Authorizer Conversations: Erin Anderson on Support and Accountability in a Pandemic

Authorizer Conversations: Erin Anderson on Support and Accountability in a Pandemic

“Honestly, it’s not that hard if you just ask schools what they need. We’re trying to be very clear that: a) we’re temporarily transitioning from oversight and accountability to support and guidance, and b) we don’t have kids, families, teachers, buildings, buses, meals, or distance learning plans to write, so reach out and let us run down answers for you.” –Erin Anderson

The Audubon Center of the North Woods in Minnesota is a nonprofit organization focused on environmental learning and education, including charter school authorizing. Its Charter School Division oversees 35 schools throughout the state. Erin Anderson, Director of Charter Authorizing, says her staff has shifted their focus in response to the disruption of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These disruptions mean that complete, accurate, and actionable academic data will likely not be available for school year 2019-20. What does this mean for charter school authorizing?

Hear how Erin answers this question in her conversation with her former Audubon colleague, NACSA’s Director of Leadership Development, David Greenberg.

Find more information about Erin Anderson and the Audubon Center here.

NACSA has compiled resources for charter schools and authorizers around COVID-19 here.


Most Recent Posts
After a Quarter Century: Time to Reboot the New Charter School Application Process
The public charter school sector was designed to be responsive and innovative, operating in a space freed from the bogged-down bureaucracy that so often hampers other public schools. Each new...
Why NACSACon 2025 is THE Conference for Charter School Authorizers and Public Education Leaders
NACSACon isn’t just for authorizers—it’s for public education leaders who are passionate about improving outcomes for students. Whether you’re new to authorizing, a veteran authorizer, or an education leader in...
NACSA Files Amicus Brief in Supreme Court Case
Statement from NACSA President & CEO, M. Karega Rausch, Ph.D., on NACSA’s amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of St. Isidore of Seville...