We are excited to share tentative details on the workshops and learning
opportunities offered at the 2015 National Charter Schools Conference, June 21-24
in New Orleans, Louisiana.
View our conference schedule and other details on our website. We’ll share session
scheduling information by April 24, 2015. On our website you can also learn about
our Top Sessions from 2014 as rated by participants.
Please note all content is subject to change, editing, and cancelation.
Table of Contents
About Workshop Strands ....................................................................................................... 2
Governance Sessions ............................................................................................................... 3
Instruction Sessions................................................................................................................. 9
Leadership Sessions ............................................................................................................. 17
Operations Sessions .............................................................................................................. 26
Policy Sessions ........................................................................................................................ 34
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About Workshop Strands
All workshops fall within one of our five strands:
1. Governance: Sessions in the Governance strand focus on overseeing a
charter school, whether as a board member, authorizer, or in another
capacity. These roles come with their own set of responsibilities and
challenges. Learn about board operations and training, strategic planning,
judging school quality, charter renewals and other topics.
2. Instruction: The Instruction strand presents advanced content in classroom
management, curriculum, education strategies, teacher training and other
classroom-specific topics. Teachers, curriculum specialists, special education
teachers and school leaders are all welcome.
3. Leadership: The Leadership strand addresses the many challenges facing
those who run today’s charter schools and trains those looking to run
tomorrow’s. hiring and working with staff, dealing with parents and more.
4. Operations: From facilities to fiscal sustainability, communications and PR
to professional development, the Operations strand provides back-office
employees and those who support schools in other ways with the necessary
tools to ensure long-term organizational health.
5. Policy: The political landscape impacts charter schools immensely, and those
who align with the Policy strand are the ones who want to be kept abreast of
the latest developments in district, state, and federal legislation and activism.
Conversations focus on the big-picture vision for the future of the movement,
advocacy, and overcoming policy-induced obstacles.
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Governance Sessions
Accountability Is Not Solely about Academics
The crucial feature of charter schools is their focus on accountability for academic
results. Their accountability commences with a concern for academic performance
and extends to include fiscal prudence, responsible governance, and effective
operations. Where charter schools and authorizers have paid insufficient attention
to non-academic accountability, it has led to school closures and financial scandals.
This session will explore the issue of non-academic accountability, including best
practices, and recommendations.
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Paul O'Neill, Manhattan Charter School; Rob Reed, National Alliance
for Public Charter Schools; Todd Ziebarth, National Alliance for Public Charter
Schools
Be a Start-Up Star: Tips, Templates, and More
Starting a school is tough work! Let us help you tackle the details of start-up now, so
you can focus on students later. We'll talk about opportunities and pitfalls, share
ideas and documents, and create a simplified action plan for your success. We will
focus on:
1. Building a board that doesn't hold you back;
2. Raising start-up money to get you what you need;
3. Navigating authorizers and politics strategically; and
4. Hiring right the first time!
Strand: Governance Level: Beginner
Presented by: Nicole Assisi, Thrive Public Schools; Donna Elder, Thrive Public
Schools
Beyond the Revolving Door: Institutionalizing Board Mindset
Are we focused on the right governance work, or are we patching superficial crises
without addressing the underlying challenges that threaten all charter school
boards? Maintaining quality governance requires institutionalized systems for
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developing board members, implementing effective governance practices, and
interpreting board-level data. Come to this session to explore strategies and identify
solutions to promote appropriate board engagement and processes for board
decision-making.
Strand: Governance Level: Advanced
Presented by: Jennifer Dauzvardis, Peak to Peak Charter School
Big But Not Easy: How Authorizing Shaped Public Education in New
Orleans
From 2006 to 2012, NACSA managed the Louisiana Recovery School District's
application process for new charter schools, and from 2011-14 provided third-party
review for Orleans Parish School Board charter applications. New research looks at
the relationship between these rigorous and comprehensive selection processes, the
strong subsequent outcomes for approved schools, and how this work has improved
opportunity for thousands of New Orleans students.
