Earlier this month OSSE-DOT announced on their website a new stipend program for families who CURRENTLY receive transportation services from OSSE-DOT.  They are accepting applications NOW and applications are due MARCH 22 by 11:59 – TODAY!

Below is more information from OSSE-DOT.

The stipend program provides a monthly payment to eligible parents or guardians who choose to opt out of OSSE-DOT provided vehicle or bus transportation and self-transport their student to and from school daily. Here are some things to think about if you are considering applying –

• In order to be eligible to apply families must be receiving OSSE-DOT services NOW.  This means that you “have an active Transportation Request Form (TRF)”  Being transportation eligible alone does not make you eligible for the stipend program.
• Your application might not be accepted for these reasons –
  • Any of the required forms contain false, incomplete, or inaccurate information.
  • If the forms have been completed or submitted by anyone other than the legal parent/guardian;
  • The student did not meet transportation eligibility criteria;
  • The student missed more than 30 percent of instructional days for the month; or
  • The application was a duplicate entry.
• Not all families who apply will be selected to participate – even if you complete all the forms and the application correctly, OSSE might not select you for participation because of funding availability or operational efficiency reasons.
• Eligible families who are approved to participate in the program will receive $400 per month to provide transportation.
• If you are selected to participate, OSSE-DOT will NOT provide transportation. instead, you will receive $400 per month to do it yourself. In this way, the program is like a voucher.
• Families can only receive ONE stipend per household, even if multiple children are eligible.
• AJE encourages families to apply as soon as possible to be considered for OSSE’s Monthly Parent Stipend. The deadline to apply is March 22 at 11:59 p.m.
• Prior to April 1, OSSE will contact the parents who are selected to participate in this program.

OSSE-DOT has provided these documents (Parent Information, Required Documents) with additional information for families, we encourage families to review them closely. While the application is available in multiple languages, the PDFs are not.  Please call us if you need help accessing the information in the PDFs.

In helping families over the last two weeks, AJE has learned a few hints to help families navigate the application.  They are –

• The application is NOT mobile-friendly.  Try to apply on a computer.
• Chrome seems to be the best browser to use.
• OSSE-DOT does NOT have a phone number to for families to call for help and the Parent Resource Center (PRC) is unable to help families with applications.  For issues with receiving your payment or completing any of the required forms, please email osse.financedot@dc.gov for help.

We also recorded a short video chat for families about the stipend – we hope it helps you think about if you want to apply!