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RE-ENROLLED LEGISLATION Amendment
in the Nature of a Substitute
Councilmember Kevin P. Chavous
A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To amend the Charter of the District of Columbia to decrease the number of members of
the District of Columbia Board of Education from 11 to 9, to create school districts
consisting of compressed wards from which 5 members of the Board shall be elected, one of
whom shall be elected President, with 4 members appointed by the Mayor, to delineate the
authority of the Board of Education, and to provide for a sunset of these provisions after
4 years with the composition and selection of the Board of Education to be made in
accordance with local District law, and to authorize the Council to create a state
education program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act
may be cited as the "School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000".
Sec. 2. Section 495 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 820; D.C. Code §31-101(a)), is amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 495. Board of Education.
"(a)(1) The Board of Education shall consist of 9 members. Four members shall be
appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council. Five members shall be elected. Four
of the 5 elected members shall be elected from the 4 school districts created pursuant to
paragraph (2) of this subsection. One member shall be elected at-large as the president of
the Board.
"(2) The 4 school districts for the election of Board members pursuant to
paragraph (1) of this subsection, shall be comprised of the 8 election wards created
pursuant to section 2 of the Boundaries Act of 1975, effective December 16, 1975 (D.C. Law
1-38; D.C. Code §1-1308), as follows:
"(A) Wards l and 2 shall comprise School District I;
"(B) Wards 3 and 4 shall comprise School District II;
"(C) Wards 5 and 6 shall comprise School District III; and
"(D) Wards 7 and 8 shall comprise School District IV.
"(3) The election of the members of the Board of Education shall be conducted on a
nonpartisan basis and in accordance with the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955,
approved August 12, 1955 (69 Stat. 699; D.C. Code §1-1301 et seq.).
"(4)(A) The Board of Education shall govern the public schools in the District of
Columbia. The Board of Education shall establish policies, hire and evaluate a
Superintendent who shall be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the public schools
of the District of Columbia. The Board of Education shall have the authority to remove the
Superintendent at any time for cause.
"(B) The Board of Education shall establish personnel policies and guidelines for
the hiring of principals and other personnel by the Superintendent, but shall not have
authority to make or approve personnel decisions or to negotiate with representatives of
employee organizations.
"(C) The Board of Education shall approve an annual budget for submission to the
Council that is consistent with the goals and objectives established by the Board of
Education for the operation of the public schools of the District of Columbia.
"(b)(1) Subsection (a)(1) and (2) of this section shall expire 4 years after the
effective date of the School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000.
"(2) As of the date specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection, there shall be
a Board of Education which shall be selected in such manner and for such terms as shall be
provided by District law enacted pursuant to this title. There shall be a Superintendent
of the public schools who shall be appointed by the Board of Education.".
"(c) The Council may create a state education agency and may delegate to this
agency the following responsibilities:
"(1) Issuing rules to establish requirements to govern acceptable credit to be
granted for studies completed at independent, private, public, adn public charter schools
and private instruction;
"(2) Prescribing minimum amoungs of instructional time for all schools in the
District, including public, public charter, and private schools;
"(3) Determining the content of basic standards used to assess all public school
students where such assessments are required by law; and
"(4) Any other responsibilities no inconsistent with this Act.".
Sec. 3. This act shall be subject to appropriation.
Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report prepared by the
Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation as the fiscal impact statement required
by section 602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973
(87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code §1-233(c)(3)).
Sec. 5. This act shall take effect following ratification by a majority of the
registered qualified electors of the District of Columbia voting in a referendum held for
such purpose and a 35- day period of Congressional review as provided in section 303 of
the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C.
Code §1-205), and publication in the District of Columbia Register. |
