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New: Upcoming LEA Course Data Collection Process Deadlines
The Integrated Data System (IDS) platform is now open for LEAs to submit their Course Catalog Collection data. LEAs should download the template in IDS, fill in the 2025-26 school year data, and resubmit through IDS. IDS will close for Course Catalog Collection data on Sept. 26, and LEA Heads of School will certify the data on Sept. 26.
Once data has been submitted, LEAs can review their Course Catalog data on the 2025-26 School Year LEA Course Data Qlik Dashboard in OSSE’s Qlik application.
If your LEA offers dual enrollment or career and technical education (CTE) courses, including participating in the Advanced Technical Center (ATC), please also visit the Course Data Collection Guidance for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) website to access the crosswalks that have been created to assist LEAs in consistently using OSSE Course Codes for these courses.
New: Transportation Update for Students Riding Metro
A new school year means distributing new Kids Ride Free cards. All students should receive the 2025-26 Kids Ride Free card to ride Metro and Metrobus by Tuesday, Sept. 30. Students ages 13 and olde with an iPhone or Apple Watch can convert the plastic card to a digital card in Apple Wallet. Please visit the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) website or contact DDOT at (202) 673-1740 if you need more information.
2025-26 Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) Payment Letter (Reminder)
In an effort to provide clear communication, increase transparency, and enhance predictability regarding the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) for school year 2025-26, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) have released updated guidance to public charter local education agencies (LEAs).
The guidance letter provides information on school funding for the upcoming school year, including the timeline for the four regular quarterly payments (which include charter facility payments), three supplemental payments, and two extended school year (ESY) payments.
Please click here to access the letter.
For questions or additional information, please contact OSSE Administrative Officer Gabriel Montague at Gabriel.Montague@dc.gov.
Optional Fall 2025 Student DC SAYS Administration (Reminder)
OSSE is offering an optional fall DC Survey About Your School (DC SAYS) administration for students. This optional administration is in response to requests from LEAs that would like to track student progress during the school year. You are welcome to administer to some campuses and not others. OSSE will not see or report any of these data; they will only be for your school communities. The survey window will be in early November using the student rosters from Count Day. To participate, please sign up here by Sept. 26.
Help Shape OSSE’s Model Cellphone Policy (Reminder)
OSSE is gathering input from school leaders, educators, students and families across the District to help develop a model cellphone policy for the 2026-27 school year, as required by the Disconnect Act of 2025 (DC Act 26-0113).
Whether or not your school currently has a cellphone policy, we invite you to complete a short survey to share your experiences and insights on how cellphones affect teaching and learning in the District.
Please take our survey by Wednesday, Oct. 15 and share it widely! Stay tuned for details on upcoming feedback sessions.
For questions or additional information, please contact Lisvette Garcia-Acosta at Lisvette.Garcia-Acosta@dc.gov or Joseph Hood at Joseph.Hood@dc.gov.
Nominate Your School Hero! RISEDC nominations open through Oct. 10 (Reminder)
OSSE is accepting nominations for the Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award, a national recognition honoring classified school employees. This award honors bus drivers, paraprofessionals, custodians, and more. Help us spotlight these education heroes in our school communities!
To learn more about the criteria and to submit a nomination, please fill out this form no later than Friday, Oct. 10. For questions, contact Jessica Dulay at Jessica.Dulay@dc.gov.
Thriving Together: Fostering Student and Staff Wellbeing Newsletter (Reminder)
OSSE’s Division of Health and Wellness (H&W) regularly publishes the newsletter, Thriving Together: Fostering Student and Staff Wellbeing. Stay informed about school health and wellness policy updates, upcoming trainings and events, community announcements, local spotlights and more by subscribing here.
Contact Sarah Mack at Sarah.Mack@dc.gov with any ideas, stories, photos or highlights you would like to see featured.
DC Survey About Your School (DC SAYS) Professional Development (Reminder)
Start the new school year with energy, purpose, and a positive plan for your school community! Last spring, OSSE launched DC SAYS, the new school climate survey for students, staff, and caregivers across all local education agencies (LEAs). Now, it’s time to turn those results into action. To support your work, OSSE is partnering with Panorama Education to offer a series of targeted professional learning sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays through Sept. 25. Whether you’re new to the survey or ready to dive deeper into the data, you can choose the sessions that best match your needs and goals. These sessions include:
- Navigating DC SAYS and Setting Goals
- Taking Action on DC SAYS Results
- Building a Culture of Data Inquiry and Reflection
- Building a Toolkit of Action: Responding Effectively to DC SAYS Survey Results
Alternative Program Designation Application Now Available (Reminder)
LEAs interested in applying for alternative program designation for the 2026-27 school year are now eligible to do so. The application can be found on the OSSE website and will close on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025.
