Mayor Bowser Reminds Families to Complete the My School DC Lottery for the 2026-27 School Year

(Washington, DC) -Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) are reminding families of two upcoming deadlines for the My School DC lottery, the common application for all participating public and public charter schools in the District. The deadline for students entering grades 9 through 12 is Monday, February 2 at 11:59 pm, and the deadline for students entering pre-K through Grade 8 is Monday, March 2 at 11:59 pm. Families can visit myschooldc.org and apply to as many as 12 schools.

"DC is home to an extraordinary variety of public and public charter schools - each one with unique programs, cultures and pathways for student success," said State Superintendent Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell. "The My School DC Lottery empowers families to navigate those choices with confidence. We want every parent to feel supported in finding the environment where their child will thrive academically, socially and emotionally."

A My School DC Lottery application is required only:

if your child will be a new pre-K student at a DC Public Schools (DCPS) school (including your in-boundary school), or

if you want your child to be a new student at:

• a dual-language strand at any DCPS school (in-boundary or out-of-boundary)
• a selective, citywide or out-of-boundary DCPS school
• any DC public charter school

The My School DC hotline is available Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, to support families as they navigate the lottery process. The hotline can be reached at 202-888-6336 or by emailing [email protected]. The team is equipped with bilingual staff and has access to interpreters through an interpretation service to support non-English speakers.

My School DC will announce lottery results on March 27, 2026. For families who miss the February 2 lottery deadline for grades 9 through 12, a post-lottery application will open on Tuesday, February 3. The post-lottery application will expand to all grades on Tuesday, March 3 for families who miss either of the application deadlines. Post-lottery applicants are added to schools' waitlists after those who applied by the lottery deadline. More information on waitlists is available here.

Last year's My School DC Lottery had the highest match rate since the lottery began. Nearly 22,500 applicants applied to the 2025-26 school year lottery, with 75% of applicants offered a seat at a school to which they applied.

Under Mayor Bowser's leadership, the District has made sustained investments to strengthen public education and expand opportunity for students. More than $3.6 billion has been invested to modernized schools across the city, while also expanding college and career pathways through initiatives such as the Advanced Technical Centers in Ward 5 and Ward 8 and the Advanced Internship Program. Together, these programs provide students with hands-on learning, college credit, and real-world skills that prepare them for success beyond the classroom.

These investments are delivering results. DC students have made gains in English language arts and math, and the DC SAYS survey shows that the vast majority of students report having supportive relationships at school. Those strong learning environments are reinforced by a stable and experienced workforce: the Mayor recently announced that DC teacher retention is at a five-year high, with principal retention continuing to rise. By retaining more experienced and effective educators, District schools are providing greater consistency in the classroom-and giving students even more opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.

More information about the My School DC Lottery is available at myschooldc.org.

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