Education

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Oct 21, 2025

B 26-0418: Future Smiles Pilot Program Establishment Amendment Act of 2025

The Future Smiles Pilot Program Establishment Amendment Act of 2025 creates a two-year pilot program for high school students in the District of Columbia during the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 school years. It establishes a Level II Dental Assistant career preparation course through partnerships with accredited dental programs, providing classroom training, certification exam preparation, and covering student compensation, transportation, and program costs. The program directly affects participating DC high school students and OSSE (Office of the State Superintendent of Education), aiming to build a dental assistant workforce pipeline. OSSE must publish student satisfaction surveys and program outcome reports, including certification pass rates and demographic data, after each cohort graduates. If successful, the program could become a permanent career pathway within the District's Health Sciences Cluster of Career and Technical Education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates career prep program for high school students, covering costs and certification, enhancing educational opportunities and workforce development.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 28, 2025

B 26-0144: Change Order 1 & Multiyear Contract No. PO-GF-2024-P-0144-BB by and between the University of the District of Columbia and CDW Government, LLC/Coastal Cloud Approval and Payment Authorization Emergency Act of 2025

This bill approves a $274,409.60 change order and a $3,000,000 multiyear contract for the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) to continue implementing Salesforce as its enterprise-wide customer relationship management (CRM) system. It directly affects UDC by authorizing a total of $4,200,542 to complete Phase I (including the change order) and fund Phase II of the CRM project, which supports recruitment, admissions, marketing, and communications. The contract covers development continuity through September 2026, with Phase I ending in June 2025 and Phase II running from March 2025 to September 2026. This is a procedural budget authorization, not a policy change.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesApproves $4.2M for UDC's CRM project, directly authorizing public university spending on essential administrative systems to support recruitment and operations.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds UDC's CRM system for recruitment/admissions, supporting higher education operations and administrative efficiency.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Apr 22, 2025

B 26-0218: Furthering Admissions Inclusion and Representation (FAIR) Act of 2025

The FAIR Act of 2025 (B 26-0218) bans District of Columbia higher education institutions from using donor or legacy preferences in admissions. It requires these institutions to submit annual reports tracking District residents and graduates of local public schools who apply, are admitted, and enroll. The bill also prohibits the Mayor from issuing or renewing government contracts, grants, or permits to institutions that maintain these preferences. This directly affects all DC colleges and universities operating under the District’s jurisdiction.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBans donor/legacy admissions preferences in DC colleges, requiring reports on local student access. Promotes equitable higher education enrollment, advancing educational access for District residents and public school graduates.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Feb 9, 2026

B 26-0489: PACE Clarification Amendment Act of 2025

The PACE Clarification Amendment Act of 2025 (B 26-0489) requires the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) to assess and rank *all* school facilities - including those previously modernized - using the prioritization criteria from the 2016 PACE Act. This ensures schools needing updates (like those renovated in the early 2000s) are not excluded from modernization planning. The bill also mandates that DCPS and historic preservation agencies create a shared inventory of schools with historic designations or eligibility, along with relevant preservation laws, to streamline future renovations. These changes aim to make facility modernization decisions more equitable and transparent for all DCPS schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires DCPS to assess all school facilities for modernization, ensuring older renovated schools aren't excluded from infrastructure updates.95% confidence

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 7, 2025

B 26-0158: Empower the D.C. State Board of Education Amendment Act of 2025

This bill would increase the authority of the District's elected State Board of Education over educational policies. Currently, the State Board can only approve or reject proposals from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), but the bill would allow it to amend those proposals and also initiate its own policy proposals. If OSSE opposes a State Board request, the bill requires OSSE to provide a written explanation and draft Council resolution within 90 days, after which the Council would decide whether to proceed. This change aims to make the State Board a more active partner in shaping policies affecting DC public schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases State Board authority over education policies, strengthening governance structure without restricting funding or curriculum.95% confidence

