Eagle Public Charter School Board and DC Public Charter School Board Advisory Opinion

A September 22, 2022, complaint alleged Open Meetings Act (“OMA”) violations by the Board of Trustees of Eagle Academy (“Eagle Board”) and the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board.  The Director of Open Government disposed of the complaint in a June 26, 2023, advisory opinion.

Director Allen agreed with only two of the complainant’s points, concluding that:  (1) the Eagle Board does not accessibly post minutes (except for a few scattered exceptions) to its website, and (2) the Eagle Board did not respond to OOG’s request to review a particular meeting notice, nor the audio/video of its meetings.

As for DC PCSB, Director Allen noted that it might have had a duty under the Freedom of Information Act of 1976’s affirmative-disclosure section to post—onto the internet—Eagle Academy’s grade-expansion application and the public comments received in response, but, as there was no OMA violation, Director Allen could take no action.