Standing Ovation brings together approximately 600 of DC’s business leaders, philanthropic champions, education partners, and civic leaders alongside DCPS educators, school staff, school leaders, and administrators, including the DC Mayor in past years. It is a celebration for the entire DC public education community.

Tickets to Standing Ovation are reserved for award recipients, DCPS leadership, event sponsors, and invited guests. Individual tickets are not available for purchase. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please visit: https://dcedfund.org/standing-ovation/so27-sponsorship-prospectus/

Standing Ovation is a formal affair. We encourage guests to dress in their finest! Think cocktail attire or formal wear.

Standing Ovation raises critical private funds that support DCPS’ highest-priority and most innovative initiatives for students. Since 2010, the event has raised more than $2 million to elevate the teaching profession and invest in the future of DC public education. This year’s event is particularly special. DC now ranks #1 in the nation in both math and reading recovery, graduation rates are at their highest in over a decade, and thousands more students are showing up to school engaged and ready to learn. Standing Ovation 2027 is our community’s opportunity to send a clear message to the educators who made this progress possible: we see you, we celebrate you, and we are committed to keeping this momentum going.

Each year, we source recommendations from the DCPS community, including parents, students, and fellow educators. Nominees are then invited to complete a brief application, which is reviewed by a selection panel. Finalists are interviewed and visited at their schools before winners are announced via a surprise visit across the district.

Nominations for the 2027 Standing Ovation are now closed. The nomination process for the following year’s event will open again in May 2027. We encourage you to mark your calendars!

Please email events@dcedfund.org with additional questions. Someone will response within 1-2 business days. For sponsorship-related questions, contact Emerald Adeyemi at eadeyemi@dcedfund.org.