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Patrick Dobard, Louisiana Recovery School District; Kathleen Padian,
Orleans Parish School Board; Greg Richmond, National Association of Charter School
Authorizers
Board Diversity: Moving from Optics to Impact
This panel will clearly define diversity and its importance to effective governance of
mission-driven organizations. The panel will highlight ways in which increased
diversity leads to more impactful governing bodies and provide examples from the
field. The session will also focus on specific strategies to recruit board members of
color and other underrepresented minorities, as well as how boards can be
intentional about broadening their networks.
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Miecha Forbes, Koya Leadership Partners; Carrie Irvin, Charter
Board Partners; Deborah McGriff, New Schools Venture Fund; Raël Nelson James,
Charter Board Partners
Board Engagement 2.0: Money, Power, Respect
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The difference between making the playoffs and winning the championship is board
caliber. Status quo says school leaders prefer a hands-off approach. This session
disrupts that notion by revealing the secret sauce of creating focus-driven boards
that work in tandem with school leadership. Using an asset-based framework and
the relational leadership model, strategies to cultivate and maintain a winning
board culture that creates a chance for every child will be discussed.
Strand: Governance Level: Advanced
Presented by: Niloy Gangopadhyay, Success Preparatory Academy; Makiyah
Moody, Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools
Charters ARE the System: So What's Next?
The charter-led transformation of New Orleans’ public education sector has resulted
in unprecedented gains in student achievement. Yet, key issues remain to be
addressed: governance, facilities, ensuring equity, and the role of entrepreneurs and
the non-profit sector in supporting the work of schools.
Strand: Governance Level: Advanced
Presented by: Doug Harris, Tulane University, Education Research Alliance for New
Orleans; Erika McConduit-Diggs, Urban League of Greater New Orleans; Kathleen
Padian, Orleans Parish School Board; Caroline Roemer, Louisiana Association of
Public Charter Schools
Citywide Impact of Charters
Join elected leaders from across New Orleans as they discuss the impact that charter
schools have made on the city’s renaissance. How does the success of our schools
impact the vitality of our neighborhoods and community?
Strand: Governance Level: Advanced
Presented by: LaToya Cantrell, Andrew Wilson Charter School; Michael Hecht, GNO
Inc.; Mayor Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans City Government; Walt Leger, Louisiana
House of Representatives
Financial Transparency and Public Accountability: Do We Have a
Problem?
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Charter schools are regularly accused of lacking transparency and accountability for
their use of public funds. Even though charters in every state are required to be
financially transparent and are accountable to their authorizers for sound fiscal
management, these accusations persist. Isolated examples of malfeasance are
highlighted in the media and used to tarnish the whole sector. How should charter
supporters respond? Is more self-policing needed to root out bad actors?
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Parker Baxter, National Association Of Charter School Authorizers;
Paul O'Neill, Manhattan Charter School
How's Your Authorizer?
Tolstoy wrote that all happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in
its own way. What does a strong school-authorizer relationship look like? Do you
know it when you see it? This session will explore what quality authorizers do to
preserve school autonomy while ensuring accountability. Participants will be
encouraged to share their experiences – happy or otherwise.
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Susan Miller Barker, SUNY Charter Schools Institute; William Haft,
National Association of Charter School Authorizers; Gregg Stevens, State Charter
Schools Commission of Georgia
Measuring Charter School Quality: Moving beyond Standardized Test
Scores
The goals of this session are to describe how the Walton Family Foundation and the
Kauffman Foundation currently measure charter school quality, to introduce our
early thinking on what next generation measures might look like, and to get
audience feedback and input to help guide us moving forward.
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Matthew Carr, Kauffman Foundation; Marc Holley, Walton Family
Foundation
Moving on From the Founding Board: Board Succession Planning
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The founding board’s commitment to its mission and vision is critical for long term
success. Equally critical is developing a clear succession plan for continued clarity as
board membership changes. To ensure that we are creating an environment that
maintains/accelerates the pace of growth in your organization it’s critical that you
have a well thought- out plan, and a deep bench of potential replacements. This
session will explore process of successful board succession planning.
