DC Public Charter Schools

As of 2016, public charter schools in the District of Columbia have operated for 20 years. During this time, student enrollment has grown to more than 39,000 students in 115 schools in all wards in the city.

DC PCSB currently oversees 62 nonprofits that operate 115 public charter schools serving more than 39,000 or 44% of all DC public school students. It fosters quality education opportunities for students by approving new schools, overseeing schools in operation, and revoking school charters if the school fails to meet its performance goals, Through quality authorizing, DC PCSB has created positive outcomes for DC public charter school students.

With the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board’s (DC PCSB) vision, DC’s public charter sector and schools have greatly improved student performance, school quality, and citywide access to high quality seats in recent years. PCSB is the only government agency in the District of Columbia with the authority to approve schools, oversee schools while in operation, and revoke school charters if they fail to meet their performance goals.

DC PCSB gives DC public charter schools a high degree of flexibility in exchange for accountability for results, and encourages schools to exhibit fidelity by requiring schools to remain faithful to their status as public schools and responsibility to educate all students equitably.

Through a multi-faceted approach, DC PCSB has developed a model of authorization and oversight that has improved the quality of Washington, DC’s charter school sector and led to DC public charter school students making significant learning gains. According to the CREDO study, the average student enrolled in a Washington, DC public charter school receives an educational benefit equivalent to 99 extra days of school per year compared to his or her peers attending the city’s traditional public schools.

DC PCSB was created in 1996 by the District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 as a second, independent authorizer of public charter schools in Washington, DC. In 2006, the DC Board of Education (BOE), which had served as the first charter authorizer since 1996, voted to relinquish its authorizing responsibilities.

In 2007, the DC Council passed legislation to give the DC Mayor direct authority over the traditional public school system, and to transfer the oversight responsibility for the charter schools previously authorized by the BOE to PCSB.

Scott D. Pearson is DC PCSB's Executive Director. Since joining DC PCSB in 2012, Mr. Pearson has implemented significant reforms in how the Board approves and oversees public charter schools.

Naomi Rubin DeVeaux is DC PCSB's Deputy Director. A national expert in public charter school education, Ms. DeVeaux has developed new tools and measurements, curricula, and policy initiatives that have shaped public education across the country.

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