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New: DC SAYS Data is Available
DC Survey About Your School (DC SAYS) data is now available for heads of school, LEA data managers and principals. Please check your email, log in to the Panorama Education platform using the emailed link, and dig in. You will see national, District, grade band and ward benchmarks for comparison as well as resources from the Panorama Playbook to address focus areas.
Please note that if your LEA has its own contract with Panorama and is sharing data with OSSE, your access may be handled differently. Topic-level data on the DC School Report Card will be published in December 2025.
Participation in the first year was strong thanks to the great work of our LEAs promoting and prioritizing survey participation. We heard from 76 percent of our survey-eligible students, 49 percent of school-based staff, and 14,590 families. Thank you!
New: Back-to-School Supply Grants from LifeChanger of the Year
LifeChanger of the Year, a national recognition program that honors K-12 educators, wants to help teachers in the District stock their classrooms.
All public, public charter, and private school employees are invited to apply for a Back-to-School Supply Grant. Ten educators from across the country will be awarded $500 for school supplies.
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Application period: Tuesday, July 1 – Friday, Aug. 15
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How to apply: Complete the form here.
All strong applicants will be automatically considered for the 2025-26 LifeChanger of the Year program, with a chance to win up to $20,000 for your school.
Learn more about the program on their website.
Discipline Data Collection Deadline Tuesday, July 1 (Reminder)
The Integrated Data Submission (IDS) is open for the final Discipline Data Collection submission process. The submission deadline is Tuesday, July 1, with a certification date of Wednesday, July 2. LEAs can review their submitted data in the Qlik SY24-25 Data Validation app and make any necessary changes through IDS resubmissions by July 1. Submissions should include all discipline incidents from March 3 through June 26, 2025.
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Friday, June 27 – OSSE Support Tool (OST) Deadline
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Monday, July 1 – Last day to submit Collection 3 discipline data
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Tuesday, July 2 – Discipline Certification 3
LEAs can access a copy of the discipline collection guidance and the IDS template via OSSE’s website.
For questions or support with the IDS tool, please submit a ticket by June 27 in the OST Quickbase application by using “Discipline” as the issue type with a status sub-category of “Integrated Data Submission Tool (IDS).”
Revised 2025 Model Policies: School Safety Omnibus Amendment Act (Reminder)
The OSSE model policies to prevent and address sexual abuse and acts of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and dating violence are now revised to align with the 2020 Title IX Rule. Schools and local education agencies (LEAs) may adopt the OSSE model policies as written or use them as a starting point when developing their own policies. Schools and LEAs that used the 2019 or 2024 OSSE model policies are strongly encouraged to review the new 2025 versions and ensure their policies are up to date. A description of the revisions and the two model policies are available on the OSSE website.
As a reminder, the School Safety Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018 requires schools and LEAs to perform due diligence regarding potential, current and former staff (DC Code § 38–951.03), prohibits assisting certain employment of a perpetrator of child sexual abuse offenses (DC Code § 32–1131.02) and requires schools to provide age- and developmentally-appropriate academic instruction on consent, setting and respecting boundaries, and developing and maintaining healthy relationships (DC Code § 38–824.02(b-2)). Please direct any questions regarding the model policies or available training to osse.schoolhealth@dc.gov.
OSSE Parent Portal for Transporation (Reminder)
The new OSSE Parent Portal for Transportation is now open for parents and guardians of transportation eligible students to make their selections for the 2025-26 school year. More than 5,000 special needs students in the District are eligible for OSSE’s Division of Transportation (DOT) services and the Portal puts parents in the driver’s seat.
Families are asked to confirm their information and select one of the following options:
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Will Not Need Transportation: The student will not use any transportation service offered by OSSE-DOT.
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Parent Stipend Program: This program allows for a $400 monthly payment to eligible parents/guardians for transporting your child to/from the enrolled school. Note: regular student attendance is required and will be checked. Learn more about the stipend program here.
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DOT Transportation: OSSE-DOT will transport your child to/from the enrolled school. Parents (primary guardian) will provide school and address information.
For families that choose OSSE-DOT transportation, LEAs still need to confirm and verify the transportation request no later than two weeks before the start of school. Learn more about the Parent Portal here.
Please share this information with your transportation-eligible families. Please email osse.parentportal@dc.gov if you have any questions.
2024-25 Educator Workforce and Educator Preparation Provider Data Files Release (Reminder)
OSSE’s Educator Workforce Data Files provide an in-depth look at staffing trends across DC’s 71 local education agencies (LEAs). OSSE worked closely with our LEA partners during the faculty and staff data collection process to collect data on more than 20,000 staff members and 98,000 students, providing a vivid picture of educator demographics, supply and demand, retention, preparation, and performance data at the state, LEA, and school levels. OSSE is also releasing our comprehensive Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) Data Files, providing a comprehensive view into DC’s educator pipeline with demographics, Praxis pass rates, credentialing, and employment outcomes of over 4,000 EPP participants from all 13 state-approved local EPPs.
The 2024-25 data files are available to the public here. Please reach out to Fadhal Moore, Educator Policy and Equity Specialist, at Fadhal.Moore@dc.gov if you have any questions.
