Last Tuesday, the DC Council took its final vote, officially passing the nearly $22 billion, which comprises the Fiscal Year 2027 Local Budget Act of 2026 (“LBA”) and the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Support Act of 2026 (“BSA”). This serves as a significant step forward in efforts to realize resource equity for all students in the District. There is, however, still work to be done in the coming years to truly close the gap so that all schools are funded fairly.

In the last several weeks, hundreds of members of our education community took action to expand educational opportunity for DC students under the #ClosetheGapDC banner. Through petitions, digital outreach, and direct correspondence with Councilmembers, we helped secure a budget that takes critical steps to close the gap in preK-12 funding, academic achievement, and degrees and credentials for high school graduates.

Looking ahead, our dedicated coalition—comprising students, families, and educators—remains steadfast in our advocacy for the educational excellence every child deserves.

For a more detailed dive into the final components of the budget, we have compiled an LBA summary and BSA summary of how the funds will be spent.