A 5.9% increase to the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF)
A new $36M Recovery Fund to stabilize budgets for DCPS and charter schools
A pay increase for substitute teachers!
Regarding #ParentPriorities, Mayor Bowser also promised a multi year investment of $27M for School-Based Mental Health (SBMH) and is planning to announce more $$ for OST programs. Click here to say thank you to Mayor Bowser!
Last week, PAVE parent leaders officially wrapped up DC Parent Voice and Choice Week(DCPVCW) 2022 with one final meeting with Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George. Now that their powerful week(s) of advocacy are complete, we’re taking this time to pause, reflect, and CELEBRATE their amazing #ParentPower!
Just SOME of the faces of the amazing parents who led and participated in DCPVCW!
The #PurpleWave was in the Zoom room and on social media in full force, and policymakers NOTICED.
>> STOOD UP
Every DCPVCW meeting this year (and every year!) was led by parent leaders who stood up and stepped into leadership roles to host these critical dialogues.
In each meeting, one parent leader took on the role of Meeting Chairto set the stage for the meeting with some opening remarks, keep the meeting running smoothly, and to facilitate dialogue between parent leaders and District leaders. Chairs met multiple times in advance of DCPVCW to prepare and strategize, and they did such an amazing job.
Major snaps to all of this year’s Meeting Chairs!
These powerful discussions also wouldn’t have been possible without the 119 parent leaders who took the time to create and share questions that paired stories and experiences with policy solutions for their #ParentPriorities that our decisionmakers needed to HEAR! Each parent who asked a question shared so openly and vulnerably, and we cannot thank each of you enough.
Join us in sending a huge thank you to all of this year’s Question Askers!
The reality is that even though progress has been made around funding for each of these issues - progress that PAVE parent leaders have fought hard for for years - families are still not seeing SBMH supports and OST programsdelivered equitably in our communities. During DCPVCW, parents shared directly with policymakers about how their Statements of Beliefs on each issue are a roadmap for how to get dollars to families fairly.
And the conversations were rich in discussion! Parents built relationships with policymakers (sometimes through a shared love of cats), pushed back on answers that were vague or noncommittal, and promised to follow up on the promises policymakers made. Policymakers responded with requests to keep the conversation going, committed to further partnership with parent leaders, promised to include parents’ funding asks in their budget letters to Mayor Bowser, and MORE! Each meeting was truly full of #ParentPower.
“I would be foolish not to want to say I want to come have this conversation with you. You help me do my job better. I learn something every single time I do this, and we find some areas to partner on. I would hope that every elected official would see that opportunity in the chance to talk to you.” -Ward 6 DC Councilmember Allen during the Ward 6 DCPVCW meeting
THANK YOU FOR MAKING DCPVCW 2022 A SUCCESS!
DCPVCW this year would NOT have been possible without the support and participation of all our District leaders who joined each meeting, community partners and supporters who shared about #ParentPriorities throughout the week, and, of course, the parents whose leadership and advocacy shined in each meeting!
Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray* - NOTE: Ward 7 parent leaders hosted this meeting with Councilmember Gray’s Chief of Staff, Sheila Bunn. We continue to wish Councilmember Gray a speedy recovery and look forward to his ongoing partnership!
We’re ALREADY seeing the impact of parents’ advocacy!
This past Monday, Mayor Bowser announced big investments in DC schools! This is the largest increase in education funding in years and will no doubt have an incredible impact on the lives of children, families, educators, and the entire DC community.
Even with these MAJOR and HISTORIC investments, PAVE parent leaders know the work does not end here! Parent leaders are READY to continue advocating for SBMH supports and OST programs!
And you TOO can support their #ParentPriorities! Take just a few minutes to ADD YOUR NAME to both of parent leaders’ Statements of Beliefs for SBMH supports and OST programs. With your support, our District leaders will hear the calls to make parents’ visions a reality in the District!
Be on the lookout because the #PurpleWave is COMING!
