Committee Print
Committee on Education Libraries and Recreation
January 14, 2000
A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to decrease the number of members of
the District of Columbia Board of Education from 11 to 7, to create special school
districts consisting of compressed wards from which 4 members of the Board shall be
elected and to provide for the at large election of 3 members of the Board, one of whom to
be elected President.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as
the "School Governance Charter Amendment Act of 2000".
Sec. 2. Section 495 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24,
1973 (87 Stat. 820; D.C. Code §31-101(a)), is amended to read as follows:
"(a) The Board of Education shall govern certain aspects of the public schools in
the District of Columbia. The Board of Education shall consist of 7 elected members. Three
members shall be elected at large, one of whom shall be elected president of the Board.
One member shall be elected from each of 4 special school districts."(b) The 4 special school districts for the election of Board members pursuant to
subsection (a) of this section, shall be comprised of the 8 election wards arcs created
pursuant tosection 2 of the Boundaries Act of 1975, effective December 16, 1975 (D.C. Law 1-38;
D.C. Code §1-1308), as follows:"(1) Wards 1 and 2 shall comprise Special School District I;
"(2) Wards 3 and 4 shall comprise Special School District II;
"(3) Wards 5 and 6 shall comprise Special School District III; and
"(4) Wards 7 and 8 shall comprise Special School District IV."(c) The election of the members of the Board of Education shall be conducted on a
nonpartisan basis and in accordance with the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955,
approved August 12, 1955 (69 Stat. 699; D.C. Code §1-1301 et seq.)."(d) The Board shall be governed in accordance with laws enacted by the
Council."
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report
as the fiscal impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia
Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code §1-233(c)(3)).
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect following ratification by a majority
of the registered qualified electors of the District of Columbia voting in a referendum
held for such purpose and a 35-day period of Congressional review as provided in section
303 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813;
D.C. Code §1-205), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.