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New: 2025-26 Health Education, Physical Education, and Physical Activity Action Plan Requirement
In February 2026, each public and public charter school within the District of Columbia was required to complete and submit a yearly School Health Profile (SHP). Schools out of compliance with the health education, physical education, and/or physical activity requirements set forth in the Healthy Schools Act of 2010 and Healthy Schools Amendment Act of 2018 must complete and submit an action plan to OSSE. The purpose of the action plan is to identify the steps that will be taken to increase the minutes of instruction in the 2026-27 school year.
OSSE has emailed the school leader and SHP points of contact (POCs) for each school out of compliance and requiring an action plan with further instructions. Schools must submit their action plan by Friday, June 5. For questions or additional information, please review the Action Plan webpage or contact OSSE.HYDT@dc.gov.
New: DC Health and OSSE Undesignated Emergency Medications Program Technical Assistance Call, May 28
OSSE and DC Health will hold a technical assistance call on Thursday, May 28, from 10 to 11 a.m. regarding the Undesignated Emergency Medications (UEM) Program. The call will address updates to the program and UEM Action plans. UEM school and LEA liaisons, UEM Administrators of Medications, health POCs, and school and LEA leaders should plan to attend. Register here.
Please contact uemeds@dc.gov if you have any questions.
New: OSSE Releases 2026-27 School Year Calendar Compliance Review Portal. All Calendar Submissions Due June 23
LEAs must submit their 2026-27 school year calendars as “Ready for Review” by Tuesday, June 23 in the Instructional Day Calendar Compliance sheet of the SY26-27 Data Validation QLIK application. The portal is now live. Full instructions are available in the Data Validation Technical Guide located in the SY26-27 Data Validation QLIK application sheet.
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The 2026-27 school year OSSE Instructional Day and Distance Learning Guidance is now available online.
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Calendars must be in eSchoolPLUS no later than June 23. All regular, grades 1-12 2026-27 school year instructional day calendars are required to have at least 180 instructional days that are at least six hours in length.
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If schools wish to count any instructional days that are less than six hours in length toward their 180-day requirement, LEAs must submit a half-day waiver request in the OSSE Support Tool by June 23.
Child and Adult Care Food Program Provider Day (Reminder)
May is National Teacher Month and Provider Appreciation Month. This is a great time to celebrate child care providers in our city.
Child Care Provider Day is Saturday, May 16 and all child care providers are invited to join a free online event with the National Child and Adult Food Care Program Association (NCA) foundation.
Learn simple menu ideas, fun ways to turn daily meals into learning and movement, and helpful tools you can use right away. Participants can earn up to 2.5 NCA continuing education units (CEUs).
When: Saturday, May 16 at 11 a.m.
Where: Register for the virtual event here.
We are grateful for the care, hard work, healthy meals, and safe, caring spaces that are provided for our children to learn and grow in our city.
DC 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Report (Reminder)
The 2023 District of Columbia Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) report is now available . The report captures critical data on student experiences, health, and risk and protective factors. Respondents across 113 DC public and public charter middle and high schools participated anonymously in the survey.
If you have any questions about using the report contact .
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New: Multilingual Learner Educators, Call for Presenters
OSSE’s Division of Teaching and Learning is seeking educators and instructional leaders who are interested in contributing to the DC learning community by collaborating on professional learning during the 2026-27 school year. Our goal is to draw upon the depth of expertise that already exists within DC education and highlight the high-quality talent present in our local schools. Interested individuals will be added to a pool of potential presenters and may be contacted as opportunities that align with their expertise arise.
If you have demonstrated effective practices, innovative approaches, or specialized knowledge on serving multilingual learners that could benefit colleagues across the city, we invite you to submit your interest. Complete the interest form by Sunday, May 31 here.
Contact Francesca.Smith@dc.gov for questions.
New: Structured Literacy in Action, July 13 and 15
OSSE is excited to host the first in-person structured literacy training. This two‑day session for educators teaching and supporting grades K–5, complements OSSE’s asynchronous science of reading training providing participants opportunities to synthesize, discuss, and apply the learning. Successful completion of OSSE’s Science of Reading course is highly preferred but not required. The in-person training will take place at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE, on July 13 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional dates will be added based on educator interest.
Session Objectives
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Internalize key research and theoretical models aligned with the science of reading
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Synthesize evidence-based practices for teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and writing
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Apply new learning through curriculum alignment, use of OSSE’s instructional walkthrough tool and hands on practice
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Collaborate with OSSE’s literacy team and fellow educators to strengthen structured literacy implementation for the 2026-27 school year
Interested participants register here.
