About the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board
Mission
The Board’s mission is to provide quality public school options for DC students, families, and communities through:
Vision
The Board’s vision is to lead the transformation of public education in DC, and serve as a national role model for charter school authorizing and accountability.
D.C.’s Charter Law
The D. C. Public Charter School Board (PCSB) was created in 1996 by an amendment to the D. C. School Reform Act of 1995 as a second, independent authorizer of public charter schools. In 2006, the D.C. Board of Education (BOE), which had served as the first charter authorizer since 1996, voted to relinquish its authorizing responsibilities.
D.C.’s Only Charter School Authorizer
The D.C. Council passed legislation in 2007 to give the D.C. Mayor direct authority over the traditional public school system, and to transfer the oversight responsibility for the charter schools previously authorized by the BOE to the PCSB. The PCSB became the sole authorizer of charter schools in the District of Columbia.
The PCSB regularly evaluates D. C. public charter schools for academic results, compliance with applicable local and federal laws and fiscal management, and holds them accountable for results. The PCSB can close charter schools that fail to meet the goals established in the charter agreement between the PCSB and the school.
Members of the D.C. Public Charter School Board