New Charter School Application

Reviewing new charter school applications, and deciding which schools should open, is one of the most consequential decisions authorizers make.

NACSA’s existing Model Charter School Application has long provided guidance to authorizers. This year, we’ve been working with the field to put into practice our recommendations for rethinking the application. In early 2025, we will release an updated Model Charter School Application, to strengthen the application process.

Updates to the application itself must be grounded in a holistic approach to improving the entire application process. In many aspects, this will mean shifting our focus from paper to people.

What does it mean to shift focus from paper to people? It may mean figuring out how to shorten the written application requirements. It may mean a more thorough assessment of the founding team’s capacity to succeed.

To revise NACSA’s Model Charter School Application, we are using learnings from a cohort of authorizing leaders, and the broader field, to answer:

• What specific plans does a charter school applicant need to provide?
• What capacities does a charter school applicant need to demonstrate?
• How does an authorizer best assess for these?
• When does an authorizer best assess for these?

We are excited as we learn together and develop and share a comprehensive update to our Model Charter School Application. Start by checking out the links below.