News Room

Professional Development, Leadership Opportunities & Events

New: ��ѻ��ý and Hospital Instruction Annual Data Collection for the 2024-25 School Year
Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements Public Feedback Session, Wednesday, May 28 (Reminder)
College Financial Opportunities with the U.S. Army (Reminder)
DC Math Task Force Survey (Reminder)
Local Wellness Policy Resources and Updated Template, Guide and Checklist (Reminder)

New: 2025-26 Restorative Justice Technical Assistance Application due Friday, May 30
New: Social & Emotional Learning Community of Practice
Trauma-Informed Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for Educators (Reminder)

New: Chef Ann Foundation Bulk Milk Grant Opportunity – Applications Due Thursday, June 26

View the LEA Look Forward for May 2, 2025.

DC Council Confirms Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell as State Superintendent

arrien.davison — Wed, 07 May 2025 21:48:56 +0000

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

On May 6, the Council of the District of Columbia unanimously confirmed Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell as State Superintendent for the District of Columbia.

With more than two decades of experience in education policy and leadership, Dr. Mitchell has been instrumental in advancing OSSE’s mission to ensure that every DC student receives a high-quality education that prepares them for success in school and in life. As Interim and Acting State Superintendent, she led the successful launch of the 2024-25 school year, which saw record enrollment, improved student attendance and increased graduation rates.

“It is both an honor and a profound responsibility to serve as State Superintendent in the city where I was born, raised and educated. I am thankful to Mayor Muriel Bower for the nomination and to the DC Council for my confirmation to the position,” said Superintendent Dr. Mitchell. “The excellent education I received in DC Public Schools prepared me well for the rigors of college, a career in education and ultimately for this role. I am committed to ensuring that students in our classrooms today have access to the same high-quality learning opportunities that shaped my life.”

State Superintendent Dr. Mitchell was born at DC’s Freedman’s Hospital (now Howard University Hospital), grew up in Mt. Pleasant, graduated from Wilson High School (now Jackson-Reed). Dr. Mitchell served as interim state superintendent since June 2024 and as acting state superintendent since March 2025.

“Dr. Mitchell’s deep roots in the District make her an outstanding choice for State Superintendent,” said Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn. “I look forward to our continued partnership as we work together to support all students in DC.”

Dr. Mitchell joined OSSE in 2011 as assistant superintendent of Postsecondary and Career Education. In that role she oversaw college readiness through dual enrollment and internship programs; financial assistance through the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG), Mayor’s Scholars Undergraduate Program and DC Futures; adult literacy and youth reengagement; and career and technical education through programs like career academies and the Advanced Technical Center (ATC).

“Dr. Mitchell brings a wealth of experience and a collaborative spirit to the role of State Superintendent,” said DCPS Chancellor Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee. “Her leadership will be instrumental as we strive to provide every student with the tools they need to succeed. I am excited to continue our work together. Congratulations Dr. Mitchell!"

As interim state superintendent, Dr. Mitchell led preparations for the 2024-25 school year, prioritizing student transportation, special education guidance and school safety; the rollout of academic standards for social studies, financial literacy, and social and emotional learning, as well as literacy implementation and high-impact tutoring; and modernizing data connections for course data collection, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund closeout, attendance and immunizations.

“Dr. Mitchell is a dedicated leader whose deep roots in and commitment to the District of Columbia is an inspiration,” said Public Charter School Board Executive Director Dr. Michell Walker-Davis. “We at the Public Charter School Board are eager to continue our collaboration to ensure all our students have access to high-quality educational opportunities.”

Before joining OSSE, Dr. Mitchell served as dean of the School of Education at Trinity Washington University, as the vice president for unit accreditation with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and research associate in the Education Policy Center at the Urban Institute, a non-profit research group in Washington, DC.

She began her career as a secondary social studies teacher at Hine Jr. High School. Dr. Mitchell currently serves as a DC College Access Program board member, a member of the DC Workforce Investment Council and commissioner on the DC Serve Board.

