NACSA Blog

NACSA Blog

Press Releases


NACSA President and CEO Greg Richmond Remembers Donald Fisher, Gap Inc. Cofounder and Charter School Advocate

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) President and CEO Greg Richmond released the following statement today in response to the death of Donald Fisher, Gap Inc. Co-founder and Charter School …


New Study Sets Priority Areas and Recommends Strong Standards So All St. Louis Students Have Access to a Quality Education

St. Louis, MO – The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) and IFF, in conjunction with the St. Louis Mayor’s Office, released a new study today analyzing the performance, location, and …


NACSA President Applauds Findings of New Survey on New Orleans Charter Schools

A new survey of New Orleans citizens has found that they strongly support charter schools and education reform efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The survey, conducted by the Council for …


NACSA President Appointed to Aspen Institute’s Commission on No Child Left Behind

National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) President and CEO Greg Richmond was selected today to serve as a Commissioner on The Aspen Institute’s Commission on No Child Left Behind. Richmond, an …


NACSA Announces $9.4 Million in Grant Funding

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) announced today that it has received $9.4 million in investments from three of the nation’s preeminent foundations — the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, …


Friendly Fire from AEI

In The Paperwork Pileup, authors Michael Q. McShane, Jenn Hatfield, and Elizabeth English assert that charter authorizers are often creating “onerous and lengthy” application processes that may scare off charter operators. Why keep harking back to anyone’s “original intent” when we’ve got more than two decades of actual experience to guide practice?


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 …


We Want YOUR Ideas for the Next Leadership Conference

NACSA’s 2015 Leadership Conference is in the works!  We are developing the schedule now for the October 19-22 program in Denver, Colorado and we want your session ideas! Our priority is to …


Lenders and Authorizers: Can We Talk?

What we quickly discovered is that the two groups have a lot in common, starting with a keen shared interest in strong, sustainable public charter schools. The report is also a pretty good short course for anyone interested in knowing how the two sectors work.


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 …


#CharterSchoolsWeek: Finding the Right Fit

My mother has always expressed to me that she only wants “what’s best” for me, and this is where my charter school story begins. At 14, I had been attending the same public school for eight years, yet I was unfamiliar with most teachers and students. I often felt invisible, especially during the times where I needed help, and I never knew who to talk to. I didn’t feel comfortable expressing my needs. My mother knew there were better choices for me, places where I could thrive academically and socially.
We found that choice in Perspectives Charter School.


Thirteen Years Later, I’m Still an Ambassador for Charter Schools

in my career at NACSA, I’m still that ambassador for quality charter schools—but in a different way.
I’m no longer speaking for one great school, but instead speaking for charter school authorizers. In their role as the gatekeepers of the charter movement, authorizers see the best and the worst of the charter sector.


Oklahoma Governor Signs Comprehensive Charter School Bill, Expands Charter Schools Statewide

Great news from Oklahoma today: after two years of hard work on the ground attending coalition meetings, researching data to support various polices and scrutinizing language, Gov. Mary Fallon signed Senate Bill 782 that will expand charters throughout the state.


Who wants to be an Authorizer? Pennsylvania Colleges and Universities Say Not It!

Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) released a report titled “The Feasibility of Alternative Methods for Authorizing Charter Schools in Pennsylvania.”One of the most striking sets of findings is about Higher Education Institution (HEI) authorizers. The Committee contacted colleges and universities in the state and asked them “If the law allowed you to, would you be interested in authorizing charter schools?” The overwhelming answer was no.


Colorado’s New Charter Law Will Help Grow Charters Responsibly

Earlier this month, Colorado Governor Hickenlooper signed House Bill 1184 into law, which will help grow and expand Colorado’s networks of quality charter schools. Colorado has a mix of individual charter schools and …