DC Council Takes First Vote on Increased Education Support in 2027 Budget

The 2027 DC budget raises the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula — the mechanism through which the District allocates operating funds to both DC public schools and public charter schools — to a foundation level of $15,648 per student, a 3.84% increase over fiscal year 2026. The formula is multiplied by grade-level weights to determine how much each student generates. For example, a pre-kindergarten-3 student would generate $20,968 and a high school student $18,855. The total formula-driven budget would be approximately $2.66 billion across both school systems. The increase to the foundation level also restores nearly $15.7 million in one-time financing to public charter schools for fiscal year 2027.

The budget also provides $3.9 million in supplemental funding across 22 individual DC public schools to comply with the Schools First in Budgeting Act, which ensures minimum funding levels at each campus. 

The budget establishes a new funding stream for Advanced Technical Centers — open-enrollment sites where high school students can pursue career and technical education while remaining enrolled in their home school — at $8,964 per student, providing approximately $4.6 million in fiscal year 2027. For public charter schools, the budget reverses a proposed pause on the required 3.1% annual increase to the per-pupil facility allowance — a separate payment that helps cover building costs — restoring $42.3 million over the four-year financial plan. Additionally, $2.7 million in one-time funding would go to St. Coletta Special Education Public Charter School to support aides for 21 additional students and expand therapy services.

The budget’s largest single education investment is $72 million for the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund — a nationally recognized program that supplements childcare teacher salaries to bring them closer to parity with public school educators. The Mayor’s proposed budget had eliminated most of this funding, but a $60 million one-time restoration ensures participating facilities can continue paying assistant teachers a minimum of $48,736 per year and lead teachers with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education at least $71,010 per year. Without these funds, childcare facilities operating on narrow margins could face closures.

Equally significant is a $49 million one-time investment to remove the waitlist for the Child Care Subsidy Program, which helps eligible families afford childcare so parents can work or attend school. Without the enhancement, the Mayor’s proposed budget would have supported fewer than 6,300 children monthly, down from approximately 8,100 enrolled as of this May. The budget also establishes a contingency process requiring the program to limit new enrollments or revise provider rates — with at least 10 business days’ notice to the Council — if funds prove insufficient. District of Columbia Public Schools would also be directed to study the feasibility of establishing early childhood microcenters within public school buildings to serve the children of educators and school staff.

Within DC public schools, the budget restores five Connected Schools manager positions and three New Heights coordinator positions supporting students who are pregnant or parenting. It provides $2.4 million for the Community Schools Grant Program, which integrates academic, health, and social services at school sites, and funds a math specialist, two literacy coaches, and experiential learning grants.

The budget supports higher education and adult learning through $6.25 million for the University of the District of Columbia, including $250,000 for its Community College’s scholarship program for child development credentialing. A $1.4 million grant to the Washington Literacy Center would fund adult foundational and digital literacy education, workforce training, and youth programming. A $150,000 grant would train at least 25 District high school students to become certified nurse aides, creating a pipeline into the health care workforce.

All provisions described in this alert are contingent on final passage and enactment of the 2027 DC budget and may be subject to further amendment during the legislative process.