Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS) has worked for the past two decades to create high-quality educational opportunities for Washington, D.C.’s students and families. On the 20th anniversary of the passage of the D.C. School Reform Act, the Walton Family Foundation spoke with FOCUS’s executive director, Irene Holtzman, about the history of charter schools in the nation’s capital, the ongoing efforts to protect school choice, and the secrets to building a successful charter school movement.

Why has the D.C. charter sector grown so much over the past 20 years?

Irene: One of the keys to D.C.’s success has been the strength of the School Reform Act. Schools have exclusive control over their administration and expenditures, which allows them to be agile and innovative — key components to their success. Talent is also critical to school success, and in D.C., we have an unbelievable pool of talent.

Do you think that other cities could replicate D.C.’s success?

Irene: I think it starts with legislative improvement. School autonomy is related to school quality, and authorizer quality is also an issue for cities. In D.C., we have a high-quality authorizer that holds schools accountable for their outcomes. When schools are not performing as well as they should, there are consequences: first sanctions, then eventually they get closed. That’s an important tool to have.

What have been the biggest challenges over the past 20 years?

Irene: Fundamentally, the big challenge is about getting charter schools on a level playing field relative to the traditional public school system, so that charter schools have equitable access to funding and students have equitable access to facilities. We are still fighting so that charter school students aren’t stuck in, for example, a church basement, but instead have the same facilities as students at traditional schools. That challenge persists, and we are pushing hard to level the playing field and hold the D.C. public school system to their statutory “right of first offer” obligation that gives charter schools preference when a school building is being decommissioned.

What challenges do you think the sector will face going forward?

Irene: I think we need to find ways to improve facilities and make building schools attractive to developers and the D.C. government. Until there is real parity between traditional public schools and public charter schools, that will always be part of the conversation. If buildings became available tomorrow, there are many talented school leaders ready to fill them with students who really need them. More students than ever are waiting for seats in high-quality charter schools. And we can’t let that sense of urgency die down because they need good schools now; they can’t wait.

What part of FOCUS’s work is most exciting to you?

Irene: I think, number one, holding the government accountable for decisions they’re making has been a core tenet of FOCUS’ work for the past 20 years. And it will continue to be going forward. I also get really excited looking at the opportunity to connect schools with each other so that larger charter organizations benefit from the agility and innovation coming out of the smaller local education agencies (LEAs). And the smaller LEAs don’t feel like they’re islands stuck out there on their own without the economies of scale and wisdom of the slightly larger charter schools.

What do you think is most misunderstood about charter schools?

Irene: People need to realize that charter schools are public schools, open to all students. They are publicly funded, held accountable by the public charter school board, are responsive to parents, and are open to all students, tuition-free.