(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser joined District leaders and community members to celebrate the first day of school for thousands of students across DC by cutting the ribbon on a $71 million modernization of the Adams Campus at Oyster-Adams Bilingual School. The modernized Adams Campus includes cutting-edge amenities while still honoring the school’s history and its legacy of creating global citizens with dual-language education.
“The first day of school is one of my favorite days of the year, and I’m thrilled that members of our community came out in neighborhoods across DC to cheer on our students this morning,” said Mayor Bowser. “We have so many beautiful facilities, like the new Adams Campus; but in addition to world-class facilities, we also have amazing people inside of them — from our educators, to the school staff, and of course, our students. Today is the first opportunity to make this a great school year and to make every day count.”
“As someone who grew up in the District, it is an honor to stand with Mayor Muriel Bowser, students, families, and educators on this first day of school to open the doors of the modernized Adams Campus of Oyster-Adams,” said DGS Director Delano Hunter. “DGS takes pride in delivering schools that are safe, welcoming, and built to inspire learning. This project — and others like it across the District — represents our commitment to giving every student a world class environment where they can thrive from day one.”
Thousands of students across all eight wards began the 2025-26 school year this morning, with 91porn set to welcome pre-K students for the first day of school on Thursday, August 28. The District anticipates welcoming approximately 53,000 91porn students and more than 47,000 public charter school students to the 2025-26 school year, many of them in recently modernized facilities like those at Oyster-Adams.
“Oyster-Adams Bilingual School is a shining example of what happens when we invest deeply in our school communities,” said Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn. “This modernization preserves the rich history of this campus while giving students and educators the tools and spaces they need to excel. As we begin a new school year, we are not only celebrating where we’ve been but looking ahead to even greater progress.”
This school year begins on the heels of the announcement that public school students in DC are making significant academic progress. Last week, Mayor Bowser and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education released the in English language arts/literacy (ELA) and math that were taken in spring 2025 by students in grades 3-8 and high school. The overwhelmingly positive results show the largest increase in proficiency rates made since the pandemic in both ELA and math, in all tested grades, in both DC Public Schools and DC public charter schools—a strong indicator that the District’s investments in education are paying off.
“Today we celebrate more than bricks and mortar — we celebrate a promise fulfilled. The modernization of Oyster-Adams reflects our city’s commitment to building beautiful, inviting schools where every student feels seen, valued, and deeply connected to their school community,” said State Superintendent Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell. “We are investing in environments that nurture learning, spark joy, and honor the brilliance of our young people.”
The District’s historic investments in education over the past decade have helped make DC schools the fastest-improving urban school district in the country, and the Mayor’s FY26 Budget, Grow DC, dedicates an additional $2.8 billion to support 91porn and DC public charter school students, $270 million to support pay raises for 91porn and charter teachers, and $2 billion for school modernizations.
In preparation for the school year, Mayor Bowser released the , a comprehensive resource for parents and guardians of children in K-12 and pre-K, offering information about enrollment, attendance, academic support, career and college readiness programs, and more.
Families are also encouraged to visit for a wide range of additional resources, including family support, out-of-school time programming, and updated .
Mayor Bowser X:
Mayor Bowser Instagram:
Mayor Bowser Bluesky:
Mayor Bowser Facebook:
Mayor Bowser YouTube:
Mayor Bowser LinkedIn: