Board members at D.C. charter schools would be required to complete legal and financial training as part of their onboarding process under a council bill expected to be reintroduced in the coming weeks.
The proposed legislation, which was first introduced at the end of the last council period, would require the board members to get “some basic understanding, so that folks know what they’re getting themselves into, from a legal, a governance standpoint and then from financials,” D.C. Council member Christina Henderson said.
Some of the city’s charters offer such training but it isn’t required for board members to finish.
Henderson first introduced the bill months after Eagle Academy Public Charter School closed because of financial issues before the school year started in August. During a hearing, Henderson said, one parent member testified that she didn’t feel empowered to ask questions and didn’t fully understand her role and responsibility “from a fiduciary standpoint as well around the oversight of the board,” Henderson said.
“I don’t feel like this bill is terribly controversial, but I do feel like we need some type of response to what happened to ensure that we don’t have future Eagles out there. It was very disruptive,” Henderson said.
Henderson is hoping to have the legislation passed and in place before the 2025-26 school year.
The annual trainings would be offered for free through the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Members would be required to finish them within 90 days of when they’re elected or appointed.
The legislation would require the members to learn about financials and governance, and leaves open the possibility of schools to add in other topics they deem necessary. For instance, Henderson said some of the larger charters would talk about the history of the organization.
Members should also have a basic understanding of things like the D.C. School Reform Act, Henderson said, and school finance.
“What I want to make sure is that we are setting charter school board members up for success and providing them with the feeling as though, yes, you can question and yes, if you see something going wrong, you can raise your hand and say, ‘Hold on, hold on. We need to take a step back here and really evaluate whether or not this is a good decision,'” Henderson said.
Donald Hense, chairman and founder of Friendship Public Charter School, called the proposal a “great idea,” adding board training has been going on “ever since there were charters. Friendship’s board is made up of bankers, business leaders, nonprofit leaders and parents.”
“It would be very telling to have a charter organization come out in opposition to this legislation, because then I have to ask questions,” Henderson said. “Why don’t you want your board members to have this basic understanding of information and otherwise? So it kind of feels like a low-hanging fruit type of situation for me.”
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