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Catalyzing and Sustaining Systemwide Inclusive Practices - Extension Program (Reminder)
The two virtual sessions help education leaders take immediate and strategic action to foster equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students, especially those with disabilities.
Session 1: Hiring for Inclusive Mindsets
Effective hiring is the most impactful way to build an inclusive adult culture in schools. This interactive workshop engages participants with concrete hiring tools, explores the impact of mindset, and workshops school/local education agency (LEA) practices.
Session 2: Building Inclusive Adult Culture During Summer Professional Development
Participants will engage with strategies for building mindset and connection in teams and walk away with a toolkit for establishing a shared vision and an inclusive adult culture.
This opportunity is open to current and prospective participants of the Inclusive Leadership Pathway, including LEA leaders and school leaders from DC public and public charter schools.
Interested in enrolling in the program? Complete the interest form here.
To learn more about each opportunity, contact Steaven Hamlin with the OSSE Division of Teaching and Learning (TAL), at Steaven.Hamlin@dc.gov.
K-5 Summer Literacy Leader Training Opportunity, July 8 & 10 (Reminder)
This dynamic two-day professional development experience, facilitated by WayFinder, is designed for school leadership teams committed to elevating literacy instruction through developing a suite of professional learning resources. Participants will deeply engage with OSSE’s suite of literacy resources, including the Structured Literacy Walkthrough Tool to build a shared understanding of high-impact instructional practices aligned to the science of reading.
By the end of this two-day session, school leadership teams will be able to:
- Explain the purpose and structure of the OSSE Literacy Walkthrough Tool and use it to identify and support growth in high-impact instructional practices in K–5 literacy instruction.
- Develop literacy goals that are specific, measurable, and directly connected to high-impact instructional practices outlined in the walkthrough tool.
- Create a tailored plan for ongoing professional learning, coaching, and instructional support that embed the walkthrough tool into the school’s leadership routines and foster a collaborative culture of continuous improvement in literacy.
Intended Audience: K-5 Principals, Assistant Principals, Literacy Coaches and Teacher Leaders
When: Tuesday, July 8 and Thursday, July 10 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: Sessions will be held at OSSE, 1050 First NE, Washington, DC, 20002
Interested participants, please complete this form to register.
If you would like more information or for questions, please contact OSSE’s Literacy Manager, Vaani Gupta at Vaani.Gupta@dc.gov.
Special Education Professional Learning Community (Reminder)
Attention, all new early career special education teachers, join the New to Special Education Professional Learning Community (PLC) to engage in a year-long professional learning community. Participating educators will gain foundational knowledge of the special education process and engage in hands-on learning about individualized education program (IEP) development, meeting facilitation, and implementation. More information to come.
Apply via this link by Friday, Aug. 1. For more information, please contact Byul Yim at Byul.Yim@dc.gov.
Application Now Open for 2025-26 Superintendent’s Advisory Councils (Reminder)
OSSE is seeking teachers, school leaders and family members to participate in the 2025-26 Superintendent’s Advisory Councils (SACs). The councils meet regularly with OSSE leadership and staff to provide insights and ask questions about OSSE programs and policies.
We are seeking a diverse group from across the city who reflect the demographics of the District’s students. Members of the 2025-26 SACs will serve a term of one school year, beginning in October 2025 and ending in June 2026. The first meeting for all three advisory councils will be held in person at OSSE (1050 First St. NE, Washington, DC) in October 2025.
All applications for the 2025-26 Superintendent’s Advisory Councils will close on Friday, August 8, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.:
For more information about the 2025-26 SACs, visit the OSSE website: bit.ly/OSSESuperintendentsAdvisoryCouncils.
For questions, please contact Megan Dumond, Special Assistant for Teaching and Learning, at Megan.Dumond@dc.gov or Vonique Jones, Executive Assistant for Teaching and Learning, at Vonique.Jones@dc.gov.
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Updated List of Grant Program Contacts (Reminder)
The Division of Strategic Funding for School Quality (FSQ) has created an updated contact list for the grant programs under FSQ’s purview. These grant specialists are here to support you with any questions you may have regarding the grants awarded to your LEA or community-based organization (CBO).
- 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), Benjamin Scott, Benjamin.Scott@dc.gov
- Charter Schools Program (CSP), Stacy Kirk, Stacy.Kirk@dc.gov
- Community Schools Incentive Initiative, Delia Davis, Delia.Davis1@dc.gov
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Titles I-A to IV-A, Crystal Brumfield, Crystal.Brumfield@dc.gov
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Kristen Thompson, Kristen.Thompson@dc.gov
- McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance (MKV), Danielle Rollins, Danielle.Rollins@dc.gov
- Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (SOAR) Educator Pipeline, Cynthia Davis, Cynthia.Davis@dc.gov
- SOAR Facilities, Marie Hutchins, Marie.Hutchins@dc.gov
- SOAR Formula Consolidated: Academic Quality & Early Childhood, Multiple Contacts, Grant Specialist by LEA
- SOAR Third Party, Cynthia Davis, Cynthia.Davis@dc.gov
- Show Up, Stand Out (SUSO), Rudy Arellano, Rudy.Arellano@dc.gov
- Stronger Connections, Rudy Arellano, Rudy.Arellano@dc.gov
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