FOCUS D.C. Public Charter School Bulletin

July 11, 2008

Council Member Introduces Pro-Charter School Facilities Bill

Ward 8 council member Marion Barry, a staunch supporter of the District’s public charter schools, has introduced a bill designed to force the Fenty administration to lease or sell 21 recently-closed school buildings to the public charter schools. The bill was co-sponsored by at-large council member Phil Mendelson, a long-time charter supporter.

The bill, the “District of Columbia Public School Building Space Amendment Act of 2008” [B17-0847], would clarify that the 21 buildings are subject to the “right of first offer” on school buildings no longer needed by the school system that is given to the charter schools by the School Reform Act (SRA), D.C.’s charter school law. It also would require the mayor and DCPS chancellor to “develop a plan to market” each building to interested charter schools. It is assumed that the Fenty administration, which has publicly announced other plans for many of these buildings [see FOCUS D.C. Public Charter School Bulletin 6/9/08 and 6/23/08 at http://www.focusdc.org/news/news.asp], will oppose the legislation. In addition, other bills before the council would make it much more difficult for the mayor to dispose of surplus property, including former school buildings.

Another section of the bill would require the mayor to work with the chancellor to develop a plan to relocate DCPS central office staff to closed school buildings. This requirement appears to conflict with the charter school section of the bill, which specifies that the charters get first crack at any buildings not needed by DCPS for educational purposes.

Friends of Choice in Urban Schools
1530 16th Street, NW #104
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 387-0405 phone
(202) 667-3798 fax
www.focusdc.org