CMOs are nothing to be scared of. They simply reflect one of many ways to organize and operate a charter school. Some charter school governing boards choose to work with them because they can bring a lot to the table in terms of expertise, curriculum, and resources. And nationally, the best CMOs are one of the drivers of high-quality charter school growth.
In The Paperwork Pileup, authors Michael Q. McShane, Jenn Hatfield, and Elizabeth English assert that charter authorizers are often creating “onerous and lengthy” application processes that may scare off charter operators. Why keep harking back to anyone’s “original intent” when we’ve got more than two decades of actual experience to guide practice?
NACSA’s 2015 Leadership Conference is in the works! We are developing the schedule now for the October 19-22 program in Denver, Colorado and we want your session ideas! Our priority is to … Read More
What we quickly discovered is that the two groups have a lot in common, starting with a keen shared interest in strong, sustainable public charter schools. The report is also a pretty good short course for anyone interested in knowing how the two sectors work.
My mother has always expressed to me that she only wants “what’s best” for me, and this is where my charter school story begins. At 14, I had been attending the same public school for eight years, yet I was unfamiliar with most teachers and students. I often felt invisible, especially during the times where I needed help, and I never knew who to talk to. I didn’t feel comfortable expressing my needs. My mother knew there were better choices for me, places where I could thrive academically and socially.
We found that choice in Perspectives Charter School.
in my career at NACSA, I’m still that ambassador for quality charter schools—but in a different way.
I’m no longer speaking for one great school, but instead speaking for charter school authorizers. In their role as the gatekeepers of the charter movement, authorizers see the best and the worst of the charter sector.