Dear WTU Family,

I hope you had a good week and enjoyed the beautiful warm weekend with cherry blossoms in full bloom across our city. Last week was eventful for our Union, with significant developments both locally and nationally that directly impact our students, our schools, and our profession.

On March 26, the WTU was notified that a representative from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security attempted to enter a DCPS school to inquire about an employee's immigration status. WTUleadership directly contacted the WTU Building Representative at this school and the DCPS Chancellor. According to both individuals, the OAG Guidance on Immigration Enforcement was followed, and the representative from DHS did not enter the school building. The WTU will continue to urge all members to follow the OAG Guidance on Immigration Enforcement for DC schools.

On March 27, AFT President Weingarten and I sent a letter to all U.S. House of Representatives offices urging swift passage of the District of Columbia Local Funds Act, 2025. The Senate unanimously approved this bill on March 14th. We continue to encourage all WTU members to call U.S. House Representatives to pass this bill without any amendments. Please call after your tour of duty. We hope everyone will participate to keep the District from losing $1 billion in cuts to our local budget of which $358 million would be from public education.

Lastly, the current administration issued executive orders that directly impact public education and our members. Please consider coming out to the Hands-Off Rally at the Washington Monument on Saturday, April 5th to stand up for democracy and freedom and stop the current administration and the billionaire power grab. Please reach out to WTU’s organizer, Mike Roland, at 202-957-1782 if you plan on attending.

I hope everyone has a peaceful, productive, and very safe week as we get closer to a well-deserve Spring Break.

In solidarity,
Jacqueline Pogue Lyons
President, Washington Teachers' Union

Last Thursday, AFT President Weingarten and WTU President Pogue Lyons sent a letter to all U.S. House of Representatives offices urging them to swiftly bring the District of Columbia Local Funds Act, 2025 to the floor and pass it as the Senate unanimously approved on March 14th. You can read this letter by clicking here.

Our partners at Free DC, have created a call list and a call script to encourage the U.S. House of Representatives to pass this bill without any amendments. If not, D.C. will face a $1 billion cut in our local budget, of which $358 million would be from public education. 

We are urging all WTU members to call Representatives after your tour of duty. Additionally, if you have friends and relatives who live outside of D.C., please ask them to reach out to their Representative to support this bill.

The 2025 WTU Elections are upon us! Click the link to access the 2025 WTU Elections Packet. Hard copies are available at the WTU Office. On April 1, 2025, the Election Notice will be mailed (via US Mail) to members' addresses on file with the WTU. If you do not receive the notice by April 7, 2025, contact membership coordinator Ms. Donita Jackson at djackson@wtulocal6.net to ensure your information is correct. To participate in electronic voting, you must have a PERSONAL email address on file with the WTU. If you do not, please email djackson@wtulocal6.net to rectify this. If you have any questions, contact the elections committee at wtu[email protected]! 

Support Tubman Teachers! Tubman Elementary School is facing major budget cuts in the district-- 1.2 million dollars or about 9.7% of their operating budget. While in a swing space, Tubman Elementary School’s student enrollment has decreased because the school is currently in a swing space due to renovation, and its students lack access to transportation to the school. Please sign our letter at bit.ly/RestoreTubmanBudget to tell the DCPS and District leaders that you stand with Tubman students, teachers, and families.

If your school is facing major budget cuts, please reach out to the WTU Field Representative for your school. WTU’s mission is to support all schools during this challenging budget season.

On Wednesday, the WTU was notified that a representative from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempted to enter a DCPS school to inquire about the immigration status of an employee. WTU leadership directly contacted the WTU Building Representative at this school and the DCPS Chancellor. According to both, the OAG Guidance on Immigration Enforcement for DC Schools was followed at the school, and the representative from DHS did not enter the school. Families and staff at the school will receive direct information from DCPS regarding the events of today. DCPS will give support, guidance, and counseling if needed.

The WTU is urging all members to follow the OAG Guidance on Immigration Enforcement for DC Schools. The guidance is available in English, Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Additionally, we strongly recommend our members read and familiarize yourself with the FAQ document prepared by WTU’s attorneys to advise WTU members on the legal protections and risks for teachers in the area of immigration. The FAQ is available by clicking here. We would like to particularly emphasize:

Question # 3. What should Teachers do if they encounter ICE agents at school?

• Direct all ICE requests for entry or any other inquiries to the Principal, who should contact the DCPS Office of General Counsel.  

• Do not consent to letting ICE agents into non-public school areas. Tell ICE agents that you are not authorized to let them into non-public school areas, state that DC policy requires law enforcement to have a warrant, and direct them to the Principal, who should contact DCPS Office of Legal Counsel. Do not try to determine for yourself whether ICE is legally permitted to enter non-public areas.  

• If you are asked directly by ICE agents about your knowledge of a student’s immigration status, respond that DCPS policy is not to inquire into the immigration status of students and report the inquiry to the Principal.  

