Bill > B26-0405

This bill establishes a Fifty Dollar a Week Pilot Program administered by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) that will provide a $50 weekly direct cash stipend to eligible students in high-risk high schools in Washington, D.C. for four consecutive school years, starting in 2026-2027. The program targets schools with more than 40% at-risk student populations and requires parental consent for student participation. OSSE will contract with an organization experienced in assessing cash transfer programs to help implement and evaluate the pilot, which aims to study the impact of unconditional cash transfers on student wellbeing, attendance, financial literacy, economic mobility, and academic achievement. The contract awardee will be responsible for selecting participating schools, identifying a cash disbursement method, enrolling eligible students, administering the stipends, and submitting annual progress reports to OSSE and the D.C. Council. The bill defines key terms such as "direct cash stipend" as unconditional, recurring cash provided directly to students, and "eligible student" as a student enrolled for the entire school year in a participating school with parental consent.

https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B26-0405