2019 District of Columbia Code
Title 38 - Educational Institutions.
Chapter 3B - Office of the Student Advocate.
§ 38–373. Duties.

The Chief Advocate shall:

(1) Support student academic achievement by supporting current and prospective public school students and their parents or guardians in their interactions with public school personnel;

(2) Facilitate the school enrollment process by providing current and prospective public school students and their parents or guardians with information on school admission, application, and enrollment policies and procedures that is not already publicly available, or is difficult to locate or identify;

(3) Help current and prospective public school students and their parents or guardians access education resources offered by the public schools;

(4) Operate a public education hotline to answer questions and provide information about public education and to direct individuals to the appropriate agencies and offices within the District;

(5) Conduct at least 8 information sessions annually, with at least one session in each ward, to provide current and prospective public school students and their parents or guardians with information about public education, including information regarding programs for special education students and for English-language learners, and to obtain feedback from current and prospective public school students and their parents or guardians on public education in the District;

(6) If requested by a current or prospective public school student or a student's parent or guardian, serve as an advocate for the student in complaint resolution proceedings before the Office of Ombudsman for Public Education;

(7) Develop and maintain a database that tracks issues brought to the attention of the Office, identified by ward, name of public school, resource or referral given, and resolution of such issues;

(8) Recommend policy changes, staff training, and strategies on family, student, and community engagement to improve the efficient and equitable delivery of public education services;

(9) Within 120 days after the end of each school year, submit to the Board, and make publicly available, a report summarizing the work of the Office during the previous school year, which shall at minimum include an analysis of the types and number of:

(A) Complaints, concerns, or other issues brought to the attention of the Office, including those received through the hotline and at a public education resource center;

(B) Complaints, concerns, or other inquiries resolved informally;

(C) Complaints, concerns, or other inquiries resolved through formal procedures;

(D) Students represented in complaint resolution proceedings before the Office of Ombudsman for Public Education;

(E) Students represented through formal or administrative proceedings;

(F) Information sessions held and trainings conducted by ward; and

(G) Complaints, concerns, or other inquiries referred to District agencies, including the name of the agency, office, or organization to which the referral was made;

(10) Have access to books, records, files, reports, findings, and all other papers, items, or property "(documents") belonging to or in use by all departments, agencies, instrumentalities, and employees of public schools necessary to facilitate the purpose of this chapter, excluding the Executive Office of the Mayor, the Council, and the District of Columbia courts; provided, that such access is limited to documents related to the student or parent or guardian that the Office is assisting; and

(11) Have the authority to issue reports and recommendations related to the Office's work without prior review or approval by any entity.

(Feb. 22, 2014, D.C. Law 20-76, § 204, 61 DCR 39; Oct. 8, 2016, D.C. Law 21-160, § 4133, 63 DCR 10775; Apr. 7, 2017, D.C. Law 21-252, § 4(b), 64 DCR 1656.)

Section 7008 of D.C. Law 22-33 repealed § 401 of D.C. Law 20-76. Therefore the changes made to this section by D.C. Law 20-76 have been given effect.

Applicability of D.C. Law 20-76: § 401 of D.C. Law 20-76 provided that the change made to this section by § 204 of D.C. Law 20-76 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.

For temporary (90 days) repeal of § 401 of D.C. Law 20-76, see § 7008 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-167, Oct. 24, 2017, 64 DCR 10802).

For temporary (90 days) repeal of § 401 of D.C. Law 20-76, see § 7008 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-104, July 20, 2017, 64 DCR 7032).