• If you are asked for any records relating to a student, cite FERPA (the law that protects the confidentiality of student educational records) and direct the request to the Principal, who should contact DCPS’s Office of Legal Counsel.

AFT has a compilation of resources for educators related to immigration. If you would like to access these resources, you may do so by clicking here.  Lastly, if you would like to view the ACLU of DC Empowering Educators: Know Your Rights Webinar for Educators of Immigrant Students Webinar, you may do so by clicking here.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1st, there will be virtual WTU leave of absence and leave bank support sessions from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Please note that we required advanced registration for this event.

Due to our commitment to prioritizing attendance at a number of rallies and events, we had to reschedule our session on the IMPACT Teacher Evaluation System to this Thursday, April 3rd at 4:30 PM.

We know that many teachers face challenges in understanding the IMPACT system, and this session is designed to help unlock the code.

We’ll break down the key components, clarify evaluations, and answer your questions to ensure you feel confident navigating the process.

Click the link below to join us on April 3rd at 4:30 PM:
Join the Via ZOOM

We look forward to seeing you there!

• April 8 @4:30 pm. WTU Representative Assembly. Click here to join.
• April 7 @ 5 PM. WTU Cope Meeting. Click here to join. 

• March 26th, ABC 7News, 

  Federal agents try detaining healthcare contractor at DC public elementary school

• March 28th, The 51st, Trump targets D.C. migrants, homeless encampments in latest executive order

• LEA Look Forward for March 28, 2025: Special Education Institute, Truancy Mailings and More

Miss the AM Brew? Catch up here

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Earlier today, AFT President Weingarten and WTU President Pogue Lyons sent a letter to all U.S. House of Representatives offices urging them to swiftly bring the District of Columbia Local Funds Act, 2025 to the floor and pass it as the Senate unanimously approved on March 14th. You can read this letter by clicking here.

Our partners at Free DC, have created a call list and a call script to encourage the U.S. House of Representatives to pass this bill without any amendments. If not, D.C. will face a $1 billion cut in our local budget, of which $358 million would be from public education. 

The U.S. House of Representatives returned from their recess this week, we are urging all WTU members to call Representatives after your tour of duty. Additionally, if you have friends and relatives who live outside of D.C., please ask them to reach out to their Representative to support this bill.

The 2025 WTU Elections are upon us! Click the link to access the 2025 WTU Elections Packet. Hard copies are available at the WTU Office. On April 1, 2025, the Election Notice will be mailed (via US Mail) to members' addresses on file with the WTU. If you do not receive the notice by April 7, 2025, contact membership coordinator Ms. Donita Jackson at djackson@wtulocal6.net to ensure your information is correct. To participate in electronic voting, you must have a PERSONAL email address on file with the WTU. If you do not, please email djackson@wtulocal6.net to rectify this. If you have any questions, contact the elections committee at wtu[email protected]! 

Calendar & Current Candidates: https://dcboe.org/elections/ward_8_special_election

• April 7 at 5 pm: COPE Meeting to Prep & Edit Questionnaire
• April 21 at 5 pm: COPE Meeting to Prep & Edit & Send Out Questionnaire & Save the Date to Candidates
• April 28 at 5 pm: COPE Meeting to Review Submitted Questionnaires
• April 30 at 6 pm: Ward 8 Special Election Forum Date
• May 3: E-board Meeting for Nominations for Endorsement
• May 13 at 4:30 pm: Rep Assembly Meeting for Nominations for Endorsement

On Wednesday, the WTU was notified that a representative from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempted to enter a DCPS school to inquire about the immigration status of an employee. WTU leadership directly contacted the WTU Building Representative at this school and the DCPS Chancellor. According to both, the OAG Guidance on Immigration Enforcement for DC Schools was followed at the school, and the representative from DHS did not enter the school. Families and staff at the school will receive direct information from DCPS regarding the events of today. DCPS will give support, guidance, and counseling if needed.

The WTU is urging all members to follow the OAG Guidance on Immigration Enforcement for DC Schools. The guidance is available in English, Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Additionally, we strongly recommend our members read and familiarize yourself with the FAQ document prepared by WTU’s attorneys to advise WTU members on the legal protections and risks for teachers in the area of immigration. The FAQ is available by clicking here. We would like to particularly emphasize:

Question # 3. What should Teachers do if they encounter ICE agents at school?

• Direct all ICE requests for entry or any other inquiries to the Principal, who should contact the DCPS Office of General Counsel.  

• Do not consent to letting ICE agents into non-public school areas. Tell ICE agents that you are not authorized to let them into non-public school areas, state that DC policy requires law enforcement to have a warrant, and direct them to the Principal, who should contact DCPS Office of Legal Counsel. Do not try to determine for yourself whether ICE is legally permitted to enter non-public areas.  

• If you are asked directly by ICE agents about your knowledge of a student’s immigration status, respond that DCPS policy is not to inquire into the immigration status of students and report the inquiry to the Principal.  