*This in‑person training alone does not meet the kindergarten structured literacy training requirement.
For questions, please contact Vaani Gupta at Vaani.Gupta@dc.gov.
New: Empowering Every Voice: Turning DC Survey About Your School (DC SAYS) into Action
How do we turn the insights from DC SAYS into meaningful shifts to strengthen school climate? This professional learning day is designed specifically for DC education leaders and teams to bridge the gap between survey data and daily practice. The session will be divided into two focused sessions, each designed to develop a data-driven "Playbook" with targeted interventions and strategies for the upcoming school year.
This training will take place on Friday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE, Room 108. Please register here. For questions, please email Jessica.Dulay@dc.gov.
New: DC Seal of Biliteracy LEA Toolkit
OSSE is pleased to announce the launch of the citywide DC Seal of Biliteracy. The DC Seal of Biliteracy is an award granted to graduating students from DC public and public charter schools who demonstrate proficiency in English and one or more additional languages. The award recognizes the academic talents of DC’s multilingual learners and encourages the pursuit of global citizenship through language learning.
Read the DC Seal of Biliteracy LEA Toolkit here and register here to join an informational session on Thursday, May 14, from 2:30-3 p.m.
For more information, contact Francesca Smith, Multilingual Specialist, at .
Learn24 Network's 2026 Out-of-School Time Conference, Call for Proposals (Reminder)
The Learn24 Network is seeking dynamic, engaging, and knowledgeable presenters for the Learn24 Network's 2026 Out-of-School Time (OST) Conference and Showcase: "Illuminate, Evaluate, Elevate." Youth development professionals and experts who are experienced facilitators and speakers and can share best practices, innovative ideas, and evidence-based program models, approaches, strategies, methods, tools, insights, and other creative avenues to successfully and effectively engage youth in OST programming, are encouraged to apply.
Proposals that include youth as speakers or co-facilitators are strongly encouraged. This is an opportunity to elevate youth voice and OST best practices as youth development practitioners and professionals prepare for summer programming and the next school year.
Foundations of Teaching Multilingual Learners (Reminder)
Join us for a full-day professional learning experience designed for any educator who supports multilingual learners in kindergarten through grade 12, whether as a specialist, general education teacher, paraprofessional, or instructional leader. Together, we’ll explore the foundations of language acquisition and what research tells us about how students develop both social and academic language. Participants will engage in practical, hands-on strategies for differentiating and scaffolding instruction across content areas. You’ll leave with concrete tools you can use immediately to help multilingual learners thrive in every classroom.
The sessions will take place in-person at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE, on Friday, May 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Attendees will receive 6 professional learning units (PLUs) for their participation. For more information, contact Francesca Smith, Multilingual Specialist, at .
Extended School Year Training and Process Updates (Reminder)
As we look ahead to the Extended School Year (ESY) season, the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) wants to ensure your LEA feels fully supported and prepared. OSSE is introducing some updates to the ESY processes.
What’s New?
- ESY LEA Viewer Point of Contact in the All Staff Data Collection.
- ESY Profile in Special Programs
- Documenting ESY Site Location and ESY Attendance in Special Programs.
- ESY Report in Special Programs
- Updates to ESY Transportation Request Form (TRF) in the Integrated Data Submission (IDS) tool.
Who Should Join Us?
To make sure everyone is on the same page, we’re asking the following Special Education team members to attend at least one session:
- Special Education Teachers
- LEA Data Administrators
- Related Service Providers
- Transportation Coordinators
- ESY LEA Viewer
Training Dates
Please register for one of the following virtual sessions in the OSSE Learning Management System (LMS). The same content will be covered at each webinar session.
The training will provide a step-by-step walkthrough of the new ESY enhancements in Special Programs and the updates to IDS for students eligible for ESY transportation.
Prerequisites: Special Programs End User Experience and Documenting and Delivering Related Services.
Upcoming Dates and Times
- Thursday, May 14, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Register here
- Thursday, May 21, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Registration Link coming soon
For questions or additional information, please email Leah.Diggs-Gnatiko@dc.gov.