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Orlando Castellon, Central Michigan University; Makiyah Moody,
Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools
Shifting From Reactive to Strategic, Founding to Sustaining
This ''master class'' will be a hands-on intensive designed to help you create a set of
strategic board goals for the upcoming school year. We'll roll up our sleeves and you
will leave the session with a plan you can put to immediate use.
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Marci Cornell-Feist, BoardOnTrack
The Board's Role in Successful Expansion and Replication
The charter sector's focus on increasing quality seats puts pressure on boards of
successful schools to expand. But running one successful school is not the same as
running a network of schools so governing boards must make this decision carefully
and exert close oversight throughout. This case-based session discusses lessons
learned from KIPP and Charter Board Partners’ schools as their boards considered
how and when to scale.
Strand: Governance Level: Advanced
Presented by: Lina Bankert, Bellwether Education Partners; Simmons Lettre,
Charter Board Partners; Maura Marino, NewSchools Venture Fund; Susannah Staats,
KIPP Foundation
Turning Passion Into Action: Unlocking Your Board’s Fundraising
Potential
This interactive session will introduce attendees to best practices and creative
approaches to activating their board’s fundraising potential. Participants will be
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invited to complete a short assessment that to help pinpoint challenges to address in
order to build a fundraising board. Participants will work in groups to identify
strategies and develop action plans to address self-identified challenges.
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Leona Christy, National Charter School Resource Center; Mukta
Pandit, National Charter School Resource Center
Walking the Line: How Can a Local Board of a National CMO Clarify Its
Role?
Boards that contract with management organizations are often confused about their
role. Who is accountable for what and how can management agreements clarify
decision making? What is the line between governance and management on a local
CMO board? This candid discussion will dive into the fundamentals of effective
governance on local CMO boards and provide tools to help both parties know how to
effectively walk the line between governance and management.
Strand: Governance Level: Advanced
Presented by: Kate Essex, Charter Board Partners; Susannah Staats, KIPP
Foundation
What Can We Learn from Tipping-Point Districts?
When charter schools provide most public education in one jurisdiction, things
change. You'll need scalable ways to serve ELL and special-ed students. You'll find
parents confused about enrolling at multiple schools; see more intense competition
from the district and other charters; and encounter pitched political debates about
charter growth. How are authorizers and districts with large numbers of charters
dealing with scale? What can other districts learn from them?
Strand: Governance Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Parker Baxter, National Association Of Charter School Authorizers;
Jose Cole-Gutierrez, Los Angeles Unified School District; Robin Lake, Center on
Reinventing Public Education, University of Washington; Scott Pearson, DC Public
Charter School Board
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Instruction Sessions
Building a Better Blend
We believe technology can improve every student’s educational experience, but how
do we bring that into the classroom successfully? During this interactive
conversation, panelists will discuss blended learning in elementary and middle
schools, highlight specific examples and best practices, and unpack how educators
and school leaders can implement blended, competency-based learning to promote
deep, conceptual understanding. The session will include a station rotation allowing
for each attendee to get small group time with the experts!
Strand: Instruction Level: Beginner
Presented by: Chris Liang-Vergara, LEAP Innovations; Mark Lonergan, MIND
Research Institute; Nigel Nisbet, MIND Research Institute; Jeremy Vidito, Starr
Educational Services
Building Intentional Struggle through Focused Questioning
Asking questions in math classes is often overlooked as a key lever to improve
student achievement. In order to make our students true mathematicians,
questioning must be taken beyond a basic level, and allow scholars to struggle
through scenarios that build multiple skills together and intentionally utilize chosen
numbers, not a selection of auto-generated digits. In this session, participants will
learn the keys to creating strong questions to improve performance in mathematics.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Kate Crowe, Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy; Drew
Madden, Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy
Concentric Circles: Moving Away from Sage on the Stage Teaching
ICEF Public Schools’ instructional team discuss their collaborative work establishing
Concentric Circles , an instructional model focused on group structure. When
utilizing the model, students are separated into three groups. Collaborative:
students work in partners/cooperative groups, attain an objective; participate in
collaborative inquiry. Independent: students work by themselves on an
activity/project focused on particular objective. Direct Instruction: students work in
small groups with teacher, who leads students in content area minilesson/reteaching.
