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