District of Columbia Public Charter School Board
The District of Columbia Public Charter School Board is the regulatory authority for all public charter schools in the District of Columbia. It was established in 1996 and provides oversight to 62 nonprofits and 123 public charter schools which educate roughly 43,000 students (46% of all DC public school students).[1] The board is tasked with fostering education opportunities for enrolled students, approving new schools, monitoring existing schools, and revoking school charters if they fail to meet an academic goal threshold. It differs from some charter school boards by operating on a lottery-only basis to avoid discrimination.[2]
History
The board was created in 1996 by the District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 as a second, independent authorizer of public charter schools in the District of Columbia. In 2006, the DC Board of Education voted to relinquish its authorizing responsibilities for charter schools and in 2007, the Council of the District of Columbia passed legislation granting the Mayor of the District of Columbia direct authority over the traditional public school system. With that vote, the board became the sole authority for public charter schools within the District of Columbia.[3]
Leadership
The Executive Director is Scott Pearson.[4] The board is chaired by Rick Cruz, a former CEO of DC Prep Public Charter School.[5] The vice chair is Saba Bireda, an attorney at Stanford Hiesler, LLP.[6] Other board members include Lea Crusey and Naomi Shelton, with Ricarda Ganjam serving as Secretary and Steve Bumbaugh serving as Treasurer.[4]
Performance Management Framework
Under the School Reform Act, the board is granted authority to hold DC public charter schools accountable for fulfilling their obligations under the Act.[7] With a high proportion of PK-12 and adults in public charter schools, the board created the performance management framework in 2011. It was developed to evaluate charter school performance, based on common measures across all schools. Schools are rated Tier 1, 2, 3, with Tier 1 being the best. The framework measurements evaluate student achievement as well as student growth, indicators of readiness for high school and college, and mission-specific measures at each school.[8] The results of the framework have improved year to year. In 2014, six elementary/middle schools and six high schools were rated Tier 1 based on their performance. Today, 54 schools are rated as Tier 1. The rankings are released yearly in the board's School Quality Report.[8]
Students at schools under the board's authority generally perform better on statewide assessments than students from other DC-area schools. In 2018, students at DC public charter schools improved 2.7 points in English and 1.8 points in math on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness in College and Careers test.[9] Students from traditionally marginalized groups saw higher improvement than more privileged students.[10]
Schools
Early Childhood Schools
| School name | Students | Low grade | High grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| AppleTree Early Learning PCS - Columbia Heights | 160 | Prekindergarten (3) | Prekindergarten (4) |
| AppleTree Early Learning PCS - Lincoln Park | 60 | Prekindergarten (3) | Prekindergarten (4) |
| AppleTree Early Learning PCS - Oklahoma Avenue | 134 | Prekindergarten (3) | Prekindergarten (4) |
| Appletree Early Learning PCS - Southeast (Douglas Knoll) | 169 | Prekindergarten (3) | Prekindergarten (4) |
| AppleTree Early Learning PCS - Southeast (Parklands) | 172 | Prekindergarten (3) | Prekindergarten (4) |
| AppleTree Early Learning PCS - Southwest | 108 | Prekindergarten (3) | Prekindergarten (4) |
| Breakthrough Montessori PCS | 81 | Prekindergarten (3) | Kindergarten |
| Briya PCS - Early Childhood | 644 | Prekindergarten (3) | Prekindergarten (4) |
| Cedar Tree Academy PCS | 385 | Prekindergarten (3) | Kindergarten |
| KIPP DC - Arts and Technology Academy PCS | 277 | Prekindergarten (3) | Kindergarten |
| KIPP DC - Connect Academy PCS | 325 | Prekindergarten (3) | Kindergarten |
| KIPP DC - Discover Academy PCS | 352 | Prekindergarten (3) | Kindergarten |
| KIPP DC - Grow Academy PCS | 328 | Prekindergarten (3) | Kindergarten |
| KIPP DC - LEAP Academy PCS | 198 | Prekindergarten (3) | Prekindergarten (4) |
Elementary and Elementary/middle schools
| School name | Students | Low grade | High grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achievement Prep PCS - Wahler Place Elementary School | 464 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Bridges PCS | 328 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
| Capital City PCS - Lower School | 325 | Prekindergarten (3) | 4th |
| Center City PCS - Brightwood | 276 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Center City PCS - Capitol Hill | 238 | Prekindergarten (4) | 8th |
| Center City PCS - Congress Heights | 253 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Center City PCS - Petworth | 257 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Center City PCS - Shaw | 234 | Prekindergarten (4) | 8th |
| Center City PCS - Trinidad | 184 | Prekindergarten (4) | 8th |
| City Arts and Prep PCS | 522 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Creative Minds International PCS | 341 | Prekindergarten (3) | 7th |
| DC Bilingual PCS | 410 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
