Universal Child Care, Excellent Schools
Families in every zip code deserve schools we can depend on and child care that does not drain our savings. But currently in DC, the quality of your school depends heavily on your neighborhood. The educational divide I saw firsthand as a DCPS student still exists today, and schools that need the most support are often the ones with the fewest resources. Year after year, our school communities have to grapple with unpredictable budgets, high teacher turnover, and routine understaffing, while one in three students is chronically absent. Parents and teachers feel voiceless. At the same time, DC families with children under three face the highest childcare costs in the country, with a single seat costing tens of thousands of dollars a year. Despite this, early childhood educators who do this crucial work in DC still struggle to make ends meet.
DC must do better for our students and families. As Mayor, I’ll focus on delivering excellent schools in every neighborhood with adequate counselors, nurses, and updated technology to support 21st-century learning. I’ll ensure every student has outstanding teachers who are ready to promote literacy, numeracy, and the arts. I’ll prioritize universal afterschool programs that foster confidence and creativity, like the ones that shaped my childhood in DC. Just as I have done as Chair of the Council’s Committee on Facilities, as Mayor I’ll make sure our school facilities are safe and well-maintained. I’ll also work to expand vocational and technical education to provide students with pathways to stable, in-demand careers. And I’ll work to provide universal child care that never costs more than 10% of a family’s income.
As Mayor, I’ll fight for fully-staffed and well-maintained schools, expanded afterschool and career and technical education programs, and universal and affordable child care.