Interpreting and Applying WIDA ACCESS Score Reports (Reminder)
The Division of Teaching and Learning (TAL) and Division of Data, Assessment and Research (DAR) will host an in-person professional learning opportunity on Thursday, May 21, from 1-3 p.m. at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE. Interpreting and Applying WIDA ACCESS Score Reports will provide assessment and instructional leaders an opportunity to explore the purpose of WIDA ACCESS summative assessment, investigate the differences and applications in the types of WIDA ACCESS score reports, and explore methods of disseminating information and setting programmatic goals using the various reports.
Register using this link. For questions, contact Rachel.Knaizer@dc.gov.
Vocabulary Instruction for Multilingual Learners (Reminder)
In this session, teachers of multilingual learners (MLs) will learn strategies for infusing academic language instruction into their classrooms. Participants will explore and exchange vocabulary instruction strategies, make connections to ML research and WIDA standards, and see classroom examples from a DC teacher.
The sessions will take place in-person at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE, on the following dates by grade band:
- Grades 3-12 (in English): Friday, May 22, 1-3:30 p.m.
- Dual language, Grades 3-12 (in Spanish): Wednesday, May 27, 1-3:30 p.m.
Attendees will receive 3 PLUs for their participation. For more information, contact Francesca Smith, Multilingual Specialist, at Francesca.Smith@dc.gov.
Instructional Leadership Summit, June 4 (Reminder)
The Instructional Leadership Summit is a one-day workshop dedicated to supporting school leaders in identifying, observing and coaching educators in instructional best practice in math, social studies and literacy.
During each subject-specific workshop, school leaders will learn about the principles of evidence-based instruction in each subject. School leaders will learn how to leverage different tools and resources created by OSSE, including walkthrough tools and instructional resources to observe and support educators in their schools and LEAs.
Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Library, 901 G Street, NW
Time: Thursday, June 4, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Breakfast and Lunch Provided
Click here to register.
For all questions, please email Madison.Kantzer@dc.gov.
 New: FY26 ESEA Final Allocations and FY25 Carryover Funds Now Available in EGMS
LEAs can now access their fiscal year 2026 (FY26) final allocations, FY25 carryover funds and additional funds on Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Titles I-A, II-A, III-A, and IV-A grants via their FY26 ESEA Consolidated Applications (ConApp) in the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS).
All LEAs will have FY25 carryover on their Title I-A grant due to additional funding becoming available in the program. All LEAs should review their carryover amounts by selecting the “Funding Distribution” tab in their FY26 ConApp in EGMS. In addition, FY26 final allocations are posted on OSSE’s ESEA Title grants webpage.
To claim final allocations and carryover funds, LEAs that received Title funding should submit one budget amendment on their FY26 ConApp by Tuesday, June 12. OSSE must first approve the amendment for your LEA to submit reimbursement requests using these funds.
Additional resources to support program implementation are available on the ESEA Title grants webpage. For questions or additional information about ESEA, please contact the team at Con.App@dc.gov or your LEA’s ESEA point of contact.
New: FY27 ESEA Titles I-IV and IDEA Part B Phase I Applications Now Open – Due June 15
The fiscal year 2027 (FY27) Phase I applications for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title Consolidated (ConApp) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B grants are now available in EGMS. To receive these grant awards, LEAs must complete a two-phase application process. LEAs are required to submit their Phase I applications by Monday, June 15 at 3 p.m., so that they can be approved on or before July 1.
The Phase I ESEA ConApp and IDEA applications ask LEAs to agree to assurances related to each grant program. Receiving approval before July 1 enables LEAs to submit reimbursement requests for expenditures incurred beginning July 1. If Phase I applications are not approved by July 1, LEAs can only submit reimbursement requests for expenditures incurred as of the date of approval of the Phase I application.
The Phase II applications, which ask for detailed program and budget information, will be made available this summer. Upon approval of the Phase II application, LEAs can begin to submit reimbursement requests for FY27 grant expenditures.
OSSE will release FY27 preliminary ESEA Title allocations in May 2026. OSSE has not yet received its FY27 IDEA state allocation amount from the US Department of Education (USED).
Grant program information is available on OSSE’s ConApp and IDEA websites.
For questions or additional information about the ESEA ConApp, please email Con.App@dc.gov or reach out to your LEA’s ESEA Point of Contact.
For questions or additional information about IDEA, please reach out to Megan Williams at Megan.Williams@dc.gov.
FY26 SOAR Formula Post-Award Webinar Recording and Slide Deck Now Available (Reminder)
OSSE held a post-award webinar on Thursday, April 23 for public charter LEAs that were awarded a fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Formula Consolidated grant (i.e., Academic Quality and Early Childhood). The webinar covered topics including reimbursement request submission, narrative reporting requirements, and budget amendments.
