Board Listens to Parents, Students at Tree of Life PCS Informal Hearing

February 11, 2015

Tree of Life PCS opened in 2000 under the authority of PCSB. The school currently serves more than 300 students in grades PK to 8.

Although Tree of Life PCS requests to renew its charter to operate only grades PK3 to 2, PCSB staff recommends that Tree of Life PCS’s renewal petition be denied, that the school’s charter is not be renewed and that the school close at the end of the 2014-15 school year.

Every DC public charter school executes and operates under a charter agreement with a term of 15 years. If a school wants to continue operating beyond these 15 years, it is required by the School Reform Act (SRA) to submit an application to the PCSB to renew its charter for another 15-year term. In turn, PCSB is required by the SRA to not renew a school’s charter if it finds that the school:

Has committed a material violation of applicable laws (including special education laws) or the terms, conditions, standards, or procedures of its charter; or
Failed to meet its goals and student academic achievement expectations.

Tree of Life PCS parents and students presented testimony to the PCSB Board at the informal hearing concerning the proposed nonrenewal.

Individuals may submit written comments until February 18, 2015 at [email protected] to the Board to be placed in the record.

The Board will vote on February 23 at 6:30 p.m. at PCSB.

The Board held an informal public hearing, Tuesday evening, on Tree of Life PCS’ 15-year renewal petition.