• If you are asked for any records relating to a student, cite FERPA (the law that protects the confidentiality of student educational records) and direct the request to the Principal, who should contact DCPS’s Office of Legal Counsel.

AFT has a compilation of resources for educators related to immigration. If you would like to access these resources, you may do so by clicking here.  Lastly, if you would like to view the ACLU of DC Empowering Educators: Know Your Rights Webinar for Educators of Immigrant Students Webinar, you may do so by clicking here.

Miss the AM Brew? Catch up here

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Dear WTU Family,

I hope you had a moment to enjoy the beginnings of spring—warmer temperatures, longer days, and the first signs of blossoms around our beautiful city.

 We know that most of you received your 4% bonus for FY 24 on Friday, March 21^st. According to the DCPS Compensation Team, those who did not receive their bonus on Friday should receive it on Wednesday, March 25^th. If you are still waiting, please email [email protected] and notify your WTU Field Representative so we can escalate your case to LMER. We’ll continue to monitor this situation until everyone who qualifies receives their bonus.  

On March 14^th, the Senate unanimously passed the District of Columbia Local Funds Act of 2025.  If passed by the US House of Representatives, this legislation will prevent the devastating $1billion in cuts to D.C.’s FY 2025 budget – including $358 million in public education funding. We were successful in our efforts with the US Senate because of your actions, from Recess at the Capitol to rallies at the Wilson Building and the Department of Education to reaching out to Senators across the country. Our advocacy has also been elevated through media engagement. For example, WTUjoined WHUR’s Daily Drum to talk about the potential budget impact, the role of the Department of Education, and the importance of protecting DEI initiatives. If you missed that discussion on social media, you can click here to listen.  These efforts underscore the power of our unity—but we cannot let up now.

We need our members to encourage the US House of Representatives to pass this bill unanimously. We’re encouraging you to reach out to members of the US House of Representatives. This bill is crucial to keeping our first responders and essential District services which includes firefighters, police officers and of course teachers. Please keep watching our AM Brew, Brew To-Go, and text messages on how to stay informed and rally to action.

Thank you again for all you do and I wish you a joyful and productive week with your students as we welcome the season of renewal.

In solidarity,
Jacqueline Pogue Lyons
President, Washington Teachers’ Union

As a friendly reminder, the 4% Bonus for FY 24, was disbursed on 3/21/2025. 

According to the DCPS Compensation Team, those who eligible who have not received their FY 24 Bonus, will receive it on March 26th. Additionally, you may review the payment amount in PeopleSoft.

If you have not received your FY 24 Bonus and did not have a break in service during the 2023-2024 school year, please email DCPS Compensation at [email protected] to inquire about your status. Additionally, reach out to your WTU Field Representative to have your name added to the list that will be elevated.

Due to D.C.'s collective actions during the week of March 10th, the Senate unanimously passed the "District of Columbia Local Funds Act of 2025" on March 14th. Now, we have to ensure that this bill will be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Our partners at Free DC, have created a call list and a call script to encourage the U.S. House of Representatives to pass this bill without any amendments. If not, D.C. will face a $1 billion cut in our local budget, of which $358 million would be from public education.

Being that the U.S. House of Representatives returned from their recess today, we are urging all WTU members to call Representatives after your tour of duty. Additionally, if you have friends and relatives who live outside of D.C., please ask them to reach out to their Representative to support this bill.

Lastly, the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute created this blog to debunk the "Five Misunderstandings About the Congressional Bill to Protect the District’s Budget." Please read and share this blog as well. 

Due to the large number of complaints we heard from several schools throughout DCPS, the WTUon March 8th, 2025 filed a group grievance pertaining to DCPS' contractual violation of Article 23.8 Thirty-Minute Morning Block and for many schools, specifically, Article 23.8.5. Please continue to let your WTU Field Representative know if your school is violating the Thirty-Minute Morning Block contractual article of the WTU-DCPS Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Due to our commitment to prioritizing attendance at a number of rallies and events, we had to reschedule our session on the IMPACT Teacher Evaluation System to April 3rd at 4:30 PM.

We know that many teachers face challenges in understanding the IMPACT system, and this session is designed to help unlock the code.

We’ll break down the key components, clarify evaluations, and answer your questions to ensure you feel confident navigating the process.

Click the link below to join us on April 3rd at 4:30 PM:
Join the Via ZOOM

We look forward to seeing you there!

• March 27 @4:30 pm. WTU VP of High School Committee Meeting. Online via Zoom.
• April 7 @ 5 PM. WTU Cope Meeting. Click here to join.

• March 19th, WUSA TV, Budget cuts to Harriet Tubman Elementary spark concern in Northwest DC.

• LEA Look Forward for March 21, 2025: High-Impact Tutoring Summit, Growing Healthy Schools and More

Miss the AM Brew? Catch up here

Follow us on: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube