2016 NACSA Leadership Conference: Session Materials
About Conference | Schedule & Events | Session Materials
MONDAY PRE-SESSION: AUTHORIZING 101
Foundational Session (12:30 pm – 4:30 pm) | Chastain D
Whitney Spalding Spencer & Shannon Bauer (NACSA), Tess Stovall (Tennessee State Board of Education)
New to authorizing? Join us for “So You’re an Authorizer…Now What?,” a half-day interactive session where attendees can front-load their Conference experience by learning the basics of authorizing practice, as well as everything they’ll need to know to get the most out of the NACSA Leadership Conference.
Attendees will discuss essential practices of quality authorizing, get a baseline of information about the sector and what authorizing looks like in different contexts, and form a cohort with others who are new to authorizing.
OPENING PLENARY
(9:00 am – 10:15 am) | Peachtree Ballroom
- Utopian Academy for the Arts Student Performance
- Dr. Bonnie Holliday, State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia
- Greg Richmond, National Association of Charter School Authorizers (Speech Transcript)
- José Cole-Gutiérrez, Los Angeles Unified School District
Clint Smith
Award-Winning Teacher, Acclaimed Spoken Word Poet
Clint Smith believes we all share a story, the human story.
Using his experience as an award-winning teacher and poet to share personal stories of justice, community, and education, he illuminates how we can all find the courage to create change, overcome challenges, and unite ourselves through the power of the collective voice.
Who better to help us Stand Together to Face the Future?
Watch his TED Talks
WEDNESDAY SUPER SESSION
(9:00 am – 10:35 am) | Peachtree Ballroom
- Robbyn Wahby, Missouri Charter Public School Commission
The Authorizer’s Role in Charter Diversity: Passive or Proactive?
Featuring Kriste Dragon, Citizens of the World Charter Schools; Michael Petrilli, Thomas B. Fordham Institute; Chris Stewart, Education Post; Dr. Priscilla Wohlstetter, Columbia University; M. Karega Rausch (M)
Our featured panelists will share their perspectives on how charter schools and authorizers are wrestling with issues of diversity and equity, including their role in supporting schools with diversity-focused missions.
RECOMMENDED TOPIC TRACKS
ANNUAL REPORT
- The Why and How of Using NACSA’s New Annual Report Template (Tuesday Block 2)
- Ask the Experts: How to Make Annual Reports Work for Your Office (Tuesday Block 3)
CLOSURE
- By the Numbers: What Do We Know About School Closure Around the Country? (Tuesday Block 1)
- If I Knew Then What I Know Now…Building a Closure Plan Focused on Kids (Tuesday Block 2)
CMOs/EMOs
- Quality Schools, Together: Authorizers and CMOs/EMOs (Tuesday Block 2)
- Advancing Financial Oversight Practices for CMOs/EMOs (Wednesday Block 2)
DIVERSITY
- The Authorizers Role in Charter Diversity: Passive or Proactive? (Wednesday Super Session)
- When Is a Public School Not a Public School? (Wednesday Block 2)
- What is the Authorizer’s Role in Ensuring Equity in School Admissions (Wednesday Block 3)
FINANCE
- Back to School: Financial Management 101 (Wednesday Block 1)
- Advancing Financial Oversight Practices for CMOs/EMOs (Wednesday Block 2)
PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORKS
- Great Expectations: Effectively Establishing and Communicating Performance Measures (Tuesday Block 2)
- Back to School: Financial Management 101 (Wednesday Block 1)
- The ABCs of Academic Management (Wednesday Block 2)
- Protecting Students and the Public Interest: Organizational Performance, Done Right (Wednesday Block 3)
GENERAL SESSIONS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2016
Breakout Sessions 1 (10:45 am – 12:00 pm)
| Topic/Room | Title | Confirmed Speakers | Materials |
| Due Diligence
Chastain D |
Do Your Homework: Strategies for Effective Due Diligence | Wendy Swanson-Choi (NEO) Jennifer Robison (Buckeye Community Hope Foundation) Gregg Stevens (State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia) Elisa Westapher (NACSA) |
PowerPoint |
| Building State Coalitions
Chastain E |
Standing Together to Raise Our Voice: Building State Coalitions | Jose Cole-Gutierrez (Los Angeles Unified School District) Molly McGraw Healy (University of St. Thomas) Cindy Schumacher (The Gov. John Engler Center for Charter Schools at CMU) |
State Coalition Listing PowerPoint |
| Applications
Chastain F |
Quality Out of the Gate: Critical Thinking About Your Application Process | Chris DeWitt (Denver Public Schools) Morgan Felts (State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia) Erin Reddy (NACSA) |
Executive Summary PowerPoint |
| ELL
Chastain G |
Smarter Strategies for Serving English Language Learners | Renita Thukral (Civil Rights Solutions) Lauren Baum (Civil Rights Solutions) |
Executive Summary PowerPoint |
| Oversight
Chastain H |
Implementing Differentiated Oversight Strategies When One Size Doesn’t Fit All | Katie Piehl (moderator, NACSA) Rashida Tyler (DC Public Charter School Board) Nikki Brisson (Miami-Dade) |
Executive Summary PowerPoint |
| Data and Closure
Chastain I |
By the Numbers: What Do We Know About School Closure Around the Country? | Sean Conlan (moderator, NACSA) Harold Lee (iLearn Schools) Ryan Marks (Colorado Charter School Institute) Heather Mauze (Texas Education Agency) |
|
| Plenary Debrief/Hot Topics/Equity
Chastain J |
Continuing the Conversation: Plenary Debrief | Kristen Forbriger (moderator, NACSA) |
Breakout Sessions 2 (1:30 pm – 2:45 pm)
| Topic/Room | Title | Confirmed Speakers | Materials |
| Annual Report
Chastain D |
The Why and How of Using NACSA’s New Annual Report Template | Margaret Lin (Margaret Lin Consulting) Heather Wendling (NACSA) |
Executive Summary Toolkit Toolkit (Word Version) PowerPoint |
| Performance Frameworks
Chastain E |
Great Expectations: Effectively Establishing and Communicating Performance Measures | Colleston Morgan (Orleans Parish School Board) Paula Barney (Rhode Island Department of Education) Kristina Catani (Tennessee Achievement School District) Laura Stowell (DeKalb County School System) |
Executive Summary Information Packet Work-in-Progress Handout PowerPoint |
| CMOs/EMOs
Chastain F |
Quality Schools, Together: Authorizers and CMOs/EMOs | Harold Lee (iLearn Schools) Elisa Westapher (NACSA) Dana Abbott (South Carolina Public Charter School District) Richard Page (Charter Schools USA) |
Executive Summary PowerPoint |
| Revocation
Chastain G |
The Revocation Power: When and How to Revoke a Charter | Kristin Hines (The Mind Trust) Janet Dinnen (Colorado Charter School Institute) Jen Nagourney (New York City Department of Education) |
PowerPoint |
| Closure
Chastain H |
If I Knew Now What I Knew Then…Building a Closure Plan Focused on Kids | Gail Greely (moderator, Alameda County Office of Education – CARSNet) Adrienne Woods (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) Jason Moore (Buckeye Community Hope Foundation) Kristen Stolpa (The Gov. John Engler Center for Charter Schools at CMU) Jackie Gantzer (Indianapolis Mayor’s Office of Education Innovation) |
Executive Summary Sample Closure Checklist Sample Parent Letter Sample Dissolution Appendix Sample School Vendor Script Sample Closure Tracker PowerPoint |
| Choice
Chastain I |
School Choice Without Borders: What Does School Choice Look Like Around the Globe? | William Haft (moderator, NACSA) Shweta Arora (The Education Alliance, Delhi, India) Amitav Virmani (The Education Alliance, Delhi, India) |
PowerPoint |
| School Leader as Authorizer
Chastain J |
10 Things I Learned as a School Leader That Helps Me as an Authorizer | Silke Bradford (Oakland Unifed School District) Liz Wynne (Student Achievement Minnesota) |
Board Review Template Board Meeting Template Website Audit Template Oakland Template PowerPoint |
Breakout Sessions 3 (3:15 pm – 4:30 pm)
| Topic/Room | Title | Confirmed Speakers | Materials |
| Restart
Chastain D |
Stakeholder Mapping to Navigate School Restart | Brenna Copeland (EdPlex) Tim Field (Public Impact, LLC) Marian Schutte (Mississippi Charter School Authorizing Board) |
Executive Summary Planning Tool Participant Template Progress Guide PowerPoint |
| Pre-Opening
Chastain E |
Strong Start, Strong School | Kristin Hines (moderator, The Mind Trust) Sean Perkins (Orleans Parish School Board) Wendy Swanson-Choi (NEO) |
Executive Summary Handout PowerPoint |
| Contracting
Chastain F |
Putting the Charter Bargain Into Practice: Effective Contracting for Autonomy and Accountability | Robert Fortson (McGuireWoods Consulting) Gregg Stevens (State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia) |
