Washington, DC – Yesterday, Councilmember Christina Henderson introduced the Board of Trustees Training Amendment Act of 2024. The bill would improve the oversight of public charter schools by requiring newly elected and appointed board members of a public charter school’s Board of Trustees to complete annual trainings on issues related to non-profit Board governance including financial management.

“Strong charter school governance directly contributes to the success and sustainability of our public charter schools,” stated Councilmember Henderson. “With the recent last-minute closure of one of the District’s public charter schools, mandating annual trainings on critical topics such as personnel management, operations, and fiscal management will mitigate possible instability and mismanagement in the future.”

“Jurisdictions in Florida, Nevada, and New Jersey already maintain training mandates for their charter governance bodies or have regulations in place that require them to affirm their understanding of their role and responsibilities. Ensuring that our charter sector follows a similar path will help equip our charter communities with the training and resources needed to operate effectively and deliver quality education,” concluded Councilmember Henderson.  

Trainings would be offered at no-cost in coordination with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and would be required to be completed within 90 days of a member’s election or appointment.  

This bill was co-introduced by Councilmember Janeese Lewis George and Anita Bonds.  

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