Dr. Mitchell holds a doctorate and master’s degree in education from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Columbia College, Columbia University. She is a former Holmes Group Scholar and Institute for Educational Leadership Fellow.

For more information about Dr. Mitchell and OSSE leadership, visit OSSE’s website.

LEA Look Forward for May 2, 2025

arrien.davison — Mon, 05 May 2025 19:45:52 +0000

Friday, May 2, 2025

Professional Development, Leadership Opportunities & Events

New: Reimagining High School Graduation Requirements Public Feedback Session, Wednesday, May 28
New: Chromebooks Available for Distribution, Request by Wednesday, May 7
New: College Financial Opportunities with the U.S. Army
DC Math Task Force Survey (Reminder)
Local Wellness Policy Resources and Updated Template, Guide and Checklist (Reminder)

New: Trauma-Informed Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for Educators
DC Educator Workforce Summit, Monday, June 2 (Reminder)
Center for Health and Health Care in Schools Focus Groups (Reminder)
K-2 Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: Small Group Strategies for Multilingual Learners (Reminder)

New: OSSE Adult and Family Education Consolidated Competitive Grant Application Now Available

View the LEA Look Forward for April 25, 2025.

LEA Look Forward for April 25, 2025

arrien.davison — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 19:07:14 +0000

Friday, April 25, 2025

Professional Development, Leadership Opportunities & Events

New: DC Math Task Force Survey
New: Local Wellness Policy Resources and Updated Template, Guide and Checklist

New: DC Educator Workforce Summit, Monday, June 2
Center for Health and Health Care in Schools Focus Groups (Reminder)
K-2 Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: Small Group Strategies for Multilingual Learners (Reminder)
Your Money, Your Life Financial Empowerment Summit, Wednesday, April 30 (Reminder)

ESSER Annual Reporting Discontinued (Reminder)

Testimony of Antoinette S. Mitchell for Nomination of State Superintendent of Education

Mayor Bowser Ensures Full Funding for PKEEP, Pay Equity, and Child Care Subsidies in FY26 Budget

jennifer.shapira — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 21:15:07 +0000

Thursday, April 24, 2025

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser previewed a portion of her Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget proposal by announcing full FY26 funding for the Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Program (PKEEP), the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund (Pay Equity Fund), and the DC Child Care Subsidy Program. These three critical investments support high-quality early learning and care for DC’s youngest residents and their families.

“We know that when we invest in our children and families there are many benefits – for our children’s learning and development, for our neighborhoods, and for keeping families in DC,” said Mayor Bowser. “With the fiscal 2026 budget, we’re not standing still. While our economy is shifting, we’re still focused on the people, programs, and economic growth that make Washington, DC a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”

The FY26 budget will fully fund the Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Program (PKEEP) at $19.5 million in local funds, reinforcing the District's commitment to high-quality pre-K. PKEEP supports pre-K seats for 3- and 4-year-olds outside of DC Public Schools and DC public charter schools, ensuring more access and options for families across all eight wards. In the current fiscal year, 26 PKEEP community-based organizations (CBOs) serve 1,050 children across all eight wards.

The budget also includes $70 million in local dollars to fully fund the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund. The Pay Equity Fund helps child development facilities offer competitive wages and healthcare. Since its launch, ��ѻ��ý of the State Superintendent for Education (OSSE) has distributed more than $177 million to boost the pay of 3,600 early educators across the District and support the retention of 365 child development centers.

Additionally, the DC Child Care Subsidy Program, which helps eligible DC families pay for the cost of child care, will be funded at $86 million in the FY26 budget. The program provides families with low and moderate incomes, or other special circumstances, access to high-quality education and care in the District. In FY24, enrollment rose by 15%, from 5,043 children to 5,750, after Mayor Bowser raised the eligibility for the child care subsidy from 250% to 300% of the federal poverty line. As of March 2025, 6,796 children were enrolled in the program.

