Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, DC has implemented a new name for its general statewide assessment system, which includes assessments in English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics and science. The District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (DC CAPE) include the DC ELA assessment (DC ELA), the DC Math assessment (DC Math) and the DC Science assessment (DC Science). Together, these assessments create a comprehensive system that provides important information on students’ progress and proficiency relative to DC’s educational standards.
These assessments are essential tools for understanding students' academic growth, identifying areas of strength, and pinpointing where additional support may be needed. They provide valuable data to help educators, policymakers, and families make informed decisions about students’ learning experiences and future needs.
As population forecasts for school-age children decline and city conditions change, DC PCSB must create the policies for thoughtful charter sector planning. This policy offers three pathways to support the sector’s sustainability, efficiency, and quality. They are mergers, standard acquisitions, and emergency acquisitions. DC PCSB will review these reorganization requests in alignment with this policy.
Each DC public charter school is required to conduct annually a thorough audit of its finances and operations. Each audit is conducted by a third-party auditor, chosen by the school from a list of auditors approved by DC PCSB, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. DC PCSB analyzes and summarizes the information in these audits to produce the Financial Analysis Report - formerly referred to as the Financial Audit Review or study of fiscal audits - as a joint project with all three agencies, that present consistent and transparent information about DC public charter schools’ finances and operations.