1. (a) Board of Trustees. — The members of a Board of Trustees of a public charter school shall be elected or selected pursuant to the charter granted to the school. Such Board of Trustees shall have an odd number of members that does not exceed 15, of which:

   1. (1) A majority shall be residents of the District of Columbia; and
   2. (2) At least 2 shall be parents of a student attending the school.

2. (b) Eligibility. — An individual is eligible for election or selection to the Board of Trustees of a public charter school if the person:

   1. (1) Is a teacher or staff member who is employed at the school;
   2. (2) Is a parent of a student attending the school; or
   3. (3) Meets the election or selection criteria set forth in the charter granted to the school.
3. (c) Election or selection of parents. — In the case of the first Board of Trustees of a public charter school to be elected or selected after the date on which the school is granted a charter, the election or selection of the members under subsection (a)(2) of this section shall occur on the earliest practicable date after classes at the school have commenced. Until such date, any other members who have been elected or selected shall serve as an interim Board of Trustees. Such an interim Board of Trustees may exercise all of the powers, and shall be subject to all of the duties, of a Board of Trustees.
4. (d) Fiduciaries. — The Board of Trustees of a public charter school shall be fiduciaries of the school and shall set overall policy for the school. The Board of Trustees may make final decisions on matters related to the operation of the school, consistent with the charter granted to the school, this subchapter, and other applicable law.
5. (e) Open meetings. — All meetings of a Board of Trustees shall be subject to the requirements of subchapter IV of Chapter 5 of Title 2.
6. (f) The Board of Trustees of a public charter school shall complete school governance training consistent with the requirements of § 38-1802.14(k).

History

Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321 122, Pub. L. 104-134, § 2205

Nov. 19, 1997, 111 Stat. 2191, Pub. L. 105-100, § 168

Dec. 3, 2020, D.C. Law 23-149, § 4056(b)

Sept. 10, 2025, D.C. Law 26-38, § 2(a)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 31-2853.15.

Applicability

Section 7199 of D.C. Act 26-146 repealed Section 3 of D.C. Law 26-38, thus removing the applicability limitation. Therefore the amendment to this section by §2(a) of D.C. Law 26-38 has been implemented.

Applicability of D.C. Law 26-38: § 3 of D.C. Law 26-38 provided that the amendment to this section by § 2(a) of D.C. Law 26-38 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.

Section 7199 of D.C. Act 26-210 repealed Section 3 of D.C. Law 26-38, thus removing the applicability limitation. Therefore the amendment to this section by §2(a) of D.C. Law 26-38 has been implemented.

Section 7199 of D.C. Law 26-55 repealed Section 3 of D.C. Law 26-38, thus removing the applicability limitation. Therefore the amendment to this section by §2(a) of D.C. Law 26-38 has been implemented.