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NACSA Launches Charter Operator Tracker (Beta) to Support Quality Authorizing in Florida

Today the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) announces the launch of its Charter Operator Tracker (Beta), a new database of information about charter school management organizations and the schools they …


NACSA Commends Bipartisan Charter Provisions included in Every Child Achieves Act

Today, the U.S. Senate passed S. 1177, more commonly referred to as the “Every Child Achieves Act” (ECAA), a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In response, Greg Richmond, …


NACSA Recognizes U.S. House of Representatives for Strong Charter School Provisions included in the ESEA Reauthorization Act

Today, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 5, a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In response, Greg Richmond, president and CEO of the National Association of …


NACSA Congratulates Senior Advisor Nelson Smith, Newest Charter School Hall of Fame Inductee

Chicago, lll. – The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) is pleased to congratulate Senior Advisor Nelson Smith on his election into the National Charter School Hall of Fame, an honor …


NACSA Helps Build Charter School Authorizing Talent with Launch of Fellowship in Partnership with University of Minnesota

Chicago, Ill. – Nearly 25 years after passing the nation’s first charter school legislation, Minnesota continues to lead charter school education with the launch of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers …


Ask the Right Questions About Charter School Graduation Rates

A few years ago, the California Charter School Association revealed Golden State charter performance didn’t align to the usual bell-shaped curve, but instead was clustered at the highest- and lowest-performance levels, creating …


Ask the Right Questions About Charter School Graduation Rates

A few years ago, the California Charter School Association revealed Golden State charter performance didn’t align to the usual bell-shaped curve, but instead was clustered at the highest- and lowest-performance levels, creating …


A Quarter-Life Crisis for Public Charter Schools?

Charter schools celebrate a milestone this year: 25 years. In a Huffington Post piece, NACSA President and CEO Greg Richmond gets real about the shortcomings of charters and shortcomings of the opponents. He argues it’s …


One Authorizer in Ohio: Doing the Right Thing

Here are edited excerpts of our Story Suite conversation with Mark Michael, Director of the Ohio School Sponsorship Program for the Ohio Department of Education. Mark participated in NACSA’s Leaders Program during …


One Set of Data/Four Unique Perspectives on Authorizing and Special Education

As part of NACSA’s 2015 annual survey, we asked authorizers for their perspectives and practices on issues at the intersection of authorizing and special education. We asked about oversight practices, what they do …


New Delhi: Reflections From an International Student’s Past and Present

Editor’s Note: This is Part II in a four part series highlighting public education challenges in New Delhi and how the U.S. charter model may be influencing education reform across the city. …


One Authorizer in Missouri: Making Public Schools the Public’s Schools

What follows are edited excerpts of our Story Suite conversation with Robbyn Wahby, founding Executive Director of the Missouri Charter Public School Commission. Robbyn also serves as a member of NACSA’s Board …


NACSA Names a Dozen Prominent Authorizing Professionals to Leaders Program

Today, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) announced the selection of the fifth cohort of its NACSA Leaders Program, a highly-selective and rigorous program providing leadership, management and authorizing training …


Live from DC: Negotiated Rule Making and Rube Goldberg Machines

As the second block of the U.S. Department of Education’s ESSA Negotiated Rulemaking Committee’s meetings wraps up, I can’t help but compare the whole process to a giant Rube Goldberg machine (for …


Getting It Right the First Time: Quality Practices Fuel Rigor

This year’s State of Charter Authorizing (SOCA) data revealed approximately 10 percent of large authorizers do not interview charter applicants on the merits of their application. Moreover, one in four large authorizers …