News Releases

Public Hearings Announcement

For Immediate Release: May 1, 2008
Contact: Nona Richardson 202/328-2670

Washington, D.C. - The District of Columbia Public Charter School Board invites the public to participate in public hearings on:

  • Eleven applications to establish public charter schools in Washington, DC. The hearings will be held on Monday, May 19 from 6:00 - 9:30 PM and Tuesday, May 20, 2008 from 6:00 - 9:30 PM at the Gala Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th Street, (Columbia Heights Metro - Green Line). The Board is holding the public hearings as a part of its 2008 application review process. A review of the technical quality of the applications is underway and the Board is now inviting comment from the general public. During the May 19 and 20 public hearings, proposed public charter schools will be described by applicants. Copies of the schedule of applicant presentations and summaries of the applications will be available, beginning May 2, 2008, from the Board's office and at several locations in the city, including:
    • Martin Luther King Library, 901 G St., NW
    • Tenley-Friendship Public Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave., NW
    • Marshall Heights Community Development Corporation, 3917 Minnesota Ave., NE
    • Development Corporation of Columbia Heights, 3419 Fourteenth St., NW
    Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners also have been sent copies for distribution to the public.
  • Friendship Public Charter School's request to amend its charter. Friendship Public Charter School requests to amend its charter in the following areas:
    • Formalize the cessation of its contract with Edison Schools
    • Reconfigure the Open Court Reading and Everyday Math programs to enhance the Friendship Design
The hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 from 8:15 PM to 8:40 PM at the Gala Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th Street, NW. During the public hearing, Friendship Public Charter School representatives will describe the rationale for the proposed changes.

The Board invites the public's participation in the hearing and asks members of the public to testify on the impact proposed public charter schools will have on:
  1. students, parents, and the community;
  2. other public schools in the District of Columbia; and
  3. the quality of education in the city.
Individuals who wish to testify should call the Board's office at (202) 328-2660 by 3:00 PM on the day of the hearing to be placed on the hearing schedule and should send, by May 30, 2008, a written copy of their testimony to the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board, 3333 14th St., Suite 210, NW, Washington, DC 20010.

Sign and/or Spanish language interpretation will be available upon request. Members of the public needing these services are requested to contact the Board no later than May 12, 2008 so that arrangements can be made.

The D.C. Public Charter School Board currently oversees 55 public charter schools on 82 campuses, serving more than 22,000 students in every ward of the city.