DC Students Succeed Coalition Statement on Mayor Bowser’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget

The DC Students Succeed Coalition released a follow-up statement to last week’s initial statement based on a full review of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget:

We appreciate Mayor Bowser’s continued commitment to investing in public education and supporting the students and families who rely on it every day. A 2.55% increase to the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula, meaningful investments in High-Impact Tutoring, and continued support for Advanced Technical Centers will all have a positive impact on DC students. 

At the same time, a full review of the FY27 budget makes clear that significant funding disparities persist between DC Public Schools and public charter schools. As proposed, public charter schools would receive approximately $2,000 less per student in operating funds beginning this fall. 

This gap has nearly doubled from last year, continuing a concerning trend over time away from the core principle that has helped drive DC’s progress: funding students fairly, regardless of the type of public school they attend.

DC’s status as one of the fastest improving jurisdictions in the country is not by chance. It is the result of sustained investment in a system of public school choice anchored in equitable funding. Across both sectors, we are seeing what is possible when schools have the resources to implement what works. From high-impact tutoring and strong instructional leadership to data-driven teaching and student-centered supports, schools across both DCPS and the public charter sector are delivering remarkable gains for students, including those from historically underserved communities, when given the resources to do so .

The Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) was designed to ensure that funding follows students and is applied fairly across all public schools. When that principle is not upheld, it undermines both equity and outcomes.

At a time when DC has a clear roadmap for accelerating student achievement, we should be strengthening - not stepping back from - the policies that are driving success.

As the DC Council takes up the Mayor’s proposed budget, we urge them to ensure that all operating funding is allocated through the UPSFF and applied fairly and consistently to every public school student. Sustaining DC’s progress depends on staying true to the principle that has brought us this far: equitable investment in every student.