NACSA Blog

NACSA Blog

Press Releases


NACSA President Calls on US House of Representatives to Support the Every Student Succeeds Act

This week, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) will come before the US House of Representatives for a floor vote.  The current legislative proposal, which is a reauthorization of the Elementary and …


NACSA Disappointed in Washington State Supreme Court Decision

Yesterday, the Washington Supreme Court ruled it will not reconsider its earlier decision that invalidates the state’s charter school law. In response, Greg Richmond, president and CEO of the National Association of …


NACSA Comments on Congress’s Progress on Long-Stalled Education Policy Rewrite

Last week, our nation’s lawmakers announced that they have developed a framework for moving forward on a long-stalled rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In response, Greg Richmond, president and CEO …


NACSA urges Authorizers and Policymakers to take action on Virtual Schools given CREDO Report

Authorizers need to consider credible evidence when considering online charter schools in their community. This week, the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) released a ground-breaking report on virtual schools which found …


NACSA responds to the Center for Media and Democracy’s Report “Charter School Black Hole”

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) is a non-profit, professional organization that has worked with states, school districts and other authorizers to strengthen charter school oversight across the country for …


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 …


Helping Charter Schools Access Federal Resources for COVID-19

With so much changing daily regarding COVID-19 and the federal response to it, it can be difficult to keep up with everything that could help support charter schools during this challenging time. …


New Bellwether Toolkit Helps Authorizers and Schools Reground, Prioritize, Plan, and Connect in Response to COVID-19

By Tresha Ward, Katie Rouse, Stephanie Spangler, and Eleisha Nelson-Reed of Bellwether Education Partners Over the last four weeks, authorizers across the country have had to make a flood of challenging and …


Responding to Crisis Demands Balance: Three States Offer Models for Planning with Flexibility

As of April 9th, 17 states have already closed or recommended school building closures for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. With extended closures inevitable for more states, how can charter …


How One Charter School Authorizer is Responding to COVID-19

By Scott Pearson, Executive Director of the D.C. Public Charter Schools Board This is a critical time for authorizers. How we respond to COVID-19 will make a difference to the lives of …


New Resource: Maintaining Lottery Integrity in Times of Crisis

Clear and transparent lotteries are critical to ensuring equitable access for students to enroll in charter schools. All states require the use of lotteries in situations when charter schools are oversubscribed, and …


When Moving Too Quickly Fails: On Supporting Communities During Disasters

By Patrick Dobard, CEO, New Schools for New Orleans A Note from NACSA: We are fortunate to have Patrick Dobard as a NACSA board member. His wisdom and thought partnership are invaluable. …


What Charter School Authorizers Can Do Right Now to Address COVID-19

“Communicate, listen, and go slow.”  -Patrick Dobard On Wednesday, NACSA hosted a community conversation with over 150 charter school authorizers and support organizations, the first in an ongoing series of conversations to …