“I am deeply grateful to Mayor Bowser for continuing to prioritize early education and fully funding the PKEEP, Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, and the Child Care Subsidy Program in her Fiscal Year 2026 budget,” said Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell, DC’s Acting State Superintendent of Education. “These investments in support of early learning are critically important to families in DC and the early childhood educators who teach our youngest learners each day.”

The Mayor also announced that the budget will include $23 million to support the renovation of the former Department of Parks and Recreation headquarters building located at 3149 16th Street, which will be converted into pre-K classrooms for 3- and 4-year-olds to support the growing Bancroft community.

DC’s robust early childhood programs are a national model. Today, around 80% of 3-year-olds and 95% of 4-year-olds in DC are enrolled in publicly funded pre-K for free, far higher than the national averages of 7% and 35%.

The District’s public schools continue to see improvements in both student performance and enrollment, and DC remains the fastest-improving urban school district in the nation. On the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), DC fourth graders tied for the greatest gains in math nationwide and outpaced both big-city and national averages in reading. Additionally, public school enrollment also increased for the third consecutive year to 99,237 students.

In addition to early childhood investments, earlier this year, Mayor Bowser announced a 2.74% increase to the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) foundation level for FY26, bringing it to $15,070 per student. This investment will support nearly 100,000 students and builds on last year’s historic increase, helping schools maintain strong staffing and academic momentum.

In the coming days, the Mayor will share more about her Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which is focused on schools, a clean and safe DC, and a transformational Economic growth agenda.

Mayor Bowser X: @MayorBowser
Mayor Bowser Instagram: @Mayor_Bowser
Mayor Bowser Facebook: facebook.com/MayorMurielBowser
Mayor Bowser YouTube: https://www.bit.ly/eomvideos

Testimony of Antoinette S. Mitchell for Nomination of State Superintendent of Education

arrien.davison — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 12:41:24 +0000

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Testimony of Antoinette S. Mitchell, Ph.D. for the "State Superintendent of Education Confirmation Resolution 2025."

Attachment(s):

LEA Look Forward for April 18, 2025

arrien.davison — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 16:43:30 +0000

Friday, April 18, 2025

View the LEA Look Forward for April 18, 2025.

Professional Development, Leadership Opportunities & Events

New: SY2024-25 School Health Profiles – Certified PDFs Now Available for Download
Deadline Extended: Discipline Data Collection Feedback Survey Closing Friday, April 25
DC Health Measles Resources for Schools and Child Development Facilities (Reminder)
Nominate an Outstanding DC Educator by Friday, May 23 (Reminder)

New: Center for Health and Health Care in Schools Focus Groups
New: April LEA Special Education Points of Contact Webinar, Wednesday, April 23
New: K-2 Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: Small Group Strategies for Multilingual Learners, Wednesday, May 14
New: K-2 Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: Small Group Strategies in Spanish, Wednesday, May 21
New: Your Money, Your Life Financial Empowerment Summit, Wednesday, April 30
New: Financial Education Panel Opportunity - Money Talks, Thursday, April 24
2025 Summer Institute for Garden-Based Teaching Application Now Open (Reminder)
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Community of Practice (CoP) for Educators and Instructional Leaders! (Reminder)

New: ESSER Annual Reporting Discontinued
New: FY24 ESEA Carryover Funds Now Available in EGMS, Submit Budget Amendments by Saturday, May 31
SOAR Facilities Competition Now Open – Applications Due Friday, May 23 (Reminder)

View the LEA Look Forward for April 11, 2025.

LEA Look Forward for April 11, 2025

arrien.davison — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:25:25 +0000

Friday, April 11, 2025

Professional Development, Leadership Opportunities & Events

NEW: DC Health Measles Resources for Schools and Child Development Facilities
Nominate an Outstanding DC Educator (Reminder)
National Public Education Finance Survey and F-33 Data Collection Beginning Soon - Due Friday, June 27 (Reminder)
Parent/Guardian Truancy Mailings for the 2024-25 School Year (Reminder)
Growing Healthy Schools Month (Reminder)

