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New: Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements Public Feedback Session, Wednesday, May 28
OSSE is soliciting feedback on the District’s current high school graduation requirements as part of the Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements initiative. An essential component of the work is hearing from District stakeholders on what students should know and be able to do by the time they graduate from high school, as well as gather feedback on the current high school graduation requirements.
To learn more about the development process, visit our website here. To provide feedback, please complete the following form: OSSE Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements Public Feedback Form.
OSSE will also hold a virtual public feedback session to hear directly from community members regarding the graduation requirements. If you are interested in participating, please sign-up below.
- Virtual Public Feedback Listening Session for General Public
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 – 5:30-7 p.m. Register here.
For questions, contact Dr. Chimere Jones at osse.hsgradrequirements@dc.gov.
New: Chromebooks Available for Distribution, Request by Wednesday, May 7
Due to the closure of Eagle Academy in September 2024, 80 Chromebooks purchased with Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds are now available for redistribution. Public charter LEAs that received ESSER III - American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds are eligible to receive these devices at no cost.
Interested LEAs should submit an email request by Wednesday, May 7 to OSSE.ESSER@dc.gov detailing their need for these devices and how they would use them to address learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Requests submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
OSSE will review all timely requests within ten business days. If no public charter LEAs submit a request, the Chromebooks will be transferred to DC Public Schools.
For any questions, contact Megan Williams at Megan.Williams@dc.gov.
New: College Financial Opportunities with the U.S. Army
According to the U.S. Army, soldiers receive pay and benefits for their service and hard work, but they also receive high-quality vocational training and can attend college, for little to no cost.
DC students interested in military service can speak with an Army recruiter for more information on a debt-free education through programs such as:
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Minuteman Scholarship - covers 100 percent of the tuition and fees for any university in the U.S;
- Tuition Assistance Program - pays your tuition while serving;
- Loan Repayment Program - pays back your federal student loans;
- Concurrent Enlistment Program – allows new enrollees to plan their college education while also serving.
DC Math Task Force Survey (Reminder)
OSSE is collecting information from community stakeholders on math education, training and instruction in the District. Findings from the survey will inform members of the DC Math Task Force in the development of a math education report to Mayor Bowser and the DC Council. Educators, school administrators, instructional coaches, family members and other community members are encouraged to complete the survey. Responses are confidential.
The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete. Access the survey in English or in Spanish (for parents/caregivers only).
For questions related to the survey, please contact Elaine Kuriakose at Elaine.Kuriakose@dc.gov.
Local Wellness Policy Resources and Updated Template, Guide and Checklist (Reminder)
OSSE has released a range of new Local Wellness Policy (LWP) resources, including one-pagers for school leaders and parents, along with updated inclusive and easy-to-use LWP template, guide and checklist. These will assist LEAs in meeting requirements and creating high-quality LWPs aligned to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model.
Click here to access these new and updated valuable resources.
Additionally, OSSE is rolling out training opportunities to support LEAs in implementing and optimizing their LWPs. Be on the lookout for information on accessing the training coming soon.
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New: Trauma-Informed Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for Educators
The Trauma-Informed Social and Emotional Learning for Educators new, asynchronous course will enhance participants’ understanding of how caring for themselves is a critical component to caring for their students. At the end of the course, participants will have an enhanced, evidence-based understanding of the science of regulating themselves and others, the systems that shape their behaviors, foundational best practices for communication and relationships in the classroom and school building, and what they need as individuals to get and stay well so that they can reach their potential as educators.
This four-part module is moderated by an experienced, licensed Mental Health professional from our partners at InSite Solutions which explains the concepts and breaks down the skills into manageable and coachable strategies. The videos will include frequent opportunities for pause and practice with engaging activities and reflection along the way.
Participants will receive 8 professional learning units (PLUs) for completion of all four modules. Registration is now open to participate in this new course offering. Please click here to sign in.
For more information, please email Jessica.Dulay@dc.gov.
DC Educator Workforce Summit, Monday, June 2 (Reminder)
Please save the date for the DC Educator Workforce Summit: Strengthening the District’s Local Educator Pipeline on Monday, June 2. This event will convene education leaders from local education agencies (LEAs) and educator preparation providers (EPPs) to collaboratively address bolstering the local educator pipeline through roundtables and workshops. The focus will be on developing local pipeline partnerships, ensuring quality teacher preparation, recruiting for high-demand subject areas, and sustaining the diversity of the city’s educator workforce.
Registration and location details for up to two attendees from each LEA will be shared next week.
Center for Health and Health Care in Schools Focus Groups (Reminder)
Calling all DC public and public charter school behavioral health providers. As part of OSSE's Advancing the Recruitment and Retention of Our Workforce (ARROW) program, we are partnering with the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) to create a school behavioral health provider peer mentor program.
CHHCS will hold two sets of virtual focus groups with early career and experienced school-based behavioral health providers to understand what structure, content, and skills would best support their career growth and development.
The first set of focus groups are targeted to early career school-based behavioral health providers (fewer than three years of experience) and the second set to experienced school-based behavioral health providers (three or more years of experience). If you’d like to participate, please click on your preferred date below to register.
Early Career School-Based Behavioral Health Providers
Experienced School-Based Behavioral Health Providers
Retention initiatives implemented through ARROW will support all DC public and public charter school-based providers through trainings, technical assistance, and mentorship and peer-to-peer support opportunities. As a valued member of the District’s school-based behavioral health workforce, your partnership and voice will aid OSSE in ensuring that all offerings meet providers’ needs and support the growth and development of our workforce.
For more information on ARROW programs, please email OSSE.HYDT@dc.gov.
K-2 Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: Small Group Strategies for Multilingual Learners (Reminder)
Kindergarten to second grade teachers will learn strategies for teaching culturally and linguistically responsive small group lessons to multilingual early readers. Participants will learn how to incorporate students’ language assets and needs into phonemic awareness, phonics, and decodable book instruction. Participants will also see effective and linguistically responsive reading instruction in action from a local teacher. The Wednesday, May 21 session is designed for dual language educators who teach multilingual learners in Spanish.
Location: OSSE, 1050 First St. NE
Attendees will receive 2 professional learning units (PLUs) for their participation.
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New: OSSE Adult and Family Education Consolidated Competitive Grant Application Now Available
The OSSE Adult and Family Education Consolidated Competitive Grant Request for Applications (RFA), paper-based application, and other applicable documents are now available on the OSSE website and in OSSE’s Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS).
The second of two pre-application conferences will take place on Monday, May 5, from 10-11:30 a.m. Applicants can register here.
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May 2025
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