Board of Education Charter Reform Act of 2000
Bill 13-555

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A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

To amend Section 495 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973 to adopt a system in which the members of the District of Columbia Board of Education and the Superintendent are appointed by the Mayor, from a list of names provided by a Nominating Committee and confirmed by the Council for a term of 4 years, to establish the Board as of Education as a policy-making board only, to provide for the Mayor to appoint the president of the Board of Education, to repeal the Board of Education's chartering authority, to give the Mayor control over the budget for the Board of Education, and to provide for a second referendum vote in four years.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. That this act may be cited as the "Board of Education Charter Reform Act of 2000."

Sec. 2 The District of Columbia Home Rule Act, effective December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 774; D.C. Code §31-101 et seq.) is amended as follows:

(a) Section 452 is repealed.

(b) Section 495 (a), is amended to read as follows:

"(a) The Board of Education shall consist of 5 members appointed by the Mayor, from a list of names provided by a Nominating Committee also appointed by the Mayor, and confirmed by the Council for a term of 4 years. The appointment of the members of the Board of Education shall be conducted on a nonpartisan basis and shall be made based on qualifications to be established by the Mayor. The Board of Education shall develop policy for the District of Columbia Public Schools pursuant to District law".

Sec. 3 Section 2 of this act shall expire upon the adoption of a charter amendment submitted and adopted in a referendum by a majority of the electorate that restores the language of sections 452 and 495 as originally adopted in 1973 in the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.

Sec. 4 Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report 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 as provided in section 303 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat 784; D.C. Code §1-205).