NACSA Blog

NACSA Blog

Press Releases


NACSA Cheers Passage of Comprehensive Charter School Reform Bill in Ohio

Today Ohio state lawmakers passed House Bill 2 (HB 2), a comprehensive charter school reform bill. In response, Amanda Fenton, director of state and federal policy at NACSA, issued the following statement: …


NACSA Urges Ohio Legislature to Pass Charter School Reform Bill

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) fully supports Ohio House Bill 2 (HB 2) as passed by the conference committee today. We are pleased with the legislatures’ commitment to this …


California Authorizers Take the Lead to Improve Charter School Quality and Oversight in State

NACSA commends the Alameda County Office of Education’s new Charter Authorizers’ Resource Network (CARSNet) and California Charter Authorizing Professionals (CCAP) as they kick off the California Charter Authorizers Conference—the first-ever conference focused …


U.S. Department of Education Emphasizes Charter School Oversight, Including NACSA’s National Authorizing Standards

Chicago, Ill. — Today the U.S. Department of Education announced the next round of Charter Schools Program (CSP) grants. In a press conference, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan voiced his support …


NACSA Calls on Washington State Governor to Save Charter Schools

Over the past three years, Washington’s public officials have worked carefully to implement the state’s new charter school law. It is because of their work that more than 1,200 children throughout the …


Research on School Closure Messaging: What Works

Five years ago, I was the COO at a charter school, and something was becoming increasingly obvious: we consistently did not have enough students enrolling to fill all our seats. In the …


Better Together: Reflections from the DCSC Convening

I attended the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition (DCSC) convening earlier this month, and I’ve been reflecting on what stayed with me most. This year’s theme was “Better Together.” DCSC even commissioned a …


2026 NACSA Leaders Program Cohort

Meet the newest members of NACSA’s Leaders Program. These leaders are committed to building systems that are transparent, equitable, and grounded in quality. Bridgett Abston Bridgett Abston is the Director of Authorizing …


The National & Federal Policy Landscape: What NACSA Is Watching in 2026

At NACSA, we focus not just on what’s happening in Washington and in your communities, but what it means for authorizers, schools, students, and communities. Below is a snapshot of the key …


No Shortcuts to Student Success: The Case for Statewide Annual Assessments

When I think about why I’ve dedicated my career to advancing and strengthening the ideas and practices of authorizing, I think about the students I’ve met over the years—bright, curious young people …


Raising the Bar: NACSA’s Updated State Policy Recommendations

NACSA believes that strong laws enable strong authorizing. In turn, strong authorizing leads to strong public education outcomes for students, families, and communities. That’s why we regularly update our state policy recommendations …


A New Path Forward: NACSA’s Bold New School Application Guidance

I’ll never forget a foundational principle I learned nearly two decades ago, while authorizing in Indianapolis: It should be hard to gain approval to start a new charter school. But it needs …


How to Start Updating Your New School Application to Reduce the Paper Burden

Most authorizers will need some time to make NACSA’s suggested improvements to their new school application process. Here are some ideas on where to start.  1. Focus on the vision for your …