hope this is helpful! The staff survey will close today, March 28, as previously scheduled.
If you have any questions, contact Ben.Peisch@dc.gov.
New: National Public Education Finance Survey and F-33 Data Collection Beginning Soon - Due Friday, June 27
The Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) National Public Education Finance Survey (NPEFS) and Annual Survey of School System Finances (F-33) reporting period will begin the first week of April.
NPEFS is the US Department of Education’s (USED's) annual collection of the nation’s public elementary and secondary school financial data. Data is used to calculate the State Per Pupil Expenditure (SPPE), which is used for Title I and other allocations. The F-33 is a public education financial survey distributed by the US Census Bureau. Many of the NPEFS and F33 data elements overlap so OSSE has combined them into one survey to reduce LEA paperwork and confusion.
As DC’s state education agency, has been instructed to proceed with both data collections. As an LEA receiving federal funds in FY24 you are required to fill out this financial survey accurately and in its entirety.
When the reporting period begins, each LEA will receive the following from OSSE via email:
- Your LEA’s FY23 NPEFS / F-33 data submission to OSSE from last year
- OSSE’s FY24 NPEFS / F-33 combined collection template
- Link to OSSE’s NPEFS and F-33 website including guidance for the data collection and information about the reporting requirements
The final deadline for LEAs to submit data to OSSE is Friday, June 20. To minimize confusion and maximize effectiveness of processing this data, we strongly encourage LEAs to avoid waiting until the end of the reporting period to submit your data.
If you have any questions related to the NPEFS/F-33 data collection, please contact Gabriel Montague, OSSE administrative officer, at Gabriel.Montague@dc.gov or (202) 394-8977.
New: Parent/Guardian Truancy Mailings for the 2024-25 School Year
DC law requires educational institutions and OSSE to communicate regarding student attendance status. In the event of a truant student (at least 10 unexcused absences of any minor student within one school year), OSSE is required to provide the truant student’s parent/guardian with a Truancy Prevention Resource Guide (2023-24 version).
In the coming weeks, OSSE will send Truancy Prevention Resource Guides to the parents/guardians of any student who was truant in the first marking period of the 2024-25 school year. A copy of the truancy packet is available on OSSE’s website and further information can be found on the OSSE Attendance and Truancy Resources Website.
For questions or additional information, contact Cameron Martin at Cameron.Martin@dc.gov.
DUE TODAY: Course Data Collection Certification Deadline (Appeal Deadline April 4) (Reminder)
Today, March 28, LEA Heads of School will certify their Student and Section Course Data for the first time. The certification will take place in the SY2024-25 LEA Course Data Qlik Dashboard. LEA Heads of School will see a tile in the Qlik application on March 28 that they will use to complete the certification process.
For this first Student and Section Course Data certification, we are focused on data quality. On March 28, we are asking LEA Heads of School to certify that the Automated Data Transfer (ADT) feed is accurately sending their Student and Section Course Data on a daily basis. The primary way that LEAs can check their data quality is the SY2024-25 Unified Data Errors (UDE) Qlik application.
LEAs that are not able to submit complete and accurate Student and Section Course Data through their ADT feed by 5 p.m. Friday, March 28 should submit a Student and Section Course Data Certification Appeal in the OSSE Support Tool (OST) and upload this complete form as an attachment. The appeal should be submitted by 5 p.m. on April 4. OSSE will review all appeals for approval or denial. If the appeal is denied, OSSE will schedule time to meet with the LEA to discuss the appeal and together they will create a final plan.
LEAs can also schedule a one-on-one meeting for assistance using this link. For additional information or questions, please email Whitney Meagher at Whitney.Meagher@dc.gov.
Growing Healthy Schools Month (Reminder)
Growing Healthy Schools Month (GHSM) celebrates how schools across the District of Columbia are creating healthy places for all students.
During April, let us know how your school contributes to a healthy school environment by taking the pledge to champion a healthy environment for students this April during GHSM 2025!
Only school teachers/staff may complete this pledge. Information from pledges will be published to highlight all District schools that are working to create healthy places for our students.
For more information, please contact OSSE.Nutritionprogram@dc.gov.
