NACSA Blog

NACSA Blog

Press Releases


National Association of Charter School Authorizers Elects Leaders

James N. Goenner, Executive Director of Central Michigan University’s Center for Charter Schools, was elected last week to serve as Vice Chair of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA). NACSA …


Charter Schools Perform when District & Political Backing is Evident

Chicago — Charter school performance varies considerably across the nation, as indicated by today’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data, but the independent public schools outperform traditional schools when political and …


No More Participation Trophies For Family Engagement

By Guerschmide Saint-Ange Families bring a rich variety of individual and collective experiences, knowledge, and perspectives that are essential to the success of any school community. Too often, as school leaders and …


5 Key Lessons NACSA Has Learned About Ensuring Excellence

This blog was adapted from this piece, by M. Karega Rausch, Ph.D., published in The74. Ensuring schools are excellent has always been at the center of our work at the National Association …


Statement on US ED’s Decision to Rollback Authorizer Restrictions

NACSA appreciates the United States Department of Education (US ED) rolling back prior efforts to restrict and redefine who is eligible to authorize charter schools. For more than 18 months NACSA has worked …


NACSA’s response to recent NAEP results: Accountability and Innovation

Last year’s NAEP data was released this morning, and overall, it’s sobering. In education, we must improve student outcomes in order to create lifelong opportunities for every child to thrive. Achieving this …


A New Approach to New Applications

By Rachel Hannah, Arizona State Board for Charter Schools As an authorizer, there are many things that I care about in our work with charter schools to ensure they provide an excellent …


Statement on SCOTUS decision to hear Oklahoma case

Statement from M. Karega Rausch, Ph.D., President & CEO of NACSA on the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to hear the case of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic …


The 3 P’s of Authorizing: People, People, People

When I’m hiring someone to join my team, I don’t just read the cover letters and resumes and make a decision. Sure, those documents are a critical part of the hiring process. …


NACSA’s 2024 Change Makers

Each year we highlight a few Change Makers—people in and around authorizing who are working tirelessly to meet the needs of students, families, and communities. Their commitment to high-quality education is an …


Impact, Accountability, and Innovation: Reflecting on Charter School Authorizing in 2024

As we close out 2024, I am filled with gratitude and purpose. Gratitude for the extraordinary work happening across the charter school sector to advance a defining truth about our work: accountability …


Here’s What Innovation Looks Like in Schools

The prevailing narrative about the pandemic and innovation is incomplete. Did the pandemic force America’s hand and finally propel innovation in schools? Did schools suddenly embrace new technology and begin experimenting with …