June 2021

In This Newsletter:

1. Important Budget Dates
2. Mayor Fair Shot Budget Proposal
3. Advocacy Action Steps
4. Budget Ask
5. Strayer University’s Fellows for Justice Program
6. Parent Cafes
7. AJE Press Release: Robert Wood Johnson: Health Equity Project
8. Local Artists and Designers for the IDEA Accessibility Project
9. Resources available on AJE's website

Important Budget Dates:

A new schedule for budget hearings and approval has now been released and approved:

Key Dates:

May 27

Mayor submits her budget proposal

June 2

Mayor and staff brief the Council on their budget proposal

June 3-24

Committee budget hearings

June 25

Committee of the Whole hearing on the budget

June 29-July 1

Committee markups of the budget

July 8

Council all-day work session on the budget

July 20

First Council vote on Local Budget Act and Budget Support Act

August 3

Second Council vote on Local Budget Act, votes on Federal Portion and Local Budget Emergency Adjustment Act

August 10

Second Council Vote on Budget Support Act

For the complete list of the dates and public hearing schedule click here.

Mayors Fair Shot Budget Proposal:

In May, DC Mayor Bowser has released her Fair Shot Budget Proposal. In the proposal, she outlines the District's plans for recovery and growth across all 8 wards. Below are copies of the budget breakdown for Education, Health and Human Services and an outline of how Federal Relief money will be utilized. You can see the full Budget Proposal here:

https://d1dhn91mufybwl.cloudfront.net/downloads/pdfs/zu3em5krzp/zu3em5krzp.pdf?v=1622132207 

BUDGET ASKS SAMPLES: Strengthening Families Coalition

BUDGET ASKS SAMPLES: Under3DC

The mission of Strayer University’s Fellows for Justice Program is to assist in building the talent and leadership skills required to help mitigate social and economic inequities in communities across the country. Strayer University seeks to provide the most direct path between learning and employment. But we don’t stop there: we believe in giving back by changing lives where we work and live. The Strayer University Fellows Program is part of our ongoing effort to meet that goal. We are offering 50 fully paid scholarships to partner non-profits in 5 metropolitan areas across the country: up to 10 scholarship in each metropolitan area. 

A competitive fellowship program that will allow your employees and employees of other partnering community-based organizations in the DMV metro area an opportunity to apply and compete for a fully tuition paid Undergraduate Program. There will be 10 scholarships available for your community with an October 2021 course start date. There is also time to begin classes this Summer. Summer classes begin July 5^th.

Our goal is to provide continued educational opportunities to employees of non-profit employers whose mission is to help mitigate social, economic, health, racial and educational disparities in their communities.

 Webpage:https://www.strayer.edu/tuition-and-financial-aid/fellows-for-justice

Application: https://www.strayer.edu/content/dam/strayer/pdf/SU_Fellows_For_Justice_Application.pdf

Parent Cafes - Calling all Parents of Children, Ages Birth-5!!!

Our Parent Ambassadors, parent leaders in the community, are hosting Parent Cafes for parents who need an informational and judgment-free supportive network. They are hosting four different groups that start off at various dates. Please see below. To register for Group 3 click here, and Group 4 click here. If you need assistance with registration, please contact Talia Curhan at tcurhan@aje-dc.org or (202) 678-8060 ext. 210.

AJE PRESS RELEASE- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Health Equity Project

Advocates for Justice and Education was awarded $303,000 to address Health Disparities of Black and Latinx children and youth with disabilities and special health care needs. To view the press release and gain an understanding of what AJE has outlined for this grant over the next 3 years, click here!

***UPDATED DEADLINE ****AJE seeking Submissions from Local Artists and Designers for the IDEA Accessibility Project – *ASAP*

AJE shared earlier in the year that we received funding from the DC Developmental Disabilities Council to support a new project here – the IDEA Accessibility Project.

This funding from the DC DDC will be utilized to increase the accessibility of the IDEA Procedural Safeguards and increase the understanding of them in the community. The safeguards are found in a long document that details parents’ and students’ rights in special education. Many families struggle to understand the information in the safeguards. The IDEA Accessibility Project will transform the safeguards into short and simple whiteboard animation art videos in English and in Spanish. Those whiteboards will also be available in both digital and physical format.

AJE is continuing to accept proposals from individuals interested in creating those whiteboard animation art videos. A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP) is available here.

Submissions of interest, including a cover letter, portfolio samples, hourly or per item rate, references and cost estimate must be received by information@aje-dc.org due ASAP. Submissions should use “IDEA Accessibility Project” as the subject line for their emailed submission.

Resources Available on AJE's Website:

Our website www.aje-dc.org is a great resource for families. Be sure to visit our blog for new resources like what's shared here: 

If you would like a MySchoolDC update and more information on how to apply post-lottery for enrollment for your child click here.

If you're worried about compulsive internet use, and other threats or dangers navigating the digital world can bring then this could be a beneficial resource of you. CASD in collaboration with Georgetown University is conducting an online study on Internet Safety for Autistic Youth. Find out more information here and even learn how you can be compensated for your participation!