NACSA Blog

NACSA Blog

Press Releases


NACSA on ESSA Title I State Plans: “Accountability and Transparency Must Be Meaningful”

In a comment letter submitted today to the US Department of Education (ED), NACSA recommended changes to proposed Title I provisions under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that would ensure accountability and …


NACSA Statement on Secretary King’s Remarks at National Charter Conference

In response to US Education Secretary John King’s speech today at the National Charter School Conference in Nashville, Tenn., Greg Richmond, president and CEO of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers …


Statement on Rhode Island Senate Bill 3075

With all eyes on the Rhode Island budget bill passed by the General Assembly last week and its impact on charter schools, another bill with similar consequences for the state’s charter school …

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New Report Recommends Reforms to Address Significant Underperformance by Full-Time Virtual Charter Public Schools

National Alliance, 50CAN and NACSA propose specific policy recommendations for states to rein in poor practices in full-time virtual charter public school movement The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the 50-State …


NACSA signs Charter Schools Equity Coalition Statement on Discipline

Today, NACSA and 19 other organizations released the following statement addressing equity and student discipline in our schools. CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO CREATE INCLUSIVE, POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTS TO PROVIDE ALL STUDENTS A …


Supporting ELs, Students with Special Needs, and Student Mental Health During Distance Learning: Lessons from Minnesota

Guest post by Krista Kaput, Research Director, EdAllies Minnesota—along with 47 other states—has closed its school buildings for the remainder of the school year, elevating the importance of strong, equitable distance learning …


Educating Students with Disabilities During COVID-19: Civil Rights Endure and Authorizers Must Lead

By Wendy Tucker, Senior Director of Policy, National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools A crisis is not the time to roll back civil rights. It’s the time to roll up …


Tips for Virtual Capacity Interviews

Capacity interviews are a critical component of the new school application review processes. These interviews can provide crucial opportunities to secure information to address or confirm deficiencies in written applications, enable authorizers …


Authorizer Conversations: David Frank on the Sprints, Strolls, and Marathon of Authorizing Through a Pandemic

“The preponderance of questions that schools are asking are about students with disabilities, and how we transition to this new environment to serve them well – that is at the forefront of …


A Blueprint for Back to School: Additional Thoughts for Authorizers

On May 4th, the American Enterprise Institute, in collaboration with over 20 education leaders including NACSA’s acting President and CEO Karega Rausch, published A Blueprint for Back to School. Recognizing how vital, …


An Authorizer’s Role in Supporting Remote Learning

A Note from NACSA: Today’s guest blog comes from Ryan Marks, Director of Evaluation and Assessment at the Colorado Charter Schools Institute (CSI), an independent charter school board that oversees 39 schools …


Upholding Open Meetings Law in a Virtual World

During times of crisis, it is more important than ever that charter school boards continue regular meetings to review materials on educational continuity, finance, and operations, and to vote on action items …


Authorizer Conversations: Erin Anderson on Support and Accountability in a Pandemic

“Honestly, it’s not that hard if you just ask schools what they need. We’re trying to be very clear that: a) we’re temporarily transitioning from oversight and accountability to support and guidance, …


Updated April 20: State Education Policy Responses to COVID-19

As it becomes more and more clear that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will span months, not weeks, state legislatures are already responding. Below are some of the major issues state …


Have You Asked What Your Charter Schools Need?

“A brave leader is someone who says I see you. I hear you. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m going to keep listening and asking questions.” – Brene Brown In …