SY2025-26 Office of Enrollment and Residency Handbook Training – Recording and Resources Available (Reminder)
Additionally, the updated SY2025-26 residency verification forms are now available in Spanish, French, Amharic, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. Please make sure you use these SY2025-26 forms for the upcoming SY2025-26 enrollment season. As a reminder, enrollment forms and supporting residency documentation can be accepted starting March 31, after the release of the My School DC Lottery results on March 28.
OER has also updated the following resources:
Please visit the OER webpage to access these materials. For further guidance, please contact OSSE.EnrollmentAudit@dc.gov.
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New: Early Childhood Special Education Community of Practice, April 2
The Early Childhood Special Education Community of Practice is designed to create authentic opportunities for local education agency (LEA) pre-K special education points of contact and those who support this population to collaborate with others and improve learning outcomes for children ages 3-5 with disabilities who are enrolled in early childhood special education programs.
Upcoming Community of Practice Session:
When: Wednesday, April 2 | 10 – 11 a.m.
Topic: Early Childhood IDEA Part B, child find, and Part C transition referrals and the referral transfer process
Please register here for the community of practice session. For questions, contact Dawn Hilton, Supervisory Coordinator for Special Education (Part B-619), at Dawn.Hilton1@dc.gov.
New: OSSE Special Education Institute Registration Now Open
OSSE invites general education and special education leaders to the Special Education Institute: Collaboration for a Brighter Future hosted virtually on Wednesday, April 30. The Special Education Institute is a capacity-building conference for leaders in DC education to improve daily practices by implementing high-leverage practices and the Special Education Performance Report (SEPR) to achieve equitable outcomes.
Breakout sessions will engage participants to:
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Enhance Instructional Practices: Use evidence-based strategies to advance literacy and math outcomes for all learners.
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Promote Collaboration: Plan with general and special education leaders to network and design inclusive classroom environments.
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Attain Tangible Resources: Explore, create, and refine tools, lesson plans, and interventions tailored to the needs of pre-K through grade 12 learners.
OSSE encourages registration from special education and academic content leaders as teams. Register for the OSSE Special Education Institute here.
New: Spring 2025 School Climate Trainings
OSSE is offering professional learning opportunities designed to boost a positive school climate and support social and emotional learning! DC educators may register for any of the following sessions through OSSE’s Learning Management System (LMS) and will receive Professional Learning Units (PLUs) for full participation.
For questions, please email Jessica.Dulay@dc.gov or Marcus.Hughes@dc.gov.
New: Foundations of Special Education Summer 2025 Cohort Program
Enhance your skills and better serve ALL students, especially those with disabilities, by joining the Foundations of Special Education Summer 2025 Cohort Program. Engage in meaningful coursework activities while leveraging the flexibility of technology .
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School Cohort: For DC public and charter schools and Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Program (PKEEP) educators, with up to 10 participants per school, including teachers, coaches, service providers, and leaders.
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Special Education Endorsement Recovery Initiative (SEERI) Cohort: Earn a special education endorsement with Praxis support, a voucher, and fee reimbursement.
Visit OSSE’s website for more information. Apply by April 9 via this link. Participants will be notified by April 11. For questions, contact Byul.Yim@dc.gov.
Due Today: Registration for the Second Annual DC High-Impact Tutoring Summit hosted by OSSE and CityTutor DC (Reminder)
Attention DC educators! Join OSSE and CityTutor DC for the 2025 DC High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) Summit on Monday, April 7 at the Catholic University of America. The HIT summit is an opportunity to connect with experts and fellow educators, explore innovative teaching strategies, and discover new tools to enhance student success. Attendance is free, breakfast and lunch are provided, and valuable insights and resources will be shared to support work in the classroom and beyond. Classroom teachers, tutors, paraprofessionals, instructional coaches, and school leaders are encouraged to attend.
Registration is limited and available until Friday, March 28: bit.ly/HITSummit2025
Supporting Oral Language Development in the Spanish Immersion Pre-K Classroom (Session 3) (Reminder)
This is the third session of a professional learning series exploring how oral language development lays the foundation for strong literacy skills in dual language learners. In this session, teachers will learn about current research in early bilingualism, discuss concepts such as bridging and translanguaging, and connect with educators from other schools.
