Opportunities for Budget Stakeholder Input
Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Budget Engagement
The DCPS budget cycle is a year-round process that provides opportunities for stakeholders across our community — including parents, students, principals, teachers, and staff — to be engaged in the development of their schools’ budgets.
One of the most meaningful ways for engagement occurs at the school-level through the Local School Advisory Team (LSAT). The LSAT is a group of elected and appointed members that exists for every DCPS school. The team consists of parents, teachers, non-instructional school staff, a community member, and in some cases, students. This team advises the principal on matters that promote high expectations and achievement for all students, including the development of the school’s budget. Ultimately, principals and Instructional Superintendents (who oversee clusters of schools) have the final say on the budget.
Throughout budget development, there are several LSAT-specific education and engagement opportunities between the budget team and LSATs as well as engagements for principals and LSATs facilitated by the budget team. For more general information about LSATs, go to https://dcps.dc.gov/page/local-school-advisory-teams-lsat.
The other annual engagement that is required by DC Law is the Public Budget Hearing. In the fall, DCPS’ Chancellor convenes an annual Public Budget Hearing to hear from DCPS stakeholders about what they would like to see in the upcoming fiscal year budget. Stakeholders provide testimony captured on record. Per DC Code 38-917 this hearing must take place no later than November 30th.
DCPS Budget Timeline
October – December 2024
Continue engagement, finalize budget decisions and share information with the public
- Student Engagement
- Public Hearing
- LSAT Engagement
- Enrollment Projections Released
January – April 2025
LSAT Engagement and prepare school budgets for FY26 (SY 2025-2026)
- LSAT Targeted Support
- Initial school budget allocations released
- Technical Assistance and School Budgets finalized
FY26 Public Budget Hearing
The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) convened a public budget hearing at 6:00PM on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. The purpose of the hearing was to gather input from the public about the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026 (School Year 2025-2026) budget. Please see below for the hearing transcription.
