On Monday, Chairman Mendelson announced two NEW "at-risk" weights. This includes $41M over the next 4 years and additional funding bumps for schools with higher populations of “at-risk" students. Parent leaders have fought to increase this funding for YEARS so this is a huge win for families!
2. $2.4M for School-Based Mental Health (SBMH)
Tuesday’s vote confirmed the $2.4M in recurring funding to increase grant sizes for CBO cliniciansproposed by Ward 7 Councilmember Gray during the Committee on Health's mark-up. Our SBMH program and our kids need these clinicians and they deserve this funding!
3. Commitment from Chairman Mendelson to find $300K for a comprehensive cost study to determine the true cost of the SBMH program now and in the future
This budget protected Mayor Bowser’s proposed investment of an additional $15.3M to expand Out-of-School Time (OST) programs and extend OST grant opportunities!
Parent leaders: it ain’t over until it’s OVER (AKA until after the second FY23 budget vote on May 24th and once the budget is signed, sealed, and delivered to Congress), but this is all GREAT NEWS for #ParentPriorities and a testament to YOUR #ParentPower!
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…
PARENT POLICY SUMMIT ISSUE SURVEY RESULTS
When we say PAVE parent leaders drive our work, we mean ALL of our work!
Last month, we launched the PAVE Parent Policy Summit Issue Survey to hear from DC parents and caregivers and learn what education issues matter most to them and their families.
During each of our past three PAVE Parent Policy Summits, parent leaders of diverse backgrounds joined school leaders, elected officials, and education advocacy supporters to engage in deep and empowering conversations and discuss their top policy issues in DC education.
After parent leaders share their stories and hear from other parents about each issue on the ballot, it’s time to VOTE! Only parents, grandparents, and caregivers vote on the TWO issues they want to see amplified for the upcoming school year!
Value 1: All families have access to high-quality schools and the information they need to make the best decisions for their children.
Issue 1: Expand specialized programming in schools (ex. Dual language, STEM, or job/trade training)
Value 2: All schools have adequate and equitable funding to support the needs of children and families.
Issue 2: Adjust UPSFF weights to promote equity (at-risk, English Language Learners, Special Education, etc.)
Value 3: All students have a safe, healthy, and welcoming school environment.
Issue 3:Ensure all students have access to an healthy and modern school building and learning environment
Value 4: All students have access to out of school time and summer school programs that allow them to foster their passions and enrich their learning.
Issue 4:Expand voucher and financial aid options to remove cost as a barrier to access for more families
Value 5: All parents have the resources they need to support the success of their children at home – and in school.
Issue 5:Ensure every school has the resources to support every child’s mental wellness (ex: social emotional learning supports, trauma-informed training, access to school- and community-based mental health professionals, etc)
THANK YOU to all those who took part in this survey! Your voice was CRUCIAL in propelling PAVE's parent-driven policy process forward! But, of course, we are JUST getting started…
During the Summit, you’ll join parent leaders to discuss the FIVE education issues on the ballot and then VOTE on your TOP TWO issues. The winning issues will be the focus of PAVE’s policy agenda for the 2022-2023 school year! Policymakers, school leaders, and other community members will be in the room to witness the true power of your voice.