This session is open to pre-K teachers and paraprofessionals working in Spanish immersion classrooms in dual language schools and will be conducted in Spanish. Prior attendance in Session 1 and/or 2 is not required to participate in this session.
The session will take place virtually on Wednesday, April 2, from 3:30-4:30 p.m., and repeat on Wednesday, April 9, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Attendees will receive 1 PLU for their participation in either session. Register here for April 2, OR register here for April 9.
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New: OSSE Adult and Family Education Consolidated Competitive Grant – Request for Application (RFA) Release Date: March 31, 2025
Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) - Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Adult and Family Education (AFE) Consolidated Competitive Grant - Request for Application (RFA) Release Date: Monday, March 31, at noon.
Interested parties are encouraged to participate in a Pre-Application Conference. See details and registration below:
- Thursday, April 3, from 1-2:30 p.m. REGISTER
- Monday, May 5, from 10-11:30 a.m. REGISTER
Eligible providers may also wish to submit an optional Notice of Intent to Apply online by Friday, May 9, at osseafe.wufoo.com/forms/q1xhsbdl1cmmv7p/.
Please note that, to be considered for this grant opportunity, applicants must apply for the OSSE Adult and Family Education Consolidated Competitive Grant in OSSE’s EGMS by the due date of Wednesday, May 21, by 3 p.m.
New: OSSE Grantee Reimbursement Request Submission Policy
We are approaching the end of the second quarter of FY25, which began on Oct. 1, 2024. OSSE requires grantees to submit at least one reimbursement request per quarter. After a grantee has an approved application, they may request reimbursement for any allowable expenditures incurred in the approved award period to date.
For FY25, Quarter 2 is the period from Jan. 1-March 31, 2025. Reimbursement requests for this period are due by April 30 in the EGMS.
We look forward to reviewing your submissions. Please do not hesitate to contact your OSSE grant specialists for questions or technical assistance.
New: FY25 SOAR Formula Consolidated Post-Award Webinar Recording and Semi-Annual Reporting Reminder
OSSE held a post-award webinar on Thursday, March 6 for public charter LEAs that were awarded an FY25 Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Formula Consolidated grant. The webinar covered topics including reimbursement request submission, semi-annual narrative reporting requirements, and budget amendments.
A recording of the webinar and accompanying slide deck are now available on OSSE’s SOAR Formula web page, along with the FY25 reporting template. LEAs that were unable to attend are encouraged to review the resources to ensure familiarity with grant requirements.
Please note that the first semi-annual narrative report for the FY25 SOAR Formula Consolidated grant will be due by email to your LEA’s SOAR program contact by Friday, May 2.
For any questions, please reach out to your LEA’s SOAR program contact or OPCSFS.funding@dc.gov.
FY26 Draft State Grant Application under Part B of IDEA Open for Public Comment (Reminder)
Every year, OSSE applies to USED for the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B grant. This grant is administered by USED’s Office of Special Education Programs to support free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities. This year’s application will be for funds that the District would be awarded for DC fiscal year 2026 (federal fiscal year 2025).
Members of the public will have the opportunity to make comments on OSSE’s IDEA Part B grant application and budget from March 21 through April 21. Comments may be submitted to OSSE.Publiccomment@dc.gov.
The application will remain available on OSSE’s website for an additional 30 days beyond the public comment deadline (through May 22).
Due April 16 - FY25 Stronger Connections Grant Continuation Application (Updated Deadline)
LEAs awarded FY24 Stronger Connections grants must complete continuation applications in order to access these carryover funds in FY25. The application will be available in EGMS starting on March 5, and LEAs must submit applications no later than 3 p.m. EST on Wednesday, April 16.
After OSSE approves your LEA’s application, your LEA can submit reimbursements for Stronger Connections grant expenditures from Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact Rudy.Arellano@dc.gov.
Due May 2 - IDEA Financial Compliance Reporting - MOE, Excess Cost and CEIS (Reminder)
Each year, LEAs receiving Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grants must report financial data to demonstrate the LEA’s compliance with Maintenance of Effort (MOE), excess cost, and Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) requirements. The FY24 IDEA Financial Compliance Reporting Workbook submission deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, May 2; detailed instructions on how to submit will be shared via email in the upcoming weeks.
For questions or assistance, please contact Kristen Thompson at Kristen.Thompson@dc.gov.
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