NACSA Blog

NACSA Blog

Press Releases


DC Public Charter School Board Executive Director to Serve as Board Chair of National Charter Organization

Scott Pearson to serve as chair of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers’ Board of Directors  CHICAGO— The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) announced today that Scott Pearson will …


NACSA Encourages President Obama to Sign Every Student Succeeds Act

Today, the US Senate passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)—a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)—in an 85-12 vote. The legislation, which was passed by the US House …


Alabama Charter School Law Lands in Top 5 for School Oversight According to National Analysis

A national ranking of charter school policies released today by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) recognizes and applauds the strength of Alabama’s first charter school law. The report, “On …

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Oklahoma Charter School Laws Land in Top 10 for School Oversight According to National Analysis

A national ranking of charter school policies released today by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) recognizes and applauds the strength of Oklahoma’s charter school oversight provisions. The report, “On …

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Strong Charter School Accountability Laws in Nevada Receive Perfect Score in National Analysis

Nevada’s strong charter school laws earned the highest score in a national ranking of charter school policies out today from the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA). The report, “On the …

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Authorizer Conversations: Dr. Kelli Peterson Addresses Racism and Injustice in Education in America

    Dr. Kelli Peterson, NACSA National Advisory Board Member and new Assistant Superintendent, Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity at the Louisiana Department of Education, addresses racism, inequity, and injustice in America and …


The Paycheck Protection Program: What is an Authorizer’s Role?

As you may know, part of the federal stimulus packages that were passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is a federal loan program: The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This program provides …


Authorizer Conversations: Peng Chao on Balancing “Meaningful Support” and Autonomy

In the next installment of Authorizer Conversations, NACSA’s interim VP of Policy, Veronica Brooks-Uy interviews Peng Chao, Executive Director of the Charter Schools Office at the School District of Philadelphia. Peng shares …


Charter School Authorizers Must Rebalance Accountability, Flexibility, and Support During the Pandemic

This guest blog was written by Miho Kubagawa, a Partner with New Schools Venture Fund. When schools closed in March, I naively assumed that the biggest challenge public schools would face this …


Message to the Charter School Authorizing Community from Karega Rausch, Interim President & CEO

To the Authorizing Community: Like so many of you it has taken me some time to process a range of emotions after seeing Black people being murdered, most visibly George Floyd and …


Authorizer Conversations: Joseph Escobedo on Virtual Site Visits and the Human Side of Authorizing

“When we talk about the human side, that was something I was not expecting. I was not expecting that I would need to provide emotional support to our charter leaders or that …


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 …