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Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Zachary Parker 3
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A BILL 7
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 11
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To amend the State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000 to establish a grant program to 16
provide a $50 weekly direct cash stipend to eligible students in participating schools in 17
the District of Columbia. 18
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 20
act may be cited as the “Youth Financial Literacy Pilot Amendment Act of 2025”. 21
Sec. 2. The State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000, effective October 21, 22
2000 (D.C. Law 13-176; D.C. Official Code § 38-2601 et seq.), is amended by adding a new 23
section 7j to read as follows: 24
“Sec. 7j. Fifty Dollar a Week Pilot Program. 25
“(a) Beginning in School Year 2026-2027 and for the three subsequent School Years, 26
OSSE shall administer a Fifty Dollar a Week Pilot Program to provide a $50 weekly direct cash 27
stipend to eligible students in participating schools in the District of Columbia for 40 weeks and 28
shall study its effects on student wellbeing, attendance, and financial literacy. 29
“(b) OSSE shall contract with an organization that has experience assessing the 30
effectiveness of a cash transfer program for high school students—including the impact of direct, 31
unconditional cash transfers on financial hardship, financial capability, upward economic 32
mobility, and academic achievement; 33
“(c) In consultation with OSSE, the contract awardee shall issue a call for applications 34
and select participating schools for the pilot by July 1, 2026 for the School Year 2026-2027 and 35
by July 1 of each subsequent School Year the pilot is administered. Participation in the pilot shall 36
be based on criteria OSSE establishes. 37
“(d) In consultation with OSSE, the contract awardee shall: 38
“(1) Identify an appropriate method to disburse the direct cash stipend; 39
“(2) Invite eligible students at participating high schools to enroll in the $50 40
study; 41
“(3) Enroll eligible students; 42
“(4) Administer the direct cash stipend to eligible students participating in the 43
Fifty Dollar a Week Pilot Program; 44
“(5) Evaluate the efficacy of the program; and, 45
“(6) Submit on October 1 of each year during the grant period an annual progress 46
report to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education and the Council of the District of 47
Columbia on program performance. 48
“(e) For the purposes of this section, the term: 49
“(1) “Direct cash stipend” means unconditional, recurring cash provided directly 50
to middle and high school students. 51
“(2) “Participating school” means a D.C. public or public charter high school with 52
an at-risk student population that exceeds 40% of the school's total enrollment that is 53
participating in the pilot program. 54
“(3) “Eligible student” means a student enrolled in a participating school for the 55
entire school year at a participating school and whose parent or guardian consents to their 56
participation in the Fifty Dollar a Week Pilot Program.”. 57
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 58
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 59
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 60
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 61
Sec. 4. Effective date. 62
This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 63
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 64
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 65
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 66
Columbia Register. 67