D.C. Law 23-117. Public Charter School Closure Amendment Act of 2020.

AN ACT

To amend the District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 to allow the Public Charter School Board to impose reasonable interim conditions upon revocation or nonrenewal of a charter during a closing school's final months of operation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Public Charter School Closure Amendment Act of 2020".

Sec. 2. The District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995, approved April 26, 1996 (110 Stat. 1321; D.C. Official Code § 38-1800.01 et seq.), is amended as follows:

(a) Section 2212(d)(5) (D.C. Official Code § 38-1802.12(d)(5)) is amended to read as follows:

"(5) Alternatives upon nonrenewal. — If an eligible chartering authority denies an application to renew a charter granted to a public charter school, the eligible chartering authority may:

"(A) Manage the school directly until alternative arrangements can be made for students at the school;

"(B) Place the school in a probationary status that requires the school to take remedial actions, to be determined by the eligible chartering authority, that directly relate to the grounds for the denial; or

"(C) Impose such interim conditions as it determines reasonably necessary to safeguard public funds, ensure positive outcomes for students, or provide for efficient dissolution and asset distribution pursuant to section 2213a.".

(b) Section 2213(c)(5) (D.C. Official Code § 38-1802.13(c)(5)) is amended to read as follows:

"(5) Alternatives upon revocation. — If an eligible chartering authority revokes a charter granted to a public charter school, the eligible chartering authority may:

"(A) Manage the school directly until alternative arrangements can be made for students at the school; or

"(B) Impose such interim conditions as it determines reasonably necessary to safeguard public funds, ensure positive outcomes for students, or provide for efficient dissolution and asset distribution pursuant to section 2213a.".

(c) A new section 2213b is added to read as follows:

"Sec. 2213b. Eligible chartering authority closure powers after voluntary charter relinquishment.

"(a) If a public charter school voluntarily relinquishes its charter, the eligible chartering authority may manage the school directly until alternative arrangements can be made for students at the school.

"(b) If a public charter school voluntarily relinquishes its charter, the eligible chartering authority also may impose such interim conditions as it determines reasonably necessary to safeguard public funds, ensure positive outcomes for students, or provide for efficient dissolution and asset distribution pursuant to section 2213a.".

Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (12 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 4. Effective date.

This act shall take effect following approval of the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.