Mayor Muriel Bowser gathered District education leaders on Thursday for her annual State of Schools address, highlighting achievements in both public and public charter schools while noting there’s still room for growth.
The mayor and education leaders, including Deputy Mayor for Education Brian Kihn, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferrebee, State Superintendent of Education Antoinette Mitchell and Executive Director of the Public Charter School Board Michelle Walker-Davis, reviewed student performance, school investments and priorities for the 2025-26 academic year.
“D.C. is the fastest improving urban school system,” Kihn said. “We don’t just claim we are, we actually are.”
Kihn noted that the 2025 Statewide Assessment results, which were released two weeks ago, show a 3.6 increase from last year in both English language arts and math proficiency. Students are deemed proficient when they meet or exceed grade-level expectations.
Bowser drew contrasting images from where the school system was 20 years ago to where it is now. In 2003, students were so far behind that it was, in the mayor’s words, “unconscionable.” Fourth graders were 28 points behind students nationwide in reading and 16 points behind in math.
“Last year, our fourth graders were only five points behind students nationwide and one point above their big city peers,” Bowser said. “In fact, our DCPS fourth graders out-performed those students nationwide.”
Last school year, 37.6% of D.C. students were proficient in English language arts — the highest rate ever recorded in the District. In math, 26.4% of students reached proficiency.
Overall, nearly 58% of students are “approaching, meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations” in reading, and nearly 48% in math. Fewer students scored at the lowest levels, “indicating that even when students didn’t reach proficiency, they still showed improvement,” the mayor’s office said.
Kihn said officials are focusing on three key areas to boost academic outcomes: ensuring students feel safe both in and out of school, expanding access to career training and advanced courses, and supporting learning acceleration with extra help for students who are falling behind.
He noted investments in personnel, especially teachers. He said the average salary now for a D.C. teacher is $110,000 per year, “far above what almost everywhere else pays.”