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Strand: Instruction Level: Beginner
Presented by: Martinne Barracliffe, ICEF Public Schools; Jacquelynn Johnson, ICEF
Public Schools
Do You Have What It Takes to Become a Personalized Learning School?
Learn what it takes to plan and operate a successful personalized learning school.
Converse with experts, funders, and practitioners working with schools that have
made the transition. Leave with tools for planning and a clear understanding of how
to get started, as well as what not to do.
Strand: Instruction Level: Advanced
Presented by: Steve Bumbaugh, CityBridge Foundation; Lydia Logan, Educology
Advisors; Bryan Setser, 2 Revolutions
Engaging Students and Closing Achievement Gaps with Brain-Friendly
Teaching
Surprising new brain imaging techniques give us new windows into real-world
brain functioning. For the first time, we can actually view which parts of the brain
are engaged as we use different instructional methods. Discover more about how
the brain actually learns as we experience interactive structures for highly engaging
face-to-face teaching and learning.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Rick DuVall, Kagan Professional Development
How Charter Schools Are Redefining Public Education by Defying
Poverty
Charter schools are producing exceptional results serving low-income students.
Only 2% of the traditional public schools on Newsweek's 2012 List of Best High
Schools serve predominantly low-income students; in contrast, 35% of the listed
charters do. A study correlating state test results reveals a similar pattern. We will
discuss the strategies that successful charters are using to level the educational
playing field using the latest data.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
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Presented by: Fernando Zulueta, Academica
Increasing Rigor for Success with Higher Order Thinking
The new generation of standards have significant requirements for increasing the
amount of higher order thinking and the depth of knowledge that students must
obtain with content. Learn how to provide opportunities for students to think
logically and go beyond acquisition of knowledge and skills in each lesson. Explore
strategies for consistently incorporating higher order questions, expectations,
instruction, and activities across lessons.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Max Thompson, Independent Consultant
Inspiring Writing and Oral Fluency for ELL and Struggling Students
As educators, we know the importance of personalized instruction, but how can we
accomplish this? One goal is to present how technology can be an instructional
multiplier for students and discuss those components that are needed to truly call
themselves adaptive. The second goal is to examine how artificial intelligence can
provide instant feedback on the writing and oral fluency of students. We will share
the research and observe it in practice.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Claudia Salinas, Pearson
Labsites: Deep Intellectual Engagement and Rapid Feedback
Achievement First's CEO Dacia Toll will lead the group through a labsite featuring
deep intellectual engagement with a Common Core aligned, rigorous text and then
follow the intellectual prep meeting with a hands-on learning labsite for all
participants. We will bring in local students from a partner school who will work in
small groups and participants will actively teach kids using the prep material to
employ new strategies immediately.
Strand: Instruction Level: Beginner
Presented by: Dacia Toll, Achievement First
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Leading Observation Feedback Meetings like a Champion
In the session leaders will hone their skills around identifying highest leverage
action steps for teachers and communicating feedback using the six steps to
effective feedback meetings. Participants will analyze video clips of top Uncommon
leaders and apply best practices in meeting plans and role-plays. Participants will
also receive resources to support leading effective meetings and helping teachers,
especially rookies, get better faster.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Paul Powell, Uncommon Schools
Lego My Ego: Speed Dating for Individualized Instruction Strategies
Learn to let go of your ego of whole group instruction through gathering best
practices focusing on differentiated and individual instruction. This speed dating
session pairs you with teachers that have successfully implemented effective
resources such as Khan and learning continuums. Be an active part of the game
scene by gathering stickers for your knowledge about teaching and working with
instructional groups at different levels in one class. Have fun, meet with teachers,
and learn!
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Tamika Chambers, Northwest Evaluation Association; John Eick,
Westlake Charter School
Moving beyond the Achievement Gap to Closing the Creativity Gap
Education reform often focuses on closing the achievement gap. However, schools
that have successfully addressed the achievement gap and demonstrated that all
students can achieve if they are given quality instruction and rigorous curriculum
need to move to the next challenge. The creativity gap exists because the focus on
academics overshadows the importance of innovation, arts, and creativity as cocurricular factors leading to achievement and well-rounded, 21st century scholars.
