§ 38-221 — Attendance zone boundaries; establishment, modification, alteration.

(a) Except as required due to a school closure or a consolidation of schools, upon Dec. 24, 2013, notwithstanding any other law or regulation, no approved establishment, modification, or alteration of any attendance zone boundary shall be implemented, or in any manner initiated, until the 2015-2016 school year or with less notice than a full school year to the parent or guardian of each affected student, whichever is greater; provided, that nothing in this section shall prohibit the Chancellor from proposing or implementing changes to school feeder patterns that would result in additional options in next-level schools for a feeder school.

(b) In calendar year 2023 and every 10 years thereafter, the Mayor shall complete a comprehensive review of District of Columbia Public Schools ("DCPS") student assignment policies. The review shall include and examination of and recommendations regarding the following:

(1) Student assignments to schools by right based on DCPS attendance zones and feeder pathways, including:

(A) Attendance zone boundaries;

(B) School feeder patterns; and

(C) By right admission to a zoned school for preK-3 and preK-4 students;

(2) Whether there is adequate capacity in zoned DCPS facilities, including whether there is adequate capacity at each of the following grade levels:

(A) Early childhood;

(B) Elementary school;

(C) Middle school; and

(D) High school; and

(3) Whether there is equitable access among District students to high-quality DCPS schools, including:

(A) Standards for out-of-boundary minimums;

(B) Placement priorities for students designated at-risk;

(C) Specialized and selective programs and schools;

(D) Modes of transportation by which students travel to school; and

(E) Other factors related to equitable access as considered appropriate by the Deputy Mayor for Education.

Legislative History

Dec. 24, 2013, D.C. Law 20-61, § 4072, 60 DCR 12472