Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated the official opening of the newly modernized Harriet Tubman Elementary School, marking the completion of a $91 million project designed to provide an enhanced educational environment for students in Ward 1. The event included local leaders from DC Public Schools (DCPS), the DC Department of General Services (DGS), and community members, all gathered to acknowledge the transformation of the school, which originally opened in the 1960s.
During her remarks, Mayor Bowser highlighted the significant growth of the District’s public school enrollment, which has risen from approximately 70,000 to 100,000 students over the past two decades. She attributed this increase to the city’s commitment to building high-quality educational facilities and employing skilled educators. The modernization of Harriet Tubman, initially planned as a partial renovation, evolved into a complete rebuild after structural assessments revealed that much of the existing framework could not be safely retained.
The newly constructed school features a range of modern amenities, including playgrounds for early childhood and K-5 students, a gymnasium, an auditorium, and dedicated spaces for music and yoga. Built to Net Zero Ready standards, the facility incorporates sustainable features such as geothermal heating and cooling, which are expected to lower long-term operating costs and serve as practical demonstrations of clean energy for students.
The project also demonstrated local economic impact, achieving 50% participation from Certified Business Enterprises (CBEs) and employing 152 DC residents during construction. This approach reflects the city’s strategy to ensure that local businesses and workers benefit from public infrastructure investments.
In addition to the physical upgrades, the new Tubman Elementary School is set to enhance educational opportunities, including partnerships like the Mini-Med afterschool program with Howard University College of Medicine, which provides students with early exposure to health and science careers. Interim Chancellor of DCPS, Dr. Kim Jackson, emphasized that the modernized facility will foster rigorous academic challenges and enrichment opportunities for its students.
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