DC Line: Advocates to mayor: Make investments that put DC’s children first
At Children’s Law Center, we strongly believe that it’s time to build a DC budget that puts children first. That’s why we, in partnership with six other advocate organizations, wrote an Op-Ed for The DC Line urging District leaders to make three critical investments that will ensure ALL DC children learn:
1) Boost per pupil funding to support the students who need it most;
2) Expand school-based mental health across more schools; and
3) Prioritize DC’s youngest children with high-quality, affordable childcare.
This week, residents across the District are gathering with Mayor Muriel Bowser and her administration for her three budget engagement forums. The first conversation took place Tuesday night in the newly renovated Edgewood Recreation Center — a valuable $18 million investment for Ward 5 families.
Just two weeks ago, Bowser made an important announcement: She is proposing a 4% increase on the District’s per student spend, in both traditional and charter public schools.
These are just two strong signs that the mayor and DC Council know how essential it is to invest in our city’s children and families. They are an even stronger indication that DC is doing extremely well financially.
But we are at a significant juncture. While DC is benefiting from a level of economic growth not seen in decades, we know that not all DC families are feeling the effects. How do we leverage this moment to create the DC we want for all our children?
We see three important priorities for the mayor’s budget to ensure that all DC children learn.