Please note that alternative program designations are valid for three years from the date the designation was issued by OSSE. All LEAs with alternative programs that were first designated by OSSE in 2022 will now need to reapply for alternative program designation.
On June 14, 2019, OSSE released a Notice of Final Rulemaking proposing a new chapter titled “Alternative Program” to Subtitle A “Office of the State Superintendent of Education” of Title 5 “Education” in the DC Municipal Regulations. This chapter sets forth the eligibility criteria for a school or specialized program within a school to be designated as an alternative education program and establishes the application process. The final rulemaking can be found in the DC Register and on the OSSE website.
For more information, please contact Gabriel Montague at Gabriel.Montague@dc.gov.
OSSE Wellness Guidelines for Child Care Facilities Self-Assessment (Reminder)
The DC Healthy Tots Program, a partner with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), have released the OSSE Wellness Guidelines Self-Assessment application via Quickbase. All licensed child development facilities received an email from Quickbase on Aug. 25 to access the application. Facilities are encouraged to complete the self-assessment. Learn more about OSSE’s wellness guidelines for child care facilities here.
For more information, please contact Sheena King at Sheena.King@dc.gov.
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New: 2025 Financial Aid Professional Learning Day, Oct. 2
OSSE's 2025 Financial Aid Professional Learning Day is a great opportunity for new counselors and college access professionals, and those looking to refresh their financial aid knowledge.
Join OSSE’s Office of College and Career Readiness for OSSE’s 2025 Financial Aid Professional Learning Day. This day of virtual workshops will offer opportunities to learn about scholarships, financial aid support, and information regarding skills needed to be successful in college.
Attendees will receive updates about OSSE’s FAFSA completion initiative, a 2026-27 FAFSA Dependent Student walkthrough, and recommendations for completing the 2026-27 FAFSA, which launches on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
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When: Thursday, Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
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Where: Virtual, register here to receive the link.
Presenters include DCTAG, the United Negro College Fund, the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (student loan support) and Reach 4 Success.
To join us, please If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Greg Palmer at Gregory.Palmer@dc.gov.
New: K-2 Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: Small Group Strategies for Multilingual Learners, Oct. 15
Kindergarten through second-grade teachers are invited to learn strategies for teaching effective and culturally 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 linguistically responsive small group instruction in action from a local teacher.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1-3:30 p.m.
Where: OSSE, 1050 First St. NE
Attendees will receive 3 professional learning units (PLUs) for their participation.
Register here.
For more information, contact Francesca Smith, Multilingual Specialist, at Francesca.Smith@dc.gov.
New: Social and Emotional Learning Community of Practice
OSSE invites educators to participate in a bi-monthly social and emotional learning (SEL) Community of Practice (CoP). These sessions will provide instructional leaders an opportunity to collaborate with peers across schools and LEAs, explore evidence-based SEL strategies, and strengthen systems that promote positive school climate and student success.
CoP participants will:
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Engage with Tools and Resources to foster Schoolwide SEL- Discuss and explore ways to leverage SEL artifacts and supports (Toolkits, Caregiver Guide, etc.) to inform schoolwide practices and content integration.
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Strengthen Educator SEL Capacity - Explore strategies for incorporating DC SEL competencies within the classroom context, prioritizing Adult SEL and Educator Wellness.
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Examine Barriers to Implementation- Identify challenges and practical obstacles that educators encounter while integrating SEL standards and practices while exploring effective solutions.
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Create Essential and Real-World Opportunities for Learning- By fostering collaboration, exploring best practices, and facilitating peer-to-peer learning.
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Ambassador SEL on Campus- Ensure building principals and leadership are informed of SEL implementation strategies and practices.
Click the dates below to register:
This professional learning opportunity is in person at the OSSE (1050 First Street NE) and is available to all teachers, instructional coaches, academic deans, and school leaders. Participants will receive 2 PLUs for full participation.
To learn more, contact Marcus Hughes with the OSSE Division of Teaching and Learning (TAL) at Marcus.Hughes@dc.gov.
2025-26 State Title III Advisory Committee Recruitment (Reminder)
Are you an educator, LEA/school leader, parent, teacher educator, research or policy expert, or community organization member who understands the perspectives, strengths, and needs of students who are English Learners? The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) requests applications for the 2025-26 State ESEA Title III Advisory Committee, which serves as an advisory body to support OSSE in carrying out its responsibilities under Title III of ESEA for the District of Columbia. By joining this committee, you will contribute to OSSE’s development of educational programming, administration, and accountability guidelines to support LEAs in ensuring that immigrant children and English Learners attain English proficiency and meet State academic achievement standards.
