WJLA - Loudoun & Prince William schools to bring more kids back Dec. 1, Fairfax County holds off

Washington Post – Alexandria City Public Schools switches back to online learning until early 2021

WJLA - D.C. charter school might double number of students after success of boarding program

Washington Post - DeVos calls on Congress to postpone federal standardized exams until 2022

Washington Post - Our crippled schools won’t hurt advantaged parents’ children much

Washington Post - Failing grades spike in Virginia’s largest school system as online learning gap emerges nationwide

Washington Post – Alexandria turns controversy into opportunity by teaching students the racist history behind school names

WJLA - Maryland teachers union calls for statewide virtual learning through end of the semester

Washington Post - What Biden actually promised about replacing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos

Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Joe Nocera: Teachers' unions that resist keeping schools open are putting students first

DC Public Schools

Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Budget Engagement

November 23, 2020

Good evening. I am Elizabeth Davis, President of the Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU). The WTU represents 5,000 active and retired teachers. We are dedicated to social and educational justice for the students of the District of Columbia and to improving the quality of support, resources, compensation and working conditions for the public servants and proud teachers who educate our students.

I am a teacher. I believe our students are only limited by the opportunities that we provide them. As we begin conversations about the upcoming budget, I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to highlight the opportunity gaps that continue to plague our schools and many students. While the health pandemic has brought renewed attention to these gaps, we have long known that they have existed. It is time that we acknowledge the impact that these opportunity gaps – especially the digital divide – has on the achievement of our students. And, as we emerge from this crisis, it is critical that the FY2022 DCPS budget adequately reflects our reality and adequately invests in all our students (see Appendix 1).

The budgeting process is full of choices.

The Georgetown Voice - DC must do more to protect the most vulnerable from the effects of COVID-19

Washington Times: DC schools chief says only 50% of students signed up to return in person showed up: Report

WLXT - Schools are 'one of the safest places' for kids during pandemic, CDC director says

The Hill - Washington Teachers' Union declines DC public schools reopening proposal

WTOP - CARE classrooms: What does distance learning look like inside DC schools?

The Hill - Washington Teachers' Union declines DC public schools reopening proposal

DCist - Washington Teachers' Union Rejects School Reopening Agreement With DC Public Schools

WUSA9.com - Washington Teachers' Union will not sign agreement to reopen DC Public Schools

Washington Post - Once again, a deal between DC and the teachers union collapses

Washington City Paper - Mendelson Dismisses Silverman's Bill on School Reopening

Washington Times - Teachers unions leading fight against parents, students to keep schools closed

For Immediate Release

Washington DC Teachers’ Will Not Sign Agreement to Reopen Schools to In-Person Learning

Cites rising COVID-19 Rates and Constantly Shifting DCPS Plans

WASHINGTON — The Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) President Elizabeth Davis released the following statement regarding today after declining to sign a tentative Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DC Public Schools.

“Over the past few weeks, we have worked diligently with our partners at DC Public Schools to create a framework that would allow our students to safely resume in-person learning in the coming weeks. However, given the lack of clear public health guidelines and the lack of engagement with administrators and teachers around reopening plans, the WTU has determined it is not in the best interest of our students, teachers, and all school-based employees to sign the MOA at this time.

Read more...

News

Washington Post - Teachers union and D.C. school system reach tentative agreement on in-person classes

WTOP - DC schools, teachers union move closer toward school reopening plan

WAMU - D.C. Issues COVID-19 Guidance For Thanksgiving Activities And Travel

DCist - D.C. Public Schools Brokers Tentative Deal With Teachers’ Union Over Conditions For Reopening Schools

WJLA 7 - DC plans to open 'CARE' Classrooms next week. Here's what that means.

WJLA 7 - DC public schools to provide update on CARE classrooms 

Washington Post - Wary Northern Virginia superintendents eye reopening — but note rising virus cases

Washington Post - Montgomery County tentatively approves plan to reopen school buildings in 2021

Washington Post - Fauquier County Public Schools returns majority of students to classrooms

Washington Post - Sure, send our kids back to unsafe schools, even though it isn’t ‘in the best interest of anyone’

Washington Post - D.C. Public Schools cancels plan to bring some students into classrooms Nov. 9

WJLA - DC public schools will not bring students back for in-person learning on Nov. 9 after all

Washington Post - A rising tide of Washington-area schools delay plans for in-person learning

DCist - School Reopening Postponed In Anne Arundel County, Following Uptick In COVID-19 Cases

WTOP - DC schools chief says ‘primary barrier’ for in-person learning is supply of teachers to teach in classrooms

Washington Post - Washington-area voters elect new school board members at unprecedented moment for education

DCist - They Didn’t ‘Paint The Town Ed,’ But Progressives Have Hope In New Councilmembers

Washington Post - School enrollment falls across the Washington region

Washington Post - In D.C., achievement gap widens, early literacy progress declines during pandemic, data show

November 2, 2020                                                    

Washington DC Teachers’ Vote ‘No Confidence’ in DCPS’ Plan to Reopen Schools to In-person Learning

WASHINGTON — The Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) voted at a Member Assembly last week to express “No Confidence” in the District’s plan to safely reopen schools.

“Last Thursday evening night, DC’s teachers spoke loudly and clearly. We do not have faith that the DCPS plans to reopen our schools are in the best interest of students,” WTU President Elizabeth Davis said. “Despite negotiations throughout the weekend, we’re disappointed that we were not able to come to an agreement. The Chancellor’s plan to reopen our schools to in-person learning will disrupt the education of a vast majority of DCPS students. As educators, we do not believe this plan is good for our students or good for our schools.”

The Union voted overwhelmingly, with more than 93% of members present supporting the motion, during a special membership assembly to express “No confidence in Mayor Muriel Bowser, Chancellor Lewis Ferebee, and the DC Public Schools plan to reopen our schools to in-person learning on November 9^th, as it currently stands.”

Earlier last week, the Council of School Officers, the union representing DCPS principals and other mid-level administrators, sent an Open Letter to the Deputy Mayor and Chancellor outlining their concerns with the District’s reopen plans.

The Washington Teachers’ Union and DCPS will resume negotiations about a safe return to our schools later in the week. While many elements of an agreement have been reached, the Union believes that plans should be revised to ensure greater equity across the city to ensure that students furthest from opportunity have access to additional in-person learning opportunities and that no educator should be required to return to in-person learning if they don’t believe adequate protections for themselves, their students and the community are in place.

# # #

You can download the Press Release here.

The WTU represents more than 5,000 active and retired teachers. It is dedicated to social and educational justice for the students of the District of Columbia and to improving the quality of support, resources, compensation and working conditions for the public servants and proud teachers who educate our students in D.C. Public Schools.