The District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 (School Reform Act)  established PCSB, an independent agency which provides the primary  oversight of D.C. charter schools. Suspension and Expulsion Rates in D.C. Charter Schools Are Down, but Are About Twice the National Charter School Rates

District of Columbia Charter School Discipline at a Glance
Discipline rates for charter schools overall dropped from school year 2011-12 through school year 2013-14 according to federal data, and continued to drop through school year 2015-16, according to D.C. data. Discipline Rates of Students in D.C. Charter Schools Have Dropped

Discipline rates—that is, out-of-school suspensions and expulsions—at  D.C. charter schools dropped from school year 2011-12 through school  year 2013-14, but remained disproportionately high for Black students  and students with disabilities, as well as at some schools. Suspension Rates in D.C. Schools Are About Twice the National Rates

In both 2011-12 and 2013-14 both D.C. charter schools and traditional  public schools had suspension rates that were about double the rates for  schools nationally, according to Education’s data (see fig. Within D.C.,  charter schools’ suspension rates were slightly higher than D.C.  traditional public schools. As shown in figure 5, although  Black students represented 80 percent of charter school enrollment, they  represented 93 percent of those suspended and 92 percent of those  expelled. In particular, 16 of the 105 D.C. charter schools suspended 20 percent or  more of their students, with 5 schools suspending 30 percent or more of  their students over the course of that school year. Agencies Oversee Charter Schools, but Have Not Created a Coordinated Plan to Help Schools Continue to Bring Down Discipline Rates

		PCSB Collects and Publishes Discipline Data by School and Alerts Schools of Concerns

PCSB has increased its focus on school discipline in recent years and  uses several mechanisms to oversee charter schools’ use of suspensions  and expulsions (see fig. In addition, PCSB conducts higher-level reviews of schools’ discipline  policies on an annual basis. Several D.C. Agencies Oversee Charter Schools but We Observed a Lack of Consensus around Roles, Responsibilities, and a Key Agency’s Authority

While other D.C. education agencies also have oversight responsibility  with respect to charter schools (see fig. Absent such a  plan, continued progress in bringing down discipline rates may be slowed. The D.C. Mayor should direct the DME and OSSE to deepen  collaboration with PCSB and other relevant stakeholders, such as  charter school LEAs, to develop a coordinated plan to continue  progress in reducing discipline rates and, as part of this process,  make explicit their respective roles, responsibilities, and authorities  with regard to discipline in D.C. charter schools. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The objectives of this study were to examine: (1) what is known about  suspensions and expulsions in District of Columbia (D.C. or District)  charter schools, and (2) to what extent the Public Charter School Board  (PCSB) oversees the use of suspensions and expulsions at charter  schools. To address these objectives, we used a variety of methods,  including analyzing federal and D.C. data; reviewing published reports  and monitoring documentation from PCSB and other D.C. agencies; and  interviewing officials from these agencies, representatives from  associations and advocacy groups, and officials from three charter  schools. In its written comments on a draft of this report,  PCSB noted the recent availability  of data for the 2015-16 school year. Departments of Education and Justice. No recommendations found.
Why GAO Did This Study

D.C. charter schools served about 45 percent of D.C.'s public school students in the 2015-16 school year. The District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 established PCSB to authorize and oversee charter schools. PCSB also oversees charter schools' use of suspensions and expulsions.
The District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2005, as amended, included a provision for GAO to conduct a periodic management evaluation of PCSB. This report examines (1) what is known about suspensions and expulsions in D.C. charter schools, and (2) to what extent PCSB oversees charter schools' use of suspensions and expulsions. GAO analyzed the most recent national federal data (school years 2011-12 and 2013-14) and D.C. data (school year 2015-16) on suspensions and expulsions; reviewed relevant laws, regulations, and agency policies and documentation; and interviewed officials at PCSB and other D.C. agencies, as well as other stakeholders selected to provide a range of perspectives. GAO also visited three charter schools that had high discipline rates.

What GAO Found

Discipline rates (out-of-school suspension and expulsion rates) at District of Columbia (D.C.) charter schools dropped from school years 2011-12 through 2013-14 (the most recent years of national Department of Education data available). However, these rates remained about double the rates of charter schools nationally and slightly higher than D.C. traditional public schools and were also disproportionately high for some student groups and schools. Specifically, during this period, suspension rates in D.C. charter schools dropped from about 16 percent of all students to about 13 percent, and expulsions, which were relatively rare, went down by about a half percent, according to GAO's analysis. However, D.C. Black students and students with disabilities were disproportionately suspended and expelled. For example, Black students represented 80 percent of students in D.C. charter schools, but 93 percent of those suspended and 92 percent of those expelled. Further, 16 of D.C.'s 105 charter schools suspended over a fifth of their students over the course of school year 2015-16, according to D.C. data.
Note: Numbers may not add to 100 due to rounding.
The Public Charter School Board (PCSB) regularly uses several mechanisms to oversee charter schools' use of suspensions and expulsions. For example, PCSB reviews school-level data and schools' discipline policies to encourage schools to reduce reliance on suspensions and expulsions to manage student behavior. Several D.C. agencies have roles in overseeing charter schools and reported collaborating on other issues, but we observed a lack of consensus around roles and responsibilities regarding charter school discipline. Further, a plan to issue regulations addressing discipline disparities among D.C. public schools was unsuccessful because the D.C. agency that planned to issue the regulations was unsure of its authority to do so. Absent a coordinated plan to continue progress in reducing discipline rates in charter schools, as well as clarified roles, responsibilities, and authorities of D.C. agencies with respect to oversight of discipline in charter schools, continued progress may be slowed.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is making two recommendations, including that D.C. education agencies collaborate on a plan to further reduce discipline rates and make explicit agency roles, responsibilities, and authorities regarding charter school discipline. The agencies did not explicitly agree or disagree with our recommendations and indicated they could deepen their collaboration.