Rich Haglund

Rich Haglund

2016 NACSA Leader

General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer, Achievement School District

Rich Haglund currently serves as the General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer for the Achievement School District (ASD). Rich ensures that the ASD and its portfolio of schools have excellent operational services, equitable access to resources (funding and facilities), and legal guidance to realize their mission of turning around many of the state’s lowest performing schools.

Prior to joining the ASC, he has served as the director of charter schools for the Tennessee Department of Education, general counsel to the Tennessee Board of Education, and as an assistant attorney general.

Rich has a B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science from Boston University. Prior to earning his J.D. at Vanderbilt, Rich worked in marketing for a manufacturer of network security and management devices.


Most Recent Posts
Research on School Closure Messaging: What Works
Five years ago, I was the COO at a charter school, and something was becoming increasingly obvious: we consistently did not have enough students enrolling to fill all our seats....
Better Together: Reflections from the DCSC Convening
I attended the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition (DCSC) convening earlier this month, and I’ve been reflecting on what stayed with me most. This year’s theme was “Better Together.” DCSC even...
2026 NACSA Leaders Program Cohort
Meet the newest members of NACSA’s Leaders Program. These leaders are committed to building systems that are transparent, equitable, and grounded in quality. Bridgett Abston Bridgett Abston is the Director...