Commemorating 20 Years of Public Charter Schools

By Josephine C. Baker

The passage of the revised Public Charter School Law in 1996 and the establishment of the DC Public Charter School Board in 1997 was the catalyst for a new frontier in public education in Washington, DC. Emotions ran high as supporters and opponents made their voices heard in an era when both the DC Government and DC Public Schools were viewed with disdain.

The DC Public Charter School Board, in spite of many obstacles, developed a thoughtful and energetic process for creating a sector of public charter schools that would provide positive choices for parents to choose autonomous schools for their children.

The DC Public Charter School Board, a semi-independent entity of the District Government, began its operations with an emphasis on “AAA” -- Autonomy, Accountability and Achievement became the mantra which energized the board and the community. From the very beginning and even now, public charter schools are held accountable for providing students with the opportunity to achieve at a high level that will insure success beyond high school

Josephine C. Baker is the founding Board Chair of the DC Publi Charter School Board and served as Executive Director from 2002 to 2011.