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Jul 1, 2025

B 26-0292: Let Students Attend Kindergarten Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This bill temporarily changes kindergarten enrollment rules for District of Columbia students during the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. It exempts children who moved to DC after their previous state's kindergarten cutoff date but before September 30 from truancy rules, and allows enrollment in kindergarten for children under age 6 in public, private, or parochial pre-K programs. It also ensures students previously told they must skip kindergarten (or enrolled as first graders without it) can enroll in kindergarten if their parent or guardian requests it, and guarantees feeder-pattern students who completed 2024-2025 at Hardy Middle School can choose their 2025-2026 high school. The changes expire 225 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands kindergarten access for DC students who moved after cutoff dates, allowing enrollment without truancy penalties or skipping kindergarten.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Jan 9, 2026

B 26-0488: Apprenticeships and Credentials as Pathways to Prosperity Act of 2025

This bill creates a program offering zero-interest forgivable loans to cover tuition and living expenses for District residents pursuing apprenticeships or credentials in high-growth industries like technology, healthcare, construction, and early childhood education. It directly affects D.C. high school graduates and other residents facing financial barriers to training, providing support for tuition, childcare, on-the-job training, and living costs. Participants must live and work in the District after completing their program to qualify for loan forgiveness. The program is funded by a permanent Pathways to Prosperity Fund established under the bill.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides zero-interest forgivable loans for apprenticeships/credentials in high-growth fields, expanding educational access and reducing financial barriers for District residents pursuing training.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill provides forgivable loans for apprenticeships/credentials in high-growth industries, removing financial barriers for workers. This directly advances employment pathways and workforce development, aligning with labor & employment support indic...90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly lists technology as a high-growth industry for apprenticeship funding, directly advancing workforce development in tech through zero-interest loans.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Student Financial Aid Apprenticeships Workforce Development

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signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Jan 23, 2026

B 26-0127: Closing of a Public Alley in Square 5624, S.O. 17-21054, Act of 2025

This bill would close a 12-foot-wide, unused public alley (a "paper alley") within Lee Montessori East End campus in Ward 8. It transfers the land title to the school to enable development of a student play space in the center of its newly expanded campus. The alley currently serves no practical purpose and occupies space the school wants to use for outdoor learning and recreation. The bill follows standard procedures for closing unnecessary alleys under District law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationTransfers unused alley land to school for outdoor learning play space, enhancing educational infrastructure and student programs per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 3, 2026

B 26-0470: Innovate DC Amendment Act of 2025

The Innovate DC Amendment Act of 2025 provides $2 million in matching grants to partnerships between DC universities, hospitals, tech incubators, and economic development organizations to build research commercialization infrastructure. It also establishes a University Proof to Product Research Grant to fund university researchers for proof-of-concept studies, market analysis, and prototype development. The bill directly targets DC’s research institutions to strengthen local innovation capacity and support tech industry growth, addressing gaps in commercialization facilities. These provisions aim to diversify the District’s economy beyond federal government reliance by incentivizing collaboration and technology development within existing local institutions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds university research infrastructure and proof-of-concept grants, directly strengthening higher education institutions and innovation within DC's academic sector.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill allocates $2M in grants for tech research, commercialization, and prototype development, directly advancing technology innovation infrastructure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 7, 2025

B 26-0137: Strengthening Arts in Schools Amendment Act of 2025

This bill creates an "Arts Liaison" position within the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to improve arts education in DC Public Schools (DCPS) and DC Public Charter Schools (DCPCS). The liaison would develop updated arts standards, strengthen curricula, serve as the main contact for schools, support teacher professional development, and connect schools with arts organizations. It directly affects all DCPS and DCPCS schools by addressing current inequities in arts access and outdated standards (last updated in 2008). The bill standardizes support for arts education across all schools rather than creating new funding or programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates Arts Liaison to develop standards, strengthen curricula, and address arts access inequities in DC schools, directly advancing arts education access and teacher support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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