§ 38–2652. Functions of the Board.
(a) The Board shall:
(1) Advise the State Superintendent of Education on educational matters, including:
(A) State standards;
(B) State policies, including those governing special, academic, vocational, charter, and other schools;
(C) State objectives; and
(D) State regulations proposed by the Mayor or the State Superintendent of Education;
(1A) Oversee the Office of Ombudsman for Public Education and the Office of the Student Advocate in accordance with subsection (d) of this section and Chapter 3A of this title and Chapter 3B of this title), respectively.
(2) Approve state academic standards, following a recommendation by the State Superintendent of Education, ensuring that the standards recommended by the State Superintendent of Education:
(A) Specify what children are expected to know and be able to do;
(B) Contain coherent and rigorous content;
(C) Encourage the teaching of advanced skills; and
(D) Are updated on a regular basis;
(3) Approve high school graduation requirements;
(4) Approve standards for high school equivalence credentials;
(5) Repealed.
(6) Approve standards for accreditation and certification of teacher preparation programs of colleges and universities or teacher preparation academies;
(7) Approve the state accountability plan for the District of Columbia developed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education pursuant to section 1111 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, approved January 8, 2002 (115 Stat. 1444; 20 U.S.C. § 6311), ensuring that:
(A) The plan includes a single statewide accountability system that establishes ambitious long-term student achievement goals, which include measurements of interim progress toward meeting those goals; and
(B) The statewide accountability system included in the plan is based on, but is not limited to, challenging state academic standards, academic assessments, and a standardized system of accountability across all local education agencies that will be used to hold local education agencies accountable for student achievement;
(8) Approve state policies for parental involvement;
(9) Approve state policies for supplemental education service providers operating in the District to ensure that providers have a demonstrated record of effectiveness and offer services that promote challenging academic achievement standards and that improve student achievement;
(10) Approve the rules for residency verification;
(11) Approve the list of charter school accreditation organizations;
(12) Approve the categories and format of the annual report card, pursuant to section 1111(h) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, approved January 8, 2002 (115 Stat. 1444; 20 U.S.C. § 6311(h));
(13) Approve the list of private placement accreditation organizations, pursuant to Chapter 29 of this title [§ 38-2901 et seq.];
(14) Approve state rules for enforcing school attendance requirements; and
(15) Approve state standards for home schooling.
(b) The Board shall conduct monthly meetings to receive citizen input with respect to issues properly before it at a location in the District designated by the Board.
(c)(1) The Board shall consider matters for policy approval upon submission of a request for policy action by the State Superintendent of Education within a review period requested by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.
(2) The Board shall have access to the public comments submitted during the public comment period on matters that the Office of the State Superintendent of Education submits to the Board for policy approval.
(d)(1) The Board shall, by order, specify its organizational structure, staff, operations, reimbursement of expenses policy, and other matters affecting the Board’s functions; provided, that such order shall not impair the exclusive budget and personnel authority granted to the Office of Ombudsman for Public Education pursuant to § 38-351, or the Office of the Student Advocate pursuant to § 38-371.
(2) The Board shall appoint staff members, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board, to perform administrative functions and any other functions necessary to execute the mission of the Board; provided, that the Board shall have no personnel authority over the staff of the Office of Ombudsman for Public Education or the Office of the Student Advocate, except as provided in § 38-351, and § 38-371, respectively.
(3)(A) Beginning in fiscal year 2013, the Board shall prepare and submit to the Mayor, for inclusion in the annual budget prepared and submitted to the Council pursuant to part D of subchapter IV of Chapter 2 of Title 1 [§ 204.41 et seq.], annual estimates of the expenditures and appropriations necessary for the operation of the Board for the year. All the estimates shall be forwarded by the Mayor to the Council for, in addition to the Mayor’s recommendations, action by the Council pursuant to §§ 1-204.46 and 1-206.03(c).
(B)(i) The Office of Ombudsman for Public Education and the Office of the Student Advocate shall be represented as separate program codes within the Board's budget.
(ii) The Board shall coordinate with the Ombudsman for Public Education and the Chief Advocate of the Office of the Student Advocate to ensure that the annual estimates prepared pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph reflect the expenditures and appropriations necessary for the operations of those offices.
(4) The Board shall be reflected in the budget and financial system as an agency-level entity.
(5) All assets, staff, and unexpended appropriations of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education or of any other agency that are associated with the Board shall be transferred to the Board by April 1, 2013.
(6) The Board shall provide personnel and resource support to the Office of Ombudsman for Public Education and the Office of the Student Advocate as necessary to facilitate the operations of those offices.
(e) For the purposes of this section, the term “state” means District-wide and similar to functions, policies, and rules performed by states on a state-wide basis.
