(Washington, DC) – Ahead of the New Year, Mayor Muriel Bowser and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell invite Washingtonians to start the year by exploring year?round programs from the 乌鸦传媒 of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) that support learning, professional development, and economic opportunity for adults of all ages. OSSE coordinates a broad set of education services across the District designed to help families and individuals thrive throughout their lifetimes, and the New Year is an ideal time to explore opportunities to learn, grow, and develop new skills.
“Learning and growing with OSSE is about meeting residents where they are and removing barriers to make it easy for everyone to find and benefit from year?round programs,” said State Superintendent Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell. “OSSE works every day to create opportunities for residents and we encourage everyone to explore what’s available and what’s next for success in career and in life.”
Residents who have taken a break in their education, are looking to reskill and start a new career, or want to advance in their current job, as well as any resident looking to expand their horizons, are encouraged to take advantage of the education opportunities outlined below:
Adult and Family Education Services
OSSE’s Adult and Family Education division funds providers across the city to deliver education and training tied to high-demand industries and sectors such as healthcare, education, IT, construction, and transportation. Providers in the District offering Integrated Education & Training for residents age 18 and older include:
- (formerly the Congress Heights Community Training and Development Corporation)
To explore these programs, residents can visit Career Coach DC at and the links above. Career Coach DC also offers a career interest inventory, a resume builder, live job postings and other resources for jobseekers.
DC General Educational Development (GED) Program 乌鸦传媒
For residents looking to obtain a GED, OSSE’s GED Program 乌鸦传媒 (GEDPO) is DC’s official testing center, and administers computer-based GED tests in English and Spanish. GEDPO also offers select IT certification exams and manages eligibility exceptions. The office is located in the Marion S. Barry Jr. Building, 441 4th Street NW.
Residents can sign up to take the GED test by taking the following steps:
- Create your testing account on and check your alerts.
- Take the GED Ready, the official GED practice test.
- Submit required proof of identity and DC residency to GEDPO for review.
Those who have met the requirements to test in DC may schedule their appointments through their testing accounts on or by calling 1-877-392-6433. You can also review DC testing requirements, pricing, policies and other information at .
OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching
For residents wanting to become educators, the OSSE Apprenticeship in Teaching is a four-year, cost-free pathway that blends 2,000+ hours of paid, on-the-job learning with related coursework, allowing participants to earn a tuition-free bachelor’s degree and an OSSE standard teaching credential in elementary, early childhood, or special education.
Mayor Bowser launched the Apprenticeship in Teaching program citywide in 2024 as a collaboration between OSSE, the DC Department of Employment Services, and the University of the District of Columbia. The apprenticeship program offers flexible coursework and structured mentorship for paraprofessionals and aspiring educators seeking to enter high-need fields without tuition barriers. Graduates of the program become credentialed teachers who are positioned to serve in DC schools.
For more information, visit osse.dc.gov/page/osse-apprenticeship-teaching or email the Apprenticeship in Teaching team at [email protected].
DC Leading Educators Toward Advanced Degrees (DC LEAD) Grant
The DC LEAD grant provides scholarships and incentives for DC child care educators to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education. The program helps participants complete degrees at partner institutions with no out-of-pocket tuition costs, and with flexible online options, quarterly starts, and additional incentives that make it easier to earn a degree. Child care educators can access more information and apply to the program by visiting the DC LEAD webpage at osse.dc.gov/eceresources/dc-lead and the Southeast Children’s Fund website at .
For questions related to DC LEAD or other resources for child care educators, please contact the DC LEAD team at [email protected] or at (202) 561-5500. Residents can also contact the OSSE Early Childhood Education Help Desk at [email protected] or (202) 478-5903.
These programs and services complement the District’s world-class college and career readiness programs for youth, ensuring a whole-of-life approach to education and advancement for District residents. Since 2015, the Bowser Administration has increased access to college, careers, and economic mobility by expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs across the school system. This transformation included launching the for CTE students to participate in paid and credit-bearing internships, creating the to provide District scholars ages 9 to 13 a chance to engage in comprehensive college and career exploration programming, and developing the , which helps CTE and other high school graduates gain hands-on apprenticeships in high-growth health care careers.
In 2022 Mayor Bowser launched the Ward 5 , which offers high school students from across the city the chance to earn industry credentials and college credits, complete paid internships, and gain clinical experience in fields like nursing, medical assisting, and emergency medical first response. In just the first three years of ATC programming, 400 students earned an impressive 4,658 college credits, saving them approximately $3 million in college tuition. And this year, the Mayor expanded the program by opening the new Ward 8 ATC in Congress Heights, giving even more students the chance to build careers in good-paying, high-growth professions that help them support themselves and their families.
In addition to providing resources through OSSE, in October of this year Mayor Bowser launched the Talent Capital initiative, a first-of-its-kind regional resource housed at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. The website offers DC jobseekers free AI-driven job matching, training, reskilling, and career navigation services, complemented by personalized support from partners across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The platform, which was recently named by Technical.ly, has already had more than 80,000 visitors, with over 61,000 receiving personalized job matches, and residents have been connected to employment opportunities with major regional employers.
Residents looking for in-demand careers in construction, energy, telecommunications, and other critical fields are also encouraged to explore opportunities with the , managed by the District Department of Employment Services. In 2018, Mayor Bowser launched the academy as a collaboration between District government and utility, union, university, and private sector partners to meet skilled infrastructure needs in DC. Since launching, the Bowser Administration and private partners have invested nearly $23 million in DCIA, serving more than 5,100 residents, with nearly 3,800 participants connected to careers. And in 2023, the Mayor enhanced the program with an additional $64 million investment to transform the historic Spingarn High School into a new DCIA training center. When completed in 2026, the center will include a 2,700-square-foot mechanical auto training lab for vehicle maintenance and testing; a new exterior training yard, in partnership with Pepco, to provide training on power and connection repair; classrooms, flex spaces, and multipurpose rooms for student instruction; and outdoor training and social spaces.
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