CM McDuffie's Ward 5 Report: Ward 5 Report: Budget Priorities in Action

From: Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie
Sent: Friday, January 24, 2020 1:04 PM
Subject: Ward 5 Report: Budget Priorities in Action

View this email in your browser Neighbors, Readers of this newsletter know that it is budget season at the Council and in the DC government. I have been asking Ward 5 residents to share their budget priorities with me and if you have not already done so, I encourage you to take a minute and fill out the survey. Today I want to share with you one of the outcomes of those budget decisions. Last year, I learned that only two of the three Career and Technical Education academies at McKinley Technology High School were recognized by NAF (formerly the National Academy Foundation). While the information technology and engineering academies were fully accredited, the biotechnology academy lacked this important certification due to a lack of funding. I was able to secure the funds in last year's budget and the biotechnology academy at McKinley Tech is now NAF-certified. In fact, I learned earlier this month that one of McKinley's biotechnology students received a Posse scholarship to attend college. I have no doubt that Christa would have earned that scholarship regardless of her field of study, but it is because of work in last year's budget that she was able to pursue a certified program in biotechnology. In service, Kenyan In this issue of the Ward 5 Report: Share Your Budget Priorities Legislative Update 2019 Year in Review McDuffie in the News Kenyan in the Community Multilingual Education Fair of DC - January 25 Eleanor Holmes Norton in Your Neighborhood - January 27 DC Department of Transportation Ward 5 Open House - February 8 The DC School Lottery is now open DC Chinese New Year Parade - January 26 Share Your Budget Priorities Budget season at the Council is ramping up, and Councilmember McDuffie wants to hear your budget priorities for Ward 5 and the District of Columbia. Click the link and you will have the opportunity to give your feedback and priorities for the upcoming budget. Share Your Budget Priorities NOW Legislative Update On Thursday, January 16 there was a committee hearing for two of Councilmember McDuffie's bills; the Diverse Washingtonians Commemorative Works Amendment Act of 2019 and the Advisory Commission on Monuments, Markers, and Symbols Establishment Act of 2019. The first bill would build statues of women or people of color who are native Washingtonians and the second would establish a commission to review potentially offensive monuments, markers, and symbols throughout DC. Councilmember McDuffie issued a statement upon the release of two reports from the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), the Disparity Report Framework and Recommendations and the Minority and Women-Owned Business Assessment. 2019 Year in Review View Councilmember McDuffie's 2019 Annual Report online. McDuffie in the News WAMU reported on Councilmember McDuffie's efforts to diversify statues in Washington, DC prior to a hearing on the legislation and NBC4 has a wrap up of that hearing.  Pick up a copy of this week's Washington Informer to read about two recently issued reports which illustrate the need for Councilmember McDuffie's efforts to improve the District's Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) program.   Kenyan in the Community Multilingual Education Fair of DC - January 25 You are invited to the 4th annual Multilingual Education Fair of DC. This event features over 150 exhibitors and a multilingual program for language learners of all ages. More info here: https://www.mefdc.org/ DATE: Saturday, January 25 TIME: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm LOCATION: Theodore Roosevelt High School, 4301 13th St NW RSVP and additional details Eleanor Holmes Norton in Your Neighborhood - January 27 DC Department of Transportation Ward 5 Open House - February 8 The DC School Lottery is now open The DC School Lottery is now open. Deadlines to submit are February. 3 for grades 9-12 and March 2 for PK3 – grade 8. If you have questions or to review your options, visit myschooldc.org or call 202-888-6336. DC Chinese New Year Parade - January 26 You are invited to DC’s Chinese New Year Parade. With dozens of entries, this year’s parade promises to be the largest and most diverse yet. Expect Chinese folk dancers, beauty queens, firecrackers, kung fu demonstrations, floats (including lions and dragons) and plenty of pageantry as the procession winds through Chinatown. DATE: Sunday, January 26 TIME: 2:00 PM LOCATION: H Street & 7th Street NW Additional information