The District’s education agency is the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). OSSE’s Postsecondary & Career Education division functions as the de‑facto statewide higher‑education office—setting and funding priorities for aid, dual enrollment, and workforce‑aligned efforts—while the Higher Education Licensure Commission regulates independent institutions and authorization (including NC‑SARA). With one public university (University of the District of Columbia, which include UDC Community College), governance is streamlined: UDC’s appointed Board sets institutional policy, and OSSE coordinates cross‑sector student‑success initiatives and financial aid.
