District of Columbia Code
Subchapter I-A - Attendance Zone Boundaries
§ 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.
(Dec. 24, 2013, D.C. Law 20-61, § 4072, 60 DCR 12472; Sept. 21, 2022, D.C. Law 24-167, § 4092, 69 DCR 009223.)
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 4092 of Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-470, July 13, 2022, 69 DCR 008707).
For temporary (90 days) addition of this section, see § 4072 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-130, July 30, 2013, 60 DCR 11384, 20 DCSTAT 1827).
For temporary (90 days) addition of this section, see § 4072 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-204, October 17, 2013, 60 DCR 15341, 20 DCSTAT 2311).
Section 4071 of D.C. Law 20-61 provided that Subtitle G of Title IV of the act may be cited as the “Attendance Zone Boundaries Act of 2013”.
Applicability of D.C. Law 20-61: Section 11001 of D.C. Law 20-61 provided that, except as otherwise provided, the act shall apply as of October 1, 2013.