Apply here by Friday, Oct. 3. Applicants will be notified by Friday, Oct. 10.
For more information, contact Angela Awonaike, Inclusive Practices Manager, at Angela.Awonaike@dc.gov.
DC Health and OSSE Undesignated Emergency Medications Program Technical Assistance Call, Sept. 24 (Reminder)
OSSE and DC Health will hold a technical assistance call on Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 10 to 11 a.m. regarding the Undesignated Emergency Medications (UEM) Program. The call will address UEM distribution, incident reporting, Administration of Medication (AOM) training, and school UEM Action plans. UEM school and LEA liaisons, UEM AOMs, school health points of contact (POCs), nurses, and school and LEA leaders should plan to attend. Register here.
Please contact uemeds@dc.gov if you have any questions.
LEA Homeless Liaison Professional Development Training, Sept. 26 (Reminder)
OSSE’s Homeless Education Program looks forward to welcoming all LEA homeless liaisons to a 2025-26 school year kick-off professional development and training day on Friday, Sept. 26 at OSSE.
Creating Successful Outcomes for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Date/time: Friday, Sept. 26, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: OSSE, 1050 First St. NE, First Floor
Eleanor Holmes Norton conference rooms
Sessions will cover:
- Reporting and homeless liaison training opportunities;
- Dispute resolution policies and best practices;
- Special education and intervention services for students experiencing homelessness;
- Food access resources; and
- Assessment of readiness for robust McKinney-Vento (MKV) Act policies and practices.
LEA homeless liaisons are required to attend and should register no later than Friday, Sept. 19. If you require assistance or have questions, contact Tasheen Stallings at Tasheen.Stallings@dc.gov.
LEAs are required to designate an LEA homeless liaison in their student information systems. Please ensure homeless liaisons are identified for your LEA prior to the training.
 New: Fiscal Year 2026 Whole Child and Educator Wellness (WCEW) Grant Request for Applications (RFA)
The Request for Applications (RFA) for the FY26 Whole Child and Educator Wellness (WCEW) grant is now available in the DC Register. View here. This grant is available to community-based organizations that have experience working with early childhood education facilities and public and public charter schools. The award period for these grants is Nov. 26, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2026. Applications must be submitted online in the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS) no later than 3 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.
The pre-application webinar and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents are available on OSSE's website.
For questions or additional information about the WCEW grant application, contact Kimberly Thompson, Grants Management Specialist, at KimberlyA.Thompson@dc.gov.
New: OSSE Releases Notice of Funding Availability for the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant
OSSE is soliciting subgrant applications for the District of Columbia’s Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant, as authorized by Title I, Part E, Sections 2221-2225 and 2301 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, as amended. The purpose of the CLSD discretionary grant is to create a comprehensive literacy program to advance literacy skills. This includes pre-literacy skills, reading, and writing, for children from birth through grade 12, with an emphasis on disadvantaged children, including children living in poverty, English learners, and children with disabilities.
For eligibility and application information, please refer to the Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) published in the DC Register on Sept. 12, 2025, linked here: Grades K-12 and Birth – Age 5.
Applications open in the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS) on Friday, Sept. 26. Please reach out to OSSE.CLSD@dc.gov with any questions.
New: FY26 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (MKV) Continuation Grant Application Due Sept. 26
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (MKV) continuation grant for fiscal year 2026 (FY26) was made available in the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS) on Wednesday, Sept. 17 and will be due by 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26.
The purpose of the MKV grant is to provide supplemental funding to help: (1) facilitate the identification, enrollment, attendance, and success in school of children and youth experiencing homelessness; and (2) ensure children and youth experiencing homelessness have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education (FAPE) provided to all other students. More information on the MKV grant program is available on OSSE’s Homeless Education Program webpage.
For questions or additional information about the MKV grant program, and to schedule a MKV grant technical assistance session, please contact Danielle.Rollins@dc.gov or (202) 256-2229.
FY26 ESEA Consolidated Application Update (Reminder)
OSSE has received DC’s fiscal year 2026 (FY26) awards from the US Department of Education (USED) for the following formula grant programs:
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Titles I-A, II-A, III-A, and IV-A
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B (Sections 611 and 619)
All FY26 ESEA Titles I-A to IV-A allocations and IDEA allocations have now been posted on OSSE’s website.
The ESEA Consolidated Application (ConApp) was released in the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS) on Thursday, Sept. 4 and is due on Thursday, Oct. 30. The IDEA Phase II application is already available in EGMS and due on Tuesday, Sept. 30. No changes were made to either application from last year.
For questions on the ConApp, contact Mary Frances Street at MaryFrances.Street@dc.gov. For questions on the IDEA Phase II application, contact Kristen Thomas at Kristen.Thomas@dc.gov.
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