Strand: Instruction Level: Advanced
Presented by: Alicia Burgos, Bronx Charter School for Excellence; Tanya Ghans,
Bronx Charter School for Excellence; Lynette Parker, Bronx Charter School for
Excellence; Charlene Reid, Bronx Charter School for Excellence
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Real World Common Core: One School's Honest Transition
Conversations
What happens when Boston Collegiate Charter School, one of Massachusetts’s
highest performing charters, teams up with Achievement Network for a two-year
intensive project documenting BCCS’s Common Core transition? Hear stories, see
artifacts, and learn the collaboration protocol and instructional “look fors” that BCCS
uses to drive student learning and engagement.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Kimberly Cockrell, Achievement Network
Revision Strategies to Improve Student Writing and Increase
Engagement
Do you want to help students maximize the drafting and revision process to
improve their writing in significant ways? Is student achievement around writing
one of your targeted goals? This workshop introduces easy-to-use classroom tools
that improve students’ word choice, sentence fluency, ideas/content, and gradelevel readability, as well as increasing students' accountability and raising their
levels of engagement and participation. You will leave with tools that you can use in
your classroom tomorrow.
Strand: Instruction Level: Advanced
Presented by: Megan Freeman, Peak to Peak Charter School
Special Education 101: Developing a Full Continuum of Intructional
Options
Effectively educating students with diverse learning needs requires knowledge of
federal and state statutes and deep instructional expertise. This session will
introduce special education law as the foundation for a robust conversation with
experienced special educators about what is required to create an effective
continuum of instructional options that ensures charter schools fulfill
responsibilities related to educating students with disabilities.
Strand: Instruction Level: Beginner
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Presented by: Meghan Fitzgerald, Uncommon Schools; Christie Hollins Jackson, LA
Coonnections Academy; Liz Marcel, Recovery School District, Louisiana; Paul O'Neil,
Tugboat Education Services
Teach Kids to Think: PARCC and Smarter Balanced Test Prep That
Works
Do we give our students enough opportunities to truly think? Now that our students
have taken the PARCC and Smarter Balanced assessments, we'll explore how these
items proved to be different from our state assessments and how our instruction
must change, too. We'll learn how to explicitly teach effective thinking routines that
will do more to prepare them for these cognitively-demanding tests than traditional
test prep can.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Cynthia Millinger, Charter School Essentials
That's APPtastic!
Engaging Generation Techie! This session is for teachers who would like to utilize
various apps to enhance their classroom. The session will introduce 20 affordable
and exciting apps which can be easily be tailored to a plethora of classroom lessons.
Organization and social skills will also be addressed. Come with your devices and
bring ideas that you have found to be successful to share with others. One attendee
will win a tablet!
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Lorraine DeAnda, Somerset Academy of Nevada, North Las Vegas
Campus; Christine Garvin, Pinecrest Academy of Nevada; Jessica LeNeave, Pinecrest
Academy of Nevada; Flynn Stern, Pinecrest Academy of Nevada
The Children Left Behind: English Language Learners and the Common
Core
Although they are one of the nation’s fastest growing subgroups, English Language
Learners’ needs have not been adequately addressed by the Common Core State
Standards' assessments. Therefore, educators must internalize the language
demands of the PARCC and SBAC assessments. This session will illuminate the
challenges that the English Language Learners you serve must face when accessing
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the CCSS tests. Participants will also learn scaffolds that should be integrated into
standards-based instruction for English Language Learners.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Rachel Hazlehurst, Camino Nuevo Charter Academy; Atyani Howard,
Camino Nuevo Charter Academy; Suzanne Marks, Camino Nuevo Charter Academy
The Together Teacher
Effective teaching requires strong planning, time and task management, and
organizational systems. Without a clear system to sort through the daily deluge, you
can easily lose sight of what you need to accomplish in your classroom. The cost of
not having a plan for how you spend your limited free time is enormous. Your
students suffer, you sleep too little, and you feel overwhelmed—a dreadful
combination that doesn’t help anyone. Thankfully, with some intentionality,
routines, and habits, it is possible to be an effective teacher —and have a life! In this
workshop, you will learn how to consolidate your many school calendars (field trips,
testing, holidays and more!) into one comprehensive calendar, track long-term todo’s and ideas through an upcoming to-do list, plot how to use your limited amount
of free time each week through the personalized design of a weekly or daily
worksheet, and create your own system to juggle all of your time and to-do’s as a
busy teacher.