Executive Summary Sample Contract |
| Annual Report
Chastain G |
Peer-to-Peer: Making Annual Reports Work for Your Office | Jackie Gantzer (Indianapolis Mayor’s Office of Education Innovation) Amy Van Atten-Densmore (The Gov. John Engler Center for Charter Schools at CMU) |
PowerPoint Sample Performance Framework Sample Academic Report Handout Sample Governance Report Handout Sample Finance Report Handout |
| Hiring Practices
Chastain H |
Hiring for Fit: Best Practices for Mission, Vision, and Values-aligned Hiring | Lisa Diaz (Insignia Partners) | PowerPoint Values Handout Elevator Pitch Handout |
| Book Talk
Chastain I |
Charter Schools at the Crossroads | Robbyn Wahby (Missouri Charter Public School Commission) Butch Trusty (moderator, Education Cities) Brandon Wright (Thomas B. Fordham Institute) Kinnari Patel-Smyth (KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools) |
|
| Tribal/Rural Authorizing
Chastain J |
On the Frontier 2.0: A Deeper Dive into Tribal and Rural Authorizing | Sam Duell (Oklahoma Public School Resource Center) Phil Glover (Tribal Education Departments National Assembly) Whitney Chapa (Arizona State Charter School Board) Gov. Edwina Butler-Wolfe (Absentee Shawnee Tribe) |
PowerPoint |
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
Breakout Sessions 4 (11:00 am – 12:15 pm)
| Topic/Room | Title | Confirmed Speakers | Materials |
| Legal
Chastain D |
Lines in the Sand: How Do Authorizers Toe the Legal Line? | Lisa Scruggs (Duane Morris, LLP) Mindy McNichols (Miami-Dade County Public Schools) Gail Greely (Alameda County Office of Education) Jen Saba (moderator, NACSA) |
Executive Summary PowerPoint |
| Citywide Strategies
Chastain E |
Learning From Our Neighbors: Community-Based Strategies for Education Transformation | Butch Trusty (moderator, Education Cities) Noah Devine (Kauffman Foundation) Gloria Lee (Educate78) Josh McCarty (New Schools for New Orleans) |
Executive Summary |
| Finance 101
Chastain F |
The Financial Basics Every Staffer Should Know….Even Non-Finance Folks! | Whitney Spalding Spencer (moderator, NACSA) Sarah Curfman (CLA) Brian Dickey (Indianapolis Mayor’s Office) |
Scenario Handout PowerPoint Monitoring Template |
| Board Orientation/ICB Community
Chastain G |
Orienting New Board Members to Quality Authorizing, Hosted by NACSA’s ICB Community | Bonnie Holliday (State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia) Terry Croy Lewis (Colorado Charter School Institute) |
|
| Quality
Chastain H |
Evaluating Quality | Nelson Smith (moderator, NACSA) Alison Bagg (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) Ahmed Young (Indianapolis Mayor’s Office of Education Innovation) David Greenberg (Audubon Center of the North Woods) |
PowerPoint |
| Mission
Chastain I |
Selling Stakeholders on Your Mission for Quality | Jennifer Lambert (Utah State Board of Education) Larry Stanton (L.B. Stanton Consulting, Inc.) Kristin Elinkowski (The Utah State Charter School Board) DeLainia Tonks (The Utah State Charter School Board) Shannon Bauer (moderator, NACSA) |
|
| Authorizers as Researchers
Chastain J |
Authorizers as Researchers: Using Data to Understand Thorny Issues in Your Portfolio | Karega Rausch (NACSA) Lyria Boast (Public Impact) Sarah Yatsko (Center on Reinventing Public Education) Katie Mathney (Georgia State Charter School Commission) |
Breakout Sessions 5 (1:45 pm – 3:00 pm)
| Topic/Room | Title | Confirmed Speakers | Materials |
| Organizational Performance
Chastain D |
Protecting Students and the Public Interest: Organizational Performance, Done Right | Brenna Copeland (moderator, EdPlex) Natasha Howard (SUNY) Rashida Young (DC Public Charter School Board) |
Executive Summary PowerPoint |
| Equity
Chastain E |
What is the Authorizer’s Role in Ensuring Equity in School Admissions? | Karega Rausch (NACSA) Bryan Hassel (Public Impact) Carly Bolger (Walton Foundation) David Frank (New York State Education Department) |
Executive Summary |
| Renewal
Chastain F |
Standing Up to Scrutiny: Designing a Strong Charter Renewal Process | Barbara Zeile (The Gov. John Engler Center for Charter Schools at CMU) Kathryn Mullen Upton (Thomas B. Fordham Foundation) |
Executive Summary PowerPoint Toolkit ABC Academy Handout Fordham Annual Report Reauthorization Checklist Sample Reauthorization Letter Reauthorization Timeline |
