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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This emergency resolution amends District of Columbia school enrollment policies to ensure children who turn five before September 30 (but after their home state's cutoff) can attend kindergarten when moving to DC, and prevents families from being reported for truancy if children attend private or parochial pre-kindergarten programs. It specifically requires DC Public Schools to permit kindergarten enrollment for these students instead of forcing them into first grade, and stops the misapplication of truancy rules against children in quality pre-k programs. The resolution directly affects families with children in private/parochial pre-k programs and families relocating to DC during the school year. It addresses immediate policy changes to align with existing age cutoffs and prevent educational disruption for affected students.
