Research & Publications

Research & Publications

Approach and Impact

Debates about charter school authorizing policies and practices are too often dominated by rhetoric and assumptions. To make charter schooling the proven model it can be, we must be guided by data and evidence

NACSA gathers and interprets that data and evidence, and has created the only national body of research on charter school authorizers. Each year, NACSA collects data about the national authorizing landscape. Our team gathers knowledge on the number of authorizers, their policies and practices, and the performance of their school portfolios.

Authorizers are diverse, so we survey and analyze all kinds. We focus on our research’s impact: not just on how authorizers do their job, but how their work affects schools. Then we get that information out to decision makers. Our research findings are used to:

Inform improvement for hundreds of authorizers overseeing thousands of schools
Highlight trends within this sector of public education
Craft the tools and resources that respond to the unique needs of authorizers
Advocate for smarter state and federal policies
Inform education decision makers about creating and sustaining great charter schools

Historical Publications

Publications

Authorizing by the Numbers

We spend plenty of time talking about the why and how of our work, as we seek to ensure more high-quality, innovative, and equitable educational opportunities for children. But every few years, …

State of Authorizing Report

Authorizing is the most consequential public school governance reform of the past two decades. Over the last 20+ years, diverse authorizers have created a new landscape, where school autonomy—balanced by fierce accountability …

Innovation After the Pandemic

February 10, 2023 | By NACSA (National Association of Charter School Authorizers)

As students and communities emerge from the ravages of a global pandemic, authorizing faces a key challenge: embracing its fundamental role of providing high-quality educational opportunities, while evolving to meet new demands …

Reinvigorating the Pipeline: Insights into Proposed and Approved Charter Schools

This first-ever look at the national charter school pipeline—what schools are being proposed and by whom—reveals a diverse sector, with a tremendous variety of applicants and school models.

Quality Practice Project

Great authorizers—those with strong portfolios of charter schools—are moving the needle for their communities. But what exactly do these authorizers do differently to achieve stellar outcomes?

Beyond the Fringe

Charter schools began on the fringe of the public school landscape. As enrollment grows and charters serve more and more students in many cities, the ways students and families navigate all public schools is also changing.

Authorizer Practices: What’s Working and What’s Not

Many factors contribute to the success of public charter schools with strong academic performance. One significantly under-explored area is the role of the authorizer.

Inside Charter School Growth

Our nation’s roughly 1,000 charter school authorizers are essential to expanding the number of quality public schools across the country.

Authorizing & School Discipline

Authorizers play an important role in decisions regarding charter schools and student discipline, as the entities responsible for protecting the public interest, while balancing school autonomy and accountability.

Authorizing Data in Depth: Special Education

NACSA’s 2015 survey asked authorizers if they use certain special education oversight and accountability practices, either currently, or at least once over the last two years.

Virtual Charter School Accountability: What We Can Do Now

Research & Publications