During tonight’s monthly meeting, the Board voted on Chavez PCS and SEED PCS charters, both operating in their 20th school year. The School Reform Act, the law governing public charter schools in Washington, DC, states a school’s charter must be reviewed at least once every five years.
Chavez PCS has four schools located in Wards 1, 6 and 7. Based on the review conducted by DC PCSB staff, Chavez PCS did not meet its goals and student achievement expectations. The board voted to continue the school’s charter with conditions that include the Parkside Middle school closing one grade at a time, starting with sixth grade after SY 2017-18, seventh grade after SY 2018-19, and eighth grade after SY 2019-20. During this time, the school will not admit new students to its middle school grades and will reduce its enrollment ceiling each year by 100 students, ultimately resulting in a maximum enrollment ceiling of 1,320. The other conditions are available online.
SEED PCS, located in Ward 7, currently educates students in grades 6-12. During the review staff found that SEED PCS did not meet its goals and academic expectations. The Board approved the school to continue to operate with conditions. Effective immediately, the school will no longer admit new students in grades 6, 7 and 8, and the middle school will close completely by the end of the 2019-20 school year. The school’s enrollment ceiling will decrease to 300 in SY 2018-19, and 250 in SY2019-20 and beyond. The other conditions are available online.
The DC Public Charter School Board votes to close Chavez and SEED middle schools.