Mayor Bowser Breaks Ground on $22 Million Barnard Elementary Addition, Highlights FY26 Investments in School Modernizations

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser joined the Barnard Elementary School community to break ground on the school’s $22 million addition. The project will eliminate the use of temporary trailers, bring all students under one roof, and provide access to modern, sustainable, and inclusive learning environments.

“Barnard is a community where students are thriving, families are engaged, and educators are going above and beyond. This new addition will create a much-needed space that brings students and teachers together,” said Mayor Bowser. “I’m very proud of the world-class facilities that we’ve built across all eight wards, but I’m even more proud of the students and educators who bring these spaces to life and the families who vote with their feet by enrolling and re-enrolling in our public schools each year.”

Set to be completed by July 2026, the new 21,000-square-foot addition will include 12 general education classrooms, a hands-on “Specials Lab,” dedicated special education spaces, and sustainability features such as a green roof, new playfield, and bioretention ponds.

“This project represents the best of what public infrastructure can do,” said DGS Director Delano Hunter. “We are proud to deliver a project that aligns with Mayor Bowser’s priorities for safe, sustainable schools across all eight wards and to create opportunities that inspire learning and strengthen neighborhoods.” 

Students from Barnard’s art classes participated in the groundbreaking, sharing their own imaginative renderings of the upcoming school addition. Their artwork reflects the excitement and pride this investment brings to the school community.

“This addition at Barnard reflects families' growing belief in their neighborhood schools,” said DC Public Schools Chancellor, Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee. “Mayor Bowser’s continued investment in providing scholars with state-of-the-art learning facilities allows the Barnard Bears and students across many other DCPS communities to learn in world-class educational environments.” 

Mayor Bowser also highlighted investments in her FY26 Budget, Grow DC, which includes $2 billion for 30 school modernizations, $148 million for small capital improvements such as HVAC, window replacements, and athletic field upgrades, and $10.7 million to replace and modernize school technology and IT infrastructure. These investments reflect the Mayor’s continued commitment to building high-quality learning facilities that strengthen neighborhoods and support student success. Additionally, earlier this year, Mayor Bowser announced a 2.74% increase to the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) foundation level for FY26, bringing it to $15,070 per student. This investment will support nearly 100,000 students and builds on last year’s historic increase, helping schools maintain strong staffing and academic momentum. Learn more at budget.dc.gov.

The addition was designed by Ashley McGraw Architects and will be constructed by GCS-Sigal under the management of DGS Project Manager Ryan Walker. 

For more information on this project, visit dgs.dc.gov/page/dcps-school-projects.

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