Mayor Bowser Announces 2.55% Increase to the UPSFF Foundation Level
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
(Washington, DC) – Today, as the city faces one of its most challenging fiscal environments, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the District will continue to build on the success of the city’s public schools by investing in a 2.55% increase to the uniform per student funding formula (UPSFF) foundation level.
The proposed increase, which brings the foundation level to $15,455, will support close to 100,000 students projected to enroll in DC Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools next year and will cover salary increases achieved through the last Washington Teachers’ Union contract.
“We have the fastest-improving urban school system in the nation because we have stayed focused on what works for our students, educators, and families. We’ve invested in a system that works for our community,” said Mayor Bowser. “I’m proud of those investments, but I’m even prouder that we have results to show for them – higher graduation rates, higher teacher retention rates, increased enrollment, and the largest increase in proficiency rates since the pandemic. This budget is an investment in our students’ continued progress.”
Local funding for schools has doubled over the past 10 years, from $1.4 billion to more than $2.8 billion, with the UPSFF foundation level increasing by over 60% and consistent increases to support the needs of special education and at-risk students. With these investments:
Statewide scores on DC CAPE in ELA and math improved by 3.6 percentage points in each subject, bringing ELA proficiency back to pre-pandemic levels.
DC improved or stayed steady across all grades and tested subject areas of the Nation’s Report Card (NAEP), while the national average fell.
NAEP fourth grade math proficiency increased by 8 points and tied with Delaware for the jurisdiction demonstrating the largest improvement nationally.
DCPS is the only urban district to make significant or nominal increases in all four grade and subject combinations tested by NAEP and continues to be recognized as the fastest improving urban school district.
District teachers are among the best paid in the nation, with the highest starting teacher salary in the nation, and DC’s same-school educator retention rate rose to 78%.
Graduation rates have continued to climb, growing to an all-time high of 78.7% in the 2024-25 school year and rising 2.6 percentage points from the previous school year. Since 2015, graduation rates have grown by 23% or 14.7 percentage points.
Today’s UPSFF announcement closely follows the release of DCPS’ FY 2027 initial school budgets. The DCPS budget model is based on three factors: enrollment, targeted support, and year-over-year sustainability. DCPS will continue the implementation of a School Sustainability Fund to ensure each DCPS school can maintain appropriate teacher-to-student ratios and adequate staffing. The District also announced a new modernization budget assistance process that will allow DCPS schools to apply for one‑time resources when relocating to swing spaces during modernizations.
“The progress our students are making reflects the resilience of our school communities and the collective commitment of our educators, families, and partners,” said DCPS Chancellor Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee. “Even with financial constraints, the FY 2027 budget reinforces that commitment by sustaining core classroom supports that ensure high‑quality instruction in every classroom, expanding enrichment opportunities that strengthen students’ sense of belonging, and providing postsecondary pathways that set our young people up for success beyond DCPS.”
Initial FY 2027 budgets for each of DCPS’ 117 schools can be viewed on budget.dcps.dc.gov. The full set of education investments will be released as part of Mayor Bowser’s FY 2027 proposed budget.