2025 Summer Institute for Garden-Based Teaching Application Now Open (Reminder)
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Community of Practice (CoP) for Educators and Instructional Leaders! (Reminder)
OSSE Special Education Institute - Hosted Virtually on April 30 (Reminder)
Spring 2025 School Climate Trainings (Reminder)

FY25 Stronger Connections Grant Continuation Application Due April 16 (Reminder)
SOAR Facilities Competition Now Open – Applications due by 3 p.m. on Friday, May 23 (Reminder)
OSSE Adult and Family Education Consolidated Competitive Grant – Request for Application (RFA) Release Date (Reminder)
OSSE Grantee Reimbursement Request Submission Policy (Reminder)

View the LEA Look Forward for April 4, 2025.

OSSE to Host 2025 Adult College and Credentials Fair on Saturday, April 12

arrien.davison — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 15:11:48 +0000

Friday, April 11, 2025

The free fair held at MLK Library connects adult learners to colleges, postsecondary credentials and financial aid resources.

The ��ѻ��ý of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) will host the 2025 Adult College and Credentials Fair in person this year on Saturday, April 12, to provide adult learners a free opportunity to connect with resources and supports available to help earn a college degree or postsecondary credential.

“Whether you're aiming to start college, return to complete a degree, or earn a postsecondary credential, the Adult College and Credentials Fair offers resources and support to align your educational pursuits with your career aspirations,” said Acting State Superintendent Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell. “I encourage all DC adult learners age 18 and older to attend the Adult College and Credentials Fair and take the next step toward achieving their goals."

The Adult College and Credentials Fair, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St NW, is open to DC residents 18 years of age and older who are interested in going to college or earning a postsecondary credential.

The fair provides opportunities for attendees to explore college and career interests, discover adult-friendly postsecondary options and find ways to pay for their education. Attendees can also meet with enrollment representatives to complete degree audits and transcript reviews. Resources specifically targeted to early childhood educators who need to earn their associate degree will also be available.

More than 24 colleges, universities, and related programs will attend the 2025 Adult College and Credentials Fair. A complete list of participating organizations is available on OSSE’s website. The fair will feature colleges and additional educational options, presentations on understanding the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), guidance on finding financial support outside of the FAFSA, and workshops on how to find your career pathway. One-on-one loan advising and resume consultations will also be available for 2025 ACC Fair attendees.

For more information on the Adult College and Credentials Fair, visit OSSE’s website.

LEA Look Forward for April 4, 2025

arrien.davison — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 17:24:04 +0000

Friday, April 4, 2025

Professional Development, Leadership Opportunities & Events

NEW: Nominate an Outstanding DC Educator!
National Public Education Finance Survey and F-33 Data Collection Beginning Soon - Due Friday, June 27 (Reminder)
Parent/Guardian Truancy Mailings for the 2024-25 School Year (Reminder)
Growing Healthy Schools Month (Reminder)
Extended: Discipline Data Collection Feedback Survey (Reminder)
Due today: Course Data Collection Appeals (Reminder)

NEW: 2025 Summer Institute for Garden-Based Teaching Application Now Open
NEW: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Community of Practice (CoP) for Educators and Instructional Leaders!
OSSE Special Education Institute Registration Now Open (Reminder)
Spring 2025 School Climate Trainings (Reminder)
Foundations of Special Education Summer 2025 Cohort Program (Reminder)

NEW: FY25 Stronger Connections Grant Continuation Application Due April 16
NEW: SOAR Facilities Competition Now Open – Applications due by 3 p.m. on Friday, May 23
OSSE Adult and Family Education Consolidated Competitive Grant – Request for Application (RFA) Release Date: March 31, 2025 (Reminder)
OSSE Grantee Reimbursement Request Submission Policy (Reminder)
FY25 SOAR Formula Consolidated Post-Award Webinar Recording and Semi-Annual Reporting Reminder
FY26 Draft State Grant Application under Part B of IDEA Open for Public Comment (Reminder)
IDEA Financial Compliance Reporting - MOE, Excess Cost and CEIS Due May 2 (Reminder)