|
|
New: OSSE & DC Water Collaboration: Water Emergencies – Guidance for Schools and Child Care Facilities
OSSE recently collaborated with DC Water and DC Health to develop a new webpage of resources for schools, students, and child care facilities concerning water emergencies. Proper planning for a water emergency can prevent unsafe consumption and interactions with potentially contaminated water.
Please visit the webpage to learn more and share with your colleagues, students, and families.
For more information or questions, please email osse.schoolhealth@dc.gov or visit DC Water.
Integrated Data Submission (IDS) Tool Open for Discipline Data (Reminder)
The Integrated Data Submission (IDS) is open for the Discipline Data Collection submission process. LEAs are encouraged to submit discipline data throughout the year to check for errors prior to the end of year certification process. New this year, please include all discipline data from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 with each upload. Data from prior submissions are deleted when new data are uploaded to the IDS tool.
This year, LEAs will certify discipline data just once at the end of the year (July 2026). LEAs can access a copy of the updated discipline collection guidance on OSSE’s website here. The current template is available in the IDS tool.
For questions or support with the IDS tool, please submit a ticket in the OSSE Support Tool Quickbase application by using “Discipline” as the issue type with a status sub-category of “Integrated Data Submission Tool (IDS).”
For questions or support with discipline policy, please contact Jenni Russell Ziarnik at OSSE.data@dc.gov or schedule a meeting via the OSSE Discipline Support Bookings tool here.
|
New: D.C. Policy Center & OSSE Presentation on Attendance in DC, Nov. 19
State Superintendent of Education Antoinette S. Mitchell, Ph.D. will provide opening remarks, followed by an overview of recent attendance data and an expert panel highlighting successful attendance strategies that includes:
-
Cat Peretti, Executive Director of CitySchools Collaborative
-
William Massey, Principal at H.D. Woodson High School
-
Kia Coleman, Principal at DC Prep Benning Middle School
-
Rachel Sadlon, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Health and Wellness at OSSE.
-
Yesim Sayin, Executive Director of the D.C. Policy Center will give closing remarks.
The event will be in-person at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives in the Grand Hall (third floor). Tickets are free. Please register here.
We highly recommend that attendees refrain from bringing large bags to the event. Please bring an ID for check-in. We hope to see you there.
New: OSSE and DC Health Immunization Webinar Nov. 21
On Friday, Nov. 21, from 10 to 11 a.m., OSSE and DC Health will hold a webinar on the upcoming December key dates in the School Year 2025-26 School Immunization Policy.
OSSE will review the steps that school Immunization Points of Contacts (IPOCs) should take to notify families of non-compliant students in the key grades of pre-K 3, kindergarten, 7 and 11 who are at risk for exclusion on Dec. 8. OSSE will also review immunization data retrieval, the production of final notification and warning letters, and expectations on handling possible exclusions.
DC Health will present on its new Docket app that provides District residents with access to personal and/or family immunization records on file with the District of Columbia Immunization Information System (DOCIIS).
IPOCs as well as any other school health team staff involved in immunizations should plan to attend. Register here.
For information or questions, please email osse.schoolhealth@dc.gov.
New: Winter 2025-26 Math Bootcamp Enrolling Now
Back by popular demand, OSSE is excited to offer and updated math bootcamp focusing on evidence-informed practices for math instruction. Educators will engage with developing math instructional practices that support accelerated learning for all students. This online course is available to K-12 educators and school leaders. Participants will earn 18 professional learning units (PLUs) for successful completion.
The math bootcamp virtual course will contain both asynchronous and synchronous sessions.
- The 14 asynchronous modules will help educators understand scientifically based, evidence-informed instructional methods to teach mathematics in grades K-12. The session begins with a brief overview of how the brain learns math and the ways that knowledge, memory, and skill are developed, stored, and retrieved in the brain. Subsequent modules are rooted in the Standards for Mathematical Practice, creating a clear basis for mathematical expertise that educators should expect and in turn develop in all students, grades K-12.
- The six live sessions will provide educators with an opportunity to discuss new learning and turnkey course concepts in a classroom setting. Live sessions will take place on Tuesday afternoons in January and February. More information will be available upon registration.
This opportunity is available to any K-12 educator or leader at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. Register here. For more information, please contact Miryam Oziel Miryam.Oziel@dc.gov.
New: Explicit Writing Instruction for K-5 Multilingual Learners, Dec. 3
In this session, K-5 teachers of multilingual learners will focus on the writing sentences to support students’ writing growth. Participants will explore strategies from The Writing Revolution, make connections to multilingual learner research and WIDA standards, and see classroom examples from a DC teacher.
The session will take place in-person on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE, from 1-3:30 p.m. 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.
School Leader Collaborative (Reminder)
OSSE is excited to announce the launch of the School Leader Collaborative for school leaders (i.e., principals, deans/ assistant deans, directors of curriculum/instruction, instructional coaches, and other adjacent roles).
The School Leader Collaborative is a community of practice for leaders from District public and public charter schools. Participants will learn and apply a comprehensive educator wellness approach to address their own wellness and the wellness of their respective school teams through peer connection and collaboration. Participants will meet bi-monthly from January to September 2026.
Complete this interest form by Jan. 16, 2026 if you would like to participate.
Questions? Reach out to Celeste Brown, School Behavioral Health Outreach Specialist, at Celeste.Brown@dc.gov.
Early Childhood Special Education Community of Practice (Reminder)
The Early Childhood Special Education Community of Practice is designed to create authentic opportunities for 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 sessions will focus on the topics below. Please register for a community practice session(s) using the links below. All sessions will take place from 10-11 a.m.
For questions, contact Dawn Hilton, Supervisory Coordinator for Special Education (Part B-619), at Dawn.Hilton1@dc.gov.
 FY26 SOAR Formula Application Resources Available, Due Nov. 21 (Reminder)
The consolidated application for the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act Formula grant programs, which include SOAR Academic Quality and SOAR Early Childhood, is now available in Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS). The deadline for local education agencies (LEAs) to submit applications is Friday, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m. The award period for these grants is July 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026.
OSSE held an optional pre-application webinar on Oct. 21 to provide an overview of the purposes of the SOAR Formula grants and instructions on how to complete the consolidated application in EGMS. The webinar recording and slide deck are posted on OSSE’s SOAR Formula webpage, along with the FY26 SOAR Formula application guide.
For questions or additional information about the FY26 SOAR Formula Consolidated application, contact your LEA’s SOAR grant specialist.
|
November 2025
December 2025
|
