NACSA Blog

NACSA Blog

Press Releases


Nevada Passes Legislation Creating State-Run District to Tackle Consistently Low-Performing Schools

Chicago, Ill. – Over the weekend, the Nevada legislature passed AB448, a significant piece of school reform legislation that will allow the state to transition its lowest-performing public schools to charter schools …


NACSA Says American Enterprise Institute Report on Charter School Application Process Goes too Far, Calls for Focus on Balanced Authorizing Practices

Chicago, Ill. – The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) released the following statement in response to the recommendations in a report on authorizer accountability released today by the American Enterprise …


Greater Collaboration between Charter Authorizers and Lenders Can Ease School Facility Financing Burden, Report Concludes

Chicago, Ill. – Today the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) released a joint report aimed at increasing conversation and understanding between lenders and …


Oklahoma Passes Comprehensive Charter School Reform

Unique combination of business groups, traditional schools and charter school advocates come together in the best interests for Oklahoma’s children Chicago, Ill. – Today the Oklahoma Legislature passed SB 782 , major …


National Association of Charter School Authorizers Voices Support for the Senate HELP Committee’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Reauthorization Bill

Chicago, Ill. – Today, members of the U.S. Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) Committee reported out a bipartisan Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization bill to the full Senate. …


Untapped Expertise: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as Charter School Authorizers

Today, NACSA and the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) released a report titled Untapped Expertise: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as Charter School Authorizers, calling on policymakers to increase pathways for HBCUs …


The Work is Never Done: NACSA Resources for DEI in Authorizing

FIRST IN A SERIES In some circles recently, diversity, equity, and inclusion have become taboo words. NACSA, however, stands strong by the idea that a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive authorizing profession …


NACSA’s Statement on Idaho’s HB 422

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) applauds the Idaho legislature’s recent committee approval of the Accelerating Public Charter Schools Act. This bill is aligned with NACSA’s new school application recommendations …


NACSA Announces Dr. Joseph Escobedo as Board Chair

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers’ (NACSA) Board of Directors announced today Dr. Joseph Escobedo will serve as NACSA’s new board chair beginning in January of 2024. Dr. Escobedo previously served as …


Updating NACSA’s New School Application

Because one of the most consequential decisions any authorizer makes for students and communities is whether to approve a new school to open, we’ve been working with the field over the past …


2023 Change Makers

Our 2023 Change Makers are people, in and around authorizing, who are working and persevering to meet the needs of students, families, and communities. Their work reminds us of the connection between …


Applying Charter Authorizing Principles in the Early Childhood Field

This blog was written by Abby McCartney, Director, Early Care and Education, Afton Partners and Carrie Stewart, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Afton Partners Introduction: Early Care and Education at a Crossroads Despite …


2023 State of Charter Authorizing Report

Authorizing is the most consequential public school governance reform of the past two decades. For the last 20+ years, authorizers have been creating a new landscape, where school autonomy—balanced by fierce accountability …


The Way to More Community-Responsive Schools

Authorizers don’t develop or design new schools. But they are the gateways that help bring these schools to life, providing the conditions and expectations for what extraordinary schools and equitable learning experiences …


Why We Support the Empower Charter School Leaders Act

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) advances and strengthens the ideas and practices of authorizing so students and communities–especially those who are historically under-resourced–thrive. NACSA engages authorizers who oversee more …