| Legal/Equity
Chastain G |
When is a Public School Not a Public School? | Bill Bethke (Kutz & Bethke, LLC) Cristina de Jesus (Green Dot Public Schools) Ken Campbell (BAEO) Chris Stewart (Education Post, moderator) |
|
| Policy Overview
Chastain H |
Charter School Policy Past, Present, and Future | Todd Ziebarth (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools) Alex Medler (NCSRC) Yamuna Menon (50CAN) |
PowerPoint |
| Human Capital
Chastain I |
Getting Where You Need to Go: Building Staff Capacity | Rich Haglund (Illinois Network of Charter Schools) Bonnie Holiday (State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia) Mary Bradley (Office of Innovation and Incubation, Chicago Public Schools) |
Executive Summary Building Capacity Handout Succession Planning Handout PowerPoint |
| Superintendent
Chastain J |
Building a Strong Relationship with New Leadership, Hosted by NACSA’s District Authorizer Community | Sonia Esposito (Osceola County School District) Carol Swann (Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools) Laura Stowell (DeKalb County Schools) |
Breakout Sessions 6 (3:30 pm – 4:45 pm)
| Topic/Room | Title | Confirmed Speakers | Materials |
| SpEd
Chastain D |
Helping Kids and Staying Out of Authorizing Trouble: Getting Special Education Right | Paul O’Neill (National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools) Lauren Morando Rhim (National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools) Ellie Rounds Bloom (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) |
Executive Summary Handout PowerPoint Handout 2 |
| Discipline
Chastain E |
Addressing School Discipline: A Range of Authorizer-Led Approaches | Karega Rausch (moderator) Rashida Young (DC Public Charter School Board) Ahmed Young (Indianapolis Mayor’s Office) Adam Hawf (Grand Isle Group) Kathryn Mullen Upton (Thomas B. Fordham Foundation) |
|
| Intervention Case Study
Chastain F |
We Need an Intervention: Intervening with Struggling Schools | William Haft (NACSA) Joshua Halsey (Washington State Charter School Commission) |
PowerPoint Closure Issue Brief Intervention Protocol Handout Letter of Concern Handout Flowchart Handout |
| Growth
Chastain G |
Not Their First Time at the Rodeo…Now What? | Margo Roen (Tennessee Achievement School District) Jaideep Hebbar (Charter School Growth Fund) Jose Cole-Gutierrez (Los Angeles Unified School District) |
Executive Summary PowerPoint |
| CMO/EMO Finance
Chastain H |
CMO & EMO Finance: Major Challenges and Lessons Learned | Jim Ford (Ford Research & Solutions, Inc.) Anand Kevasan (Charter School Growth Fund) James Betley (Indiana Charter School Board) Mikayla Lytton (DC Public Charter School Board) |
Handout |
| Academic Management
Chastain I |
The ABCs of Academic Management | Lyria Boast (Public Impact, LLC) Mary Bradley (Office of Innovation and Incubation, Chicago Public Schools) Stephanie Klupinski (Cleveland Metropolitan School District) |
Executive Summary PowerPoint |
| Virtual Schools
Chastain J |
iVerify: Authorizing Practices in the Age of Virtual Schools | Nelson Smith (moderator, NACSA) Mukta Pandit (National Charter School Resource Center) Jennifer Robison (Buckeye Community Hope Foundation) Bonnie Holliday (State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia) Patrick Gavin (Nevada State Public Charter School Authority) |
PowerPoint |
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
Workshops (9:00 am – 11:30 am)
| Topic/Room | Title | Confirmed Speakers | Materials |
| Mindful Leadership
Chastain D |
Finding the Space to Lead, presented by the Institute for Mindful Leadership | Carol Hyman (Institute for Mindful Leadership) | Executive Summary Inserting Purposeful Pauses Handout |
| ESSA/State Accountability Systems
Chastain E |
The New World of ESSA: Maintaining Charter Accountability During a Transition in State Accountability Systems | Amanda Fenton (NACSA) Kelly McManus (Education Trust) Members of the NACSA ESSA Advisory Group |
PowerPoint Workbook ESSA Planning Guide ESSA Factsheet |
| Strategic Planning
Chastain F |
This Isn’t Rocket Science: Strategic Planning, From Ideas into Actions | Mary Bradley (Chicago Public Schools) Cindy Schumacher (The Gov. John Engler Center for Charter Schools at CMU) |
Executive Summary Handout PowerPoint |