PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD.

SEC. 2214. PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD. (a) Establishment.— (1) In general.— There is established within the District of Columbia Government a Public Charter School Board (in this section referred to as the “Board”). (2) Membership.— The Secretary of Education shall present the Mayor a list of 15 individuals the Secretary determines are qualified to serve on the Board. The Mayor, in consultation with the District of Columbia Council, shall appoint 7 individuals from the list to serve on the Board. The Secretary of Education shall recommend, and the Mayor shall appoint, members to serve on the Board so that a knowledge of each of the following areas is represented on the Board: (A) Research about and experience in student learning, quality teaching, and evaluation of and accountability in successful schools. (B) The operation of a financially sound enterprise, including leadership and management techniques, as well as the budgeting and accounting skills critical to the startup of a successful enterprise. (C) The educational, social, and economic development needs of the District of Columbia. (D) The needs and interests of students and parents in the District of Columbia, as well as methods of involving parents and other members of the community in individual schools. (3) Vacancies.— Any time there is a vacancy in the membership of the Board, the Secretary of Education shall present the Mayor a list of 3 individuals the Secretary determines are qualified to serve on the Board. The Mayor, in consultation with the District of Columbia Council, shall appoint 1 individual from the list to serve on the Board. The Secretary shall recommend and the Mayor shall appoint, such member of the Board taking into consideration the criteria described in paragraph (2). Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term of a predecessor shall be appointed only for the remainder of the term. (4) Time limit for appointments.— If, at any time, the Mayor does not appoint members to the Board sufficient to bring the Board’s membership to 7 within 30 days of receiving a recommendation from the Secretary of Education under paragraph (2) or (3), the Secretary shall make such appointments as are necessary to bring the membership of the Board to 7. (5) Terms of members.— 110 STAT. 1321–133 (A) In general.— Members of the Board shall serve for terms of 4 years, except that, of the initial appointments made under paragraph (2), the Mayor shall designate— (i) 2 members to serve terms of 3 years; (ii) 2 members to serve terms of 2 years; and (iii) 1 member to serve a term of 1 year. (B) Reappointment.— Members of the Board shall be eligible to be reappointed for one 4-year term beyond their initial term of appointment. (6) Independence.— No person employed by the District of Columbia public schools or a public charter school shall be eligible to be a member of the Board or to be employed by the Board. (b) Operations of the Board.— (1) Chair.— The members of the Board shall elect from among their membership 1 individual to serve as Chair. Such election shall be held each year after members of the Board have been appointed to fill any vacancies caused by the regular expiration of previous members’ terms, or when requested by a majority vote of the members of the Board. (2) Quorum.— A majority of the members of the Board, not including any positions that may be vacant, shall constitute a quorum sufficient for conducting the business of the Board. (3) Meetings.— The Board shall meet at the call of the Chair, subject to the hearing requirements of sections 2203, 2212(d)(3), and 2213(c)(3). (c) No Compensation for Service.— Members of the Board shall serve without pay, but may receive reimbursement for any reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by reason of service on the Board. (d) Personnel and Resources.— (1) In general.— Subject to such rules as may be made by the Board, the Chair shall have the power to appoint, terminate, and fix the pay of an Executive Director and such other personnel of the Board as the Chair considers necessary, but no individual so appointed shall be paid in excess of the rate payable for level EG-16 of the Educational Service of the District of Columbia. (2) Special rule.— The Board is authorized to use the services, personnel, and facilities of the District of Columbia. (e) Expenses of Board.— Any expenses of the Board shall be paid from such funds as may be available to the Mayor: Provided, That within 45 days of the enactment of this Act the Mayor shall make available not less than $130,000 to the Board. (f) Audit.— The Board shall provide for an audit of the financial statements of the Board by an independent certified public accountant in accordance with Government auditing standards for financial audits issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. (g) Authorization of Appropriations.— For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section and conducting the Board’s functions required by this subtitle, there are authorized to be appropriated $300,000 for fiscal year 1997 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal years.