A recording of the webinar and the accompanying slide deck are now available on OSSE’s SOAR Formula webpage. LEAs that were unable to attend are encouraged to review the resources to ensure familiarity with grant requirements.
For any questions, please reach out to your LEA’s SOAR program contact or OPCSFS.Funding@dc.gov.
Feedback Requested on Technical Assistance Topics for Titles I-IV, Part A Grants (Reminder)
OSSE is developing its annual technical assistance (TA) plan on its Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Titles I-IV, Part A grant programs and seeks input from LEAs to ensure that supports for these programs are responsive, relevant, and aligned to current needs.
Your feedback will help us identify priority TA topics, understand preferred communication methods for TA opportunities, and surface any additional areas where guidance or resources would be beneficial.
Please complete this brief five-question survey to provide your feedback on OSSE’s annual TA plan for Titles I-IV, Part A grant programs. It should take approximately five minutes to complete. The survey will be available until Friday, May 15, 2026. Your responses will guide OSSE’s development of TA content and resources. We appreciate your participation; your insights will help ensure that future TA offerings align with LEA needs.
For questions or more information about the Titles I-IV, Part A grant programs, please email the ESEA Title Team at Con.App@dc.gov.
FY26 IDEA Final Allocations and FY25 Carryover Funds Now Available in EGMS (Reminder)
LEAs can now access their fiscal year 2026 (FY26) final allocations and FY25 carryover funds on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B application in the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS).
LEAs that had FY25 carryover funds should review their carryover amounts by selecting the “Funding Distribution” tab in their FY26 IDEA Part B application in EGMS. In addition, FY26 final allocations are posted on OSSE’s IDEA Part B Grants webpage.
To claim final allocations and carryover funds, LEAs that received IDEA Part B funding should submit one budget amendment on their FY26 IDEA Part B application by Friday, May 15. OSSE must first approve the amendment before your LEA can submit reimbursement requests using these funds.
Additional resources to support program implementation are available on the IDEA Part B Grants webpage. For questions or additional information about IDEA, please contact Megan Williams at Megan.Williams@dc.gov.
Federal Grant Opportunity – Innovative Approaches to Literacy (Reminder)
The Employment and Training Administration at the US Department of Labor is soliciting applications in support of the administration of the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program on behalf of the US Department of Education (USED). The FY26 Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program supports high-quality programs designed to develop and improve literacy skills for children and students from birth through grade 12 in high-need local educational agencies and schools. IAL promotes innovative literacy programs that support the development of literacy skills in low-income communities, including programs that:
- Develop and enhance effective school library programs, which may include providing professional development for school librarians, books, and up-to-date materials to high-need schools;
- Provide early literacy services, including pediatric literacy programs through which, during well-child visits, medical providers trained in research-based methods of early language and literacy promotion provide developmentally appropriate books and recommendations to parents to encourage them to read aloud to their children starting in infancy; and
- Provide high-quality books on a regular basis to children and adolescents from low-income communities to increase reading motivation, performance, and frequency.
LEAs can read more information, find the contact information, and apply for the FY26 grant competition on grants.gov or at this link by Tuesday, June 9.
FY27 McKinney-Vento (MKV) Homeless Assistance Program Grant Competition (Reminder)
OSSE invites LEAs to apply for federal funding for the FY27 MKV grant program. A total of $300,000 in awards will be distributed to LEAs. The MKV Request for Applications (RFA) guidance and submission timeline will be available on OSSE’s Homeless Education Program website.
The MKV grant provides supplemental funding to help 1) facilitate the identification, enrollment, attendance, and success in school of homeless children and youth; and 2) ensure homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free, appropriate, public education provided to all other students. Services provided through this grant cannot replace regular academic programming. LEAs serving children and youth experiencing homelessness in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 and LEAs serving youth experiencing homelessness ages 18-24 within the District of Columbia are eligible to apply.
Grant applications must be submitted through EGMS by Wednesday, June 24 at 3 p.m. Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one of OSSE’s FY27 MKV pre-application technical assistance webinars. Select one of the links below to join an event; pre-registration is not required. Both webinars will cover the same content.
Please submit all questions related to the competition by email to Danielle.Rollins@dc.gov by Wednesday, June 10.
For more information about OSSE’s Homeless Education Program, please visit the Homeless Education Program page or contact Danielle.Rollins@dc.gov.
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May 2026
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