NACSA

Issue Briefs

NACSA's Authorizing Matters Issue Briefs showcase in a quick and easy to read format specific authorizing issues, challenges, practices, and strategies that illustrate and instruct the theory and practice of charter school authorizing. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to order hard copies.

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School Quality in the Cloud: Guidelines for Authorizing Virtual Charter Schools

This Issue Brief, authored by Margaret Lin, aims to improve authorizer understanding and oversight of online charter schools generally, with particular focus on strengthening authorizer practices in evaluating proposals for virtual charter schools. It provides guidance to authorizers in evaluating proposals for online charter schools – including identifying key application questions and review practices to evaluate virtual charter applicants’ plans and capacities. Lastly, the brief concludes with general recommendations for overseeing and evaluating online charter schools.

 


insert

Key Questions for Reviewing Virtual Charter School Proposals

Use School Quality in the Cloud: Guidelines for Authorizing Virtual Charter Schools
insert for key questions to consider when evaluating virtual charter school proposals.
The insert is designed to help authorizers evaluate school quality and capacity in light
of the distinctive attributes of virtual schooling.

 


NACSA's Authorizing Matters Issue Brief Series

NACSA Cyber Series
An (Updated) Primer on Virtual Charter Schools: Mapping the Electronic Frontier - Originally written by Gregg Vanourek and updated by the Evergreen Education Group

Renewal Decisionmaking
"When It Really Matters: Charter Renewal Decisions at the State University of New York" - William Haft

Roles and Responsibilities
"Building a Foundation for Success: How Authorizers Can Help Schools with the Facilities Challenge" - Robin Halsband and Bryan C. Hassel 

Agency Capacity and Infrastructure
"Built for Quality: The Capacity Needed to Oversee Charter Schools" - Nelson Smith and Paul Herdman

Ongoing Oversight and Evaluation
"The Value of Quality On-Site School Reviews: Seeing Is Believing" - Rebecca Wolf DiBiase

Ongoing Oversight and Evaluation II
"Charter School Authorizers and Oversight: Where is the Line Between Effectively Holding Schools Accountable and Overregulation?"

Agency Capacity and Infrastructure
"School Districts Choosing to Charter" - Robin Lake

Agency Capacity and Infrastructure II
"Square Pegs: Charter Authorizers in Non-Charter Agencies" - Nelson Smith

Renewal Decisionmaking
"The Authorizer and Charter School Closures: Exercising Adaptive Leadership to Protect the Public Interest" - Veronica Geyer

Role and Responsibilities
"Steering the Course for Success: Authorizers and Effective Charter School Governance" - Marci Cornell-Feist 

“Steadying the Three-Legged Stool: Authorizers, Charter Schools, and Education Service Providers” - Adam Lowe and Margaret Lin

"Navigating Special Education in Charter Schools Part I: Understanding Legal Roles and Responsibilities" - Lauren Morando Rhim

 "Navigating Special Education in Charter Schools Part II: The Authorizers’ Role in Ensuring Quality Special Education Programs" - Lauren Morando Rhim

"Good to Govern: Evaluating the Capacity of Charter School Founding Boards" – Marci Cornell-Feist

 “Starting Fresh in Low Performing Schools” - David T. Kindler

 “Stepping Up: University Leadership in the Charter School Sector” – Kim Wechtenhiser

"The Terms of the Deal: A Quality Charter School Contract Defined" – William Haft

"Leave No Charter Behind: An Authorizer Guide to the Use of Growth Data" - Dr. Jody Ernst and Richard Wenning

"Measuring Charter School Financial Health" - Ben Aase

  • Financial Health Issue Brief Insert

Replication Brief No. 1 - Replication Options
"NACSA Charter School Replication Guide: The Spectrum of Replication Options" - Paul O'Neill and Jim Ford

 

Navigating the Closure Process - Matthew Shaw

Charter Schools and English Language Learners - Nancy Clair, Ed.D.

 

 

 

NACSA's Issue Brief Series is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

 

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