State Education Agency

The State Education Agency was created to ensure effective oversight of federal funding for DCPS and charter schools. In 2007 this function was transferred to the newly created Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The functions were transferred to OSSE to allow for a legitimate "state" education agency instead of federal dollars for public charter schools being facilitated by DCPS, where the State Education Agency was originally housed.

OSSE is charged with raising the quality of education for all DC residents. OSSE serves as the District’s liaison to the U.S. Department of Education and works closely with the District’s traditional and public charter schools to achieve its key functions:

• Overseeing all federal education programs and related grants administered in the District of Columbia.
• Developing state-level standards aligned with school, college, and workforce readiness expectations.
• Ensuring access to high-quality child care and universal pre-kindergarten for eligible District families.
• Providing resources and support to assist the District’s most vulnerable student populations.
• Administering the annual Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), the statewide student academic achievement exam.
• Providing regional, door-to-door transportation to school for District children with special needs.
• Awarding higher education financial assistance to eligible District students at public and private colleges and universities in DC and across the country.
• Increasing health and physical education awareness as well as ensuring access to free meals year-round.
• Overseeing the DC State Athletic Association (DCSAA), which provides interscholastic athletic programming that enriches the education experiences of all student-athletes.
• Providing a one-stop source of statewide school data on each traditional and public charter school as well as resources to support children from birth to post-secondary education