The National Alliance co-hosted a briefing on Capitol Hill last week to educate Hill staffers on charter schools and gain support for bills that would have a positive and lasting impact on charter school growth.
See a recap of the briefing below. Learn more about the impact of The Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act and The Equitable Access to School Facilities Act from charter school leaders who joined the briefing.
Catch President andCEO Nina Rees on Education Next's podcast. Shediscusses the ways state-level legislation has laid the groundwork for the growth and expansionof the charter sector.
RECAP: Hill Briefing on Expanding Federal Support for New Schools and Facilities
Last week, the National Alliance, with honorary co-hosts, Senator Cornyn and Bennet, held a briefing on Capitol Hill entitled Charter Schools 101: Expanding Federal Support for New Schools and Facilities. Here are the highlights:
The briefing brought together charter school leaders and policy expertsto discuss new legislation. The Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act, and The Equitable Access to School Facilities Act aimed at equalizing access to resources needed to develop high-quality charter schools.
Panelists includedDr. Marco Clark, founder and CEO of the Richard Wright Public Charter School; Justin Lessek, executive director of the Sojourner Truth School; Naomi Shelton, CEO of the National Charter Collaborative; LaTanya Sothern, principal of EXCEL Academy Public Charter School; and Margie López Waite, head of school at Las Americas ASPIRE Academy.
Panelists shared how the proposed legislations would benefit educators wanting to open charter schools,especially educators of color, from low-income backgrounds, or in rural areas who often lack access to philanthropic support.
What: Scholarship program for first time college students who have experienced homelessness. Awardees will receive a scholarship of $2,500, opportunities to engage in state and federal advocacy, and more.
What: Apply for funding through the Charter Schools Program Grants to charter management organizations for replication and expansion
View the recording of the pre-application webinar from the US Department of Education
When:Grant application deadline is January 5, 2024
LISTEN: The Education Exchange: Let a Thousand Charters Bloom
National Alliance President and CEO Nina Reessat down with Education Next's Paul E. Peterson during a podcast episode of"The Education Exchange". Together they discuss state-level legislative activities thathave laid the groundwork for growth and expansion of the charter school sector.
"The percentage of students who enrolled in charter schools increased dramatically during the pandemic. We saw a surge of 240,000 studentsin the first year of the pandemic. That number stayed roughly the same in the second year.”
“[W]e have great confidence in both the demand for charter schools and the need to create them in those places that allow for them to exist."
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