Charter School Accountability
Once approved, D.C. public charter schools sign a charter agreement with their authorizer, to help their students reach specified academic and non-academic targets. They must establish measurable goals as part of an accountability plan that is approved by the authorizer. The authorizer monitors each school's academic progress, operational and financial management, and legal compliance annually, and conducts a cumulative review of each school's progress at the end of each five years. At the end of each five year review, the authorizer determines how well the school has met its targets, and whether it has earned the right to remain open. If it has not performed up to the standards established within the charter agreement, the authorizer may choose to revoke the school's charter.
In addition, schools must comply with the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The D.C. Public Charter School Board has incorporated NCLB provisions within its existing accountability systems.
Parents also hold schools accountable by choosing whether or not to enroll their child in a particular school. Students are not assigned to charter schools; their parents must choose them, and they may withdraw their children from a charter school at any time for any reason. A charter school can only remain open if it has enough students to remain economically viable.
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