NACSA Blog

NACSA Blog

Press Releases


Multi-State Analysis of Charter School Proposals and Approvals Reveals a Diverse Sector Shaped by Authorizers

Report uncovers increased share of freestanding school proposals, decrease in for-profit and “No Excuses” proposals, and few proposals receive philanthropic support.  CHICAGO — A new report released today by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) offers a never-before-seen …


New Digital Campaign Highlights the Need to Improve Charter School Authorizing

New explainer videos demystify the role of charter school authorizers, which remains largely misunderstood 25 years into the charter school movement. The critical role authorizers play in determining the overall quality of …


NACSA CEO Testifies to Congress on Power of Charter School Authorizing

On June 13, 2018, NACSA President and CEO Greg Richmond and a select panel of education reform leaders will testify in front of the House Education and Workforce Committee on the value of charter …


NACSA Testifies on CA Authorizing Bill SB 1362

Today, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) Policy Director Veronica Brooks-Uy will testify before the California Senate Education Committee on SB 1362, a bill that addresses charter school authorizing issues …


New Report Identifies What Charter School Authorizers Do Differently to Achieve High-Performing Portfolios

New report finds successful authorizing depends on great leadership, institutional commitment, and strong professional judgment CHICAGO — Today, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) releases “Leadership, Commitment, Judgment: Elements of …


West Virginia: When Charter School Quality Wins for Students

A couple of weeks ago, we wrote a blog post detailing a bill out of West Virginia that would have been a recipe for disaster for kids and families choosing charter schools. At the …


NCSRC’s New High-Quality Authorizing State Profiles a Great Asset for the Field

Guest Post by Robin Chait and Lauren Outlaw, National Charter School Resource Center As the charter sector grows and evolves, it’s more important than ever to have high-quality authorizing policies and practices. …


NACSA’s Response to Biden-Administration’s Implementation of Statewide Testing

We applaud the Biden Administration for supporting implementation of statewide testing in 2020-2021, and not using results for high-stakes accountability. We also support the flexibility for states on timing and length of …


Mountaineers Are Always Free…To Pass Terrible Charter School Legislation

In 2019, West Virginia became the 46th state (including D.C.) to enact a charter school law. The state has not yet approved a charter school, with the first application being denied in 2020. But less than …


How Has COVID-19 Changed Education and Charter School Policy Priorities?

This year, NACSA’s annual survey reached out to education advocacy organizations across the country to identify what charter school and authorizing priorities they expect to work on in the new year, as …


Why We Need High-Quality Charter Schools Now More Than Ever

Karega Rausch, President and CEO of NACSA and Ebony Lee, Partner at Charter School Growth Fund have gotten together to discuss the risks of charter school moratoriums and why we need high-quality …


A Reality Check for Evaluating the Fiscal Impact of Charter Schools

One of the blockbuster bills from the 2019-20 legislative sessions was AB1505 in California. Enacted in October 2019, AB1505 made a number of significant changes to the state’s charter school sector, but …


Words of Wisdom: Our Live Event with the National Charter Collaborative

If you missed our live joint event, “Centering Communities: Why Charter Leaders Excel in Crisis” with the National Charter Collaborative (NCC), you still have an opportunity to view and engage with our …


Federal Activities to Support High Quality, Accountable Charter Schools: Ideas for the Biden Administration

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) has a long, bipartisan history of addressing charter school opportunities and challenges honestly. We believe it is the responsibility of every authorizer to live …


A Stimulus Package and a New Secretary of Education, Oh My!

When it rains, it pours. After very little education news coming from the Hill or the White House over the last couple of months, we now likely have a new and desperately needed stimulus package …