District of Columbia Local Funds Act, 2025
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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.
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WTU Election News From The WTU Elections Committee
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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]!
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WTU COPE Schedule For The Ward 8 Special Election On July 15, 2025
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Calendar & Current Candidates: https://dcboe.org/elections/ward_8_special_election
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April 7 at 5 pm: COPE Meeting to Prep & Edit Questionnaire
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April 21 at 5 pm: COPE Meeting to Prep & Edit & Send Out Questionnaire & Save the Date to Candidates
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April 28 at 5 pm: COPE Meeting to Review Submitted Questionnaires
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April 30 at 6 pm: Ward 8 Special Election Forum Date
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May 3: E-board Meeting for Nominations for Endorsement
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May 13 at 4:30 pm: Rep Assembly Meeting for Nominations for Endorsement
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Immigration Concern at a DCPS School
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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.
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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.
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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.
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4% Bonus For FY 24 Update
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 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, should have received it yesterday, 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.
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Virtual Leave of Absence and Leave Bank Support Sessions
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 Next 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 registration in advance is required if you are interested in a session. You may register in advance by clicking here.
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Join Us on April 3rd for the Rescheduled Understanding IMPACT Session
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 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!
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