DC launches centralized office to coordinate school safety

Washington, DC, has launched a centralized School Safety Office that the District describes as its first hub for coordinating school-safety supports across the city’s public, charter, private and parochial schools.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education announced the office July 16, 2026, during the annual Citywide Campus Safety Summit. The new office is intended to create a District-level point of coordination for schools operating in several sectors.

Coordination across school sectors

The School Safety Office is intended to serve DC Public Schools, public charter schools, private schools and parochial schools. Its stated work includes coordinating safety supports, behavioral-health resources and school-safety guidance.

That scope puts the office’s focus on shared support and guidance across the District’s different school systems. The announcement identifies coordination of those resources as the office’s role.

The District’s announcement did not identify a staffing level, budget or director for the new office. It also did not provide details about how schools will access the office’s supports or guidance.

AI assistant planned before school year

Before the start of the 2026–27 school year, the office plans to launch a 24/7 School Safety AI Assistant for school staff. The assistant is planned to use a vetted, DC-specific knowledge base.

The AI Assistant remains a planned component of the new office, rather than a tool confirmed as already available. The District did not announce a date more specific than before the beginning of the 2026–27 school year.

The 24/7 availability and DC-specific knowledge base are among the announced features of the planned tool. The District has not provided additional public details in its announcement about the assistant’s launch schedule.

What happens next

The next stated milestone is the planned rollout of the School Safety AI Assistant before the 2026–27 school year begins. In the meantime, the School Safety Office is the centralized structure the District has identified for coordinating safety support, behavioral-health resources and school-safety guidance for schools across Washington.

The announcement establishes the office and outlines its intended reach, but leaves its staffing, budget and leadership unspecified. It also does not provide a more precise date for the planned AI Assistant.