Strand: Instruction Level:
Presented by: Maia Heyck Merlin, The Together Group
The Unwritten Rules for Student Success
The secret to student success lies not just in teaching students content knowledge.
For many struggling students, they need to be taught the unwritten rules for how to
succeed in school and in life. The Co-Founder of Synergy Charter Academy, the 2013
Best Urban Elementary School in America, will share hands-on tools for how new
school developers and leaders can empower students, staff, and parents to eliminate
the achievement gap.
Strand: Instruction Level: Beginner
Presented by: Meg Palisoc, Synergy Academies
Translating Standards into Actionable Learning Tools
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While today’s standards provide teachers with more details about the level of rigor
and outcomes expected, translating the standards into a logical progression of
lessons is a very challenging task that is often abandoned in favor of programs and
textbooks. Learn how exemplary schools quickly unpack and map standards
resulting in prioritized and focused learning goals that are developed into Advance
Organizers - a planning and learning tool.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Carol Gardner, NA
Using Essentialism to Integrate Common Core and Effective Teaching
Reform
Combining Common Core with effective teaching reforms has the potential to
empower teachers and truly prepare students for college, but these concurrent
reforms also risk confusing and disempowering educators. How can schools and
organizations take an “essentialist” approach to help school leaders guide these
changes and create opportunities for teachers to innovate collaboratively? This
session will include analysis and next-step planning in small groups along with
group discussion.
Strand: Instruction Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Jonathan Stewart, Partnerships to Uplift Communities Schools
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Leadership Sessions
Authorizers: Change Agents, Market Makers, and Forces for Quality
At the beginning of the charter schools movement, little importance was given to the
role of authorizers. Now, quality authorizing, is a frequent topic. Most see
authorizers performing three basic roles: gatekeeper, monitor, and evaluator. These
roles need to be performed well, but we have a bigger vision: we envision
authorizers serving as catalysts for excellence. Come learn how this would
transform authorizing and help prove the promise of charter schools!
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: James Goenner, National Charter Schools Institute
Breaking the Mold: Reimagining Charter Schools with Per-Pupil Funding
The public charter school sector has proven its potential to improve student
outcomes. But in order to reach significantly more students, the next wave of sector
development will need to foster innovative school models that meet unique needs in
the communities they serve. And given fiscal realities, the more charter schools that
take on this challenge within existing public funding, the more likely those
innovations will scale and sustain. This session will explore what public charter
schools, funders, support organizations, and policymakers can do to spur innovation
and ensure a sustainable future for the sector.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Bryan Hassel, Public Impact; Gillian Locke, Public Impact; Kaitlyn
Walker, The Mind Trust
Building a 21st Century School Culture Through Community
Engagement
Participants will discuss community engagement strategies that foster 21st Century
Learning--collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. Presenters
will discuss a three-tiered approach from the roles of the executive director,
principal, and teacher. From garnering relationships on an institutional level to
implementing community-oriented learning experiences and mentorships in the
classroom, this model will empower participants to transform their approach to
community engagement. Participants will examine the unexplored opportunities
within their local communities and author a vision statement for engagement within
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all levels at their school. All participants should have a Google account and laptop
for this session.
Strand: Leadership Level: Beginner
Presented by: Jamie Greason, Crossroads Academy of Kansas City; Dean Johnson,
Crossroads Academy of Kansas City; Tysie McDowell Ray, Crossroads Academy of
Kansas City
Common Mistakes Made in Negotiating a Charter School Management
Agreement
The charter management agreement