| DC Prep PCS - Anacostia Elementary | 203 | Prekindergarten (3) | 1st |
| DC Prep PCS - Benning Elementary | 449 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| DC Prep PCS - Edgewood Elementary | 447 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| DC Scholars PCS | 505 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Democracy Prep Congress Heights PCS | 656 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| E.L. Haynes PCS - Elementary School | 345 | Prekindergarten (3) | 4th |
| Eagle Academy PCS - Capitol Riverfront | 144 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Eagle Academy PCS - Congress Heights | 734 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Early Childhood Academy PCS | 229 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS | 350 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
| Friendship PCS - Armstrong Elementary | 438 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
| Friendship PCS - Blow Pierce Elementary | 388 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Friendship PCS - Chamberlain Elementary School | 387 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Friendship PCS - Online | 145 | Kindergarten | 8th |
| Friendship PCS - Southeast Academy | 553 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
| Friendship PCS - Woodridge International Elementary School | 305 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Harmony DC PCS - School of Excellence | 97 | Kindergarten | 5th |
| Hope Community PCS - Lamond | 321 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
| Hope Community PCS - Tolson | 561 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Ideal Academy PCS | 300 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Ingenuity Prep PCS | 376 | Prekindergarten (3) | 4th |
| Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS | 414 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| KIPP DC - Heights Academy PCS | 461 | 1st | 4th |
| KIPP DC - Lead Academy PCS | 418 | 1st | 4th |
| KIPP DC - Promise Academy PCS | 525 | Kindergarten | 4th |
| KIPP DC - Quest Academy PCS | 365 | 1st | 4th |
| KIPP DC - Spring Academy PCS | 335 | 1st | 4th |
| Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS (LAMB) | 426 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
| Lee Montessori PCS | 145 | Prekindergarten (3) | 4th |
| Mary McLeod Bethune Day Academy PCS | 402 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Meridian PCS | 692 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS | 563 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
| Perry Street Preparatory PCS | 306 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Rocketship Rise Academy PCS | 441 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Roots PCS | 118 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
| Sela PCS | 177 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS | 203 | Prekindergarten (3) | 6th |
| The Children's Guild DC PCS | 342 | Kindergarten | 8th |
| Two Rivers PCS - Fourth Street | 527 | Prekindergarten (3) | 8th |
| Two Rivers PCS - Young | 226 | Prekindergarten (3) | 3rd |
| Washington Yu Ying PCS | 571 | Prekindergarten (3) | 5th |
Middle Schools
High Schools
| School name | Students | Low grade | High grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| BASIS DC PCS - High School | 597 | 9th | 12th |
| Capital City PCS - High School | 333 | 9th | 12th |
| César Chávez PCS for Public Policy - Capitol Hill | 332 | 9th | 12th |
| César Chávez PCS for Public Policy - Parkside High School | 359 | 9th | 12th |
| E.L. Haynes PCS - High School | 450 | 9th | 12th |
| Friendship PCS - Collegiate Academy | 751 | 9th | 12th |
| Friendship PCS - Technology Preparatory High School Academy | 233 | 9th | 12th |
| IDEA PCS | 262 | 9th | 12th |
| Kingsman Academy PCS | 254 | 6th | 12th |
| KIPP DC - College Preparatory Academy PCS | 594 | 9th | 12th |
| National Collegiate Preparatory PCHS | 275 | 9th | 12th |
| Paul PCS - International School | 487 | 9th | 11th |
| Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts | 285 | 8th | 12th |
| SEED PCS of Washington, DC - High School | 361 | 9th | 12th |
| Somerset Preparatory Academy PCS - High School | 324 | 9th | 12th |
| Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS | 388 | 9th | 12th |
| Washington Latin PCS - Upper School | 335 | 9th | 12th |
Alternative, Adult, and Vocational Education Schools
References
- "Who We Are | DC PCSB". dcpcsb.org. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "Transforming Public Education in the Nation's Capital". FSG. December 23, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "DC Public Education Reform Amendment Act of 2007, enrolled version, Bill 17-001". www.dcwatch.com. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "DC PCSB Annual Reports | DC PCSB". dcpcsb.org. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
- "Rick Cruz | DC PCSB". dcpcsb.org. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "Saba Bireda | DC PCSB". dcpcsb.org. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 | DC PCSB". dcpcsb.org. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "School Quality Report | DC PCSB". dcpcsb.org. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "2018 DC PARCC Results | DC PCSB". dcpcsb.org. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
- Office of the State Superintendent of Education. "2014 DC CAS Results." Osse.dc.gov. N.p., 31 July 2014. Web.