Expecting More from Authorizers: A Great Read from Fordham

Expecting More from Authorizers: A Great Read from Fordham

Today the Fordham Institute published a great commentary piece by Jamie Davies O’Leary on why we should expect more of our gatekeepers of charter schools: authorizers.

Authorizers, known as sponsors in the Buckeye State, are the gatekeepers of quality at a charter school’s inception. They conduct due diligence on new school applicants, including examining applicants’ track records, conducting interviews with each candidate and making data-driven decisions about whether or not the school would likely deliver on its promises to children, communities and ultimately, taxpayers.

And Ohio’s high number of first-year closures suggests that Ohio’s authorizers can do a better job. As she states, “when a closure happens in the first year or two of operations, there were usually warning signs; if heeded, those signs should have kept the school from ever opening. If Ohio charter schools are going to improve, better decision making about new school applicants will be critical.”

It’s worth a read, especially as the Ohio legislature debates measures in House Bill 2 to improve authorizer quality and increase school accountability.

 


Most Recent Posts
NACSA’s New Schools With Communities Guide
In every community–especially those historically under-resourced–there is long-ignored and underutilized knowledge and potential. At the heart of NACSA’s work lies the recognition of these tremendous assets and a desire to...
Continuing Conversations on Multiple Measures
At NACSA, we work to ensure students and communities—especially those who are historically under-resourced—thrive. Thriving means different things for different students, schools, and communities. And to ensure we capture the...
Join the Conversation by Listening to Our New Podcast
Stream our podcast, Community Conversations with NACSA, wherever you listen! With new guests and hosts each episode, you’ll hear from a wide variety of experts as they answer questions like:...