The problem: The need for educator wellness is at a high point with the lasting traumas and stress of the pandemic and the teacher shortages and absenteeism putting an increased burden on the staff who remain- stretching everyone thin. Yet the funding that supported educator wellness partnerships for DC schools is in jeopardy."
THE SOLUTIONS:
1. Locally fund educator wellness grants through OSSE at $500,00 recurring annually
2. Make sure that OSSE's Educator Wellness Grants are continuation grants allowing experienced partners to continue services withoug long breaks in service and time consuming re-application processes that delay services to schools
The Details:
⇨ Grant Program: Federal COVID relief dollars from ESSR provided funding for 5 partner organizations- through OSSE- to partner with five schools a piece over the past two school years. EmpowerEd was one of the grantees. These partnerships have yielded tremendous success and learning- enabling the 25 partner schools to develop staff wellness teams, make an educator wellness plan, have technical assistance from experts, train and facilitate school-based leaders and implement new wellness programs and policies at the individual, relational and systemic level in their schools. That funding was then continued locally with an investment of $500,000 locally in the FY 2025 budget. But the grant process was very delayed in getting started, with grants only becoming final in March of 2025- leaving a very short window for partners to work with schools to accomplish wellness goals. We ask this $500,000 be in the four year financiaI plan allowing confidence the grants will continue year over year and allow experienced partners with demonstrated success to re- apply as continuation grants, allowing the process to start sooner and better serve our schools!
⇨ Grant Program: Federal COVID relief dollars from ESSR provided funding for 5 partner organizations- through OSSE- to partner with five schools a piece over the past two school years. EmpowerEd was one of the grantees. These partnerships have yielded tremendous success and learning- enabling the 25 partner schools to develop staff wellness teams, make an educator wellness plan, have technical assistance from experts, train and facilitate school-based leaders and implement new wellness programs and policies at the individual, relational and systemic level in their schools. That funding was then continued locally with an investment of $500,000 locally in the FY 2025 budget. But the grant process was very delayed in getting started, with grants only becoming final in March of 2025- leaving a very short window for partners to work with schools to accomplish wellness goals. We ask this $500,000 be in the four year financiaI plan allowing confidence the grants will continue year over year and allow experienced partners with demonstrated success to re- apply as continuation grants, allowing the process to start sooner and better serve our schools!