D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she expects all city public schools will fully reopen for in-person learning in the fall.
The mayor said her administration will work with schools to ensure they have “the staff, space and other resources” to “safely accommodate all students” and “strong health protocols in place.”
The mayor said the reopening will require the proper funding to be in place.
“We have stuck together through this pandemic—now, we need a strong citywide commitment to reopening this fall so that we can meet the social, emotional and academic needs of all our students,” Bowser said in a statement Thursday. “We also know that funding is an essential part of recovery. The FY 22 UPSFF [Universal Per Pupil Funding Formula] is a commitment to delivering the funding and resources schools need, with a focus on enhancing equity and supporting our most vulnerable students. We are proud to make this historic investment in our public schools as we work together to reopen and recover.”
The mayor’s fiscal 20222 budget proposal includes a 3.6% increase to the UPSFF amounting to more than $2 billion for the approximately 98,528 students in the District’s public and charter schools.
Additionally, Bowser said the District will receive a third round of Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief funds totaling more than $386 million as a part of the American Rescue Plan.
