Thank you all again for the quick turn around time on the Boundary Study Petition and I wish I could tell you that our work is done and we can all just sit back and enjoy 2024!
Unfortunately that's far from the case. The Mayor released her budget (late again) last month and, as promised, it is the worst budget we've seen yet. Most of the schools in DC are being severely underfunded and, as a result, will have to lay off staff. Bigger and smaller schools are hit the worst so many of the schools up here in Ward 3 and many of the most severely under-resourced schools in Wards 7 & 8.
Working on getting people to testify at the budget hearings that will be happening in April but for now we really need your help again.
Building off of an ANC letter, a few other resolutions and with input from city leaders and parents from across the city, this is the petition we've come up with.
Please reach out with any questions and I appreciate your help once again.
To be clear, this budget is going to hit all of our kids hard. Fewer teachers means kids with IEPs and 504s won't get the support they need-this is actually already happening because there just aren't enough seats in the area for kids who need the most supports. Rather than addressing THIS issue, DCPS has 'reclassified' some of these students and put them in entirely inappropriate classrooms and schools. Our teachers and staff are doing the best they can but many of our most skilled and specialized teachers are ready to quit because they can't be a part of this broken system anymore.
Not being able to offer any supports to students who are struggling and increasing class sizes will mean teachers won't be able to teach any of our students effectively.
So please take a few seconds to sign the petition and then send it to your networks.
We're hoping to be able to present this before the April 3rd budget hearing so that our Councilmembers, Mayor, and DCPS Chancellor know that this matters to us and that we NEED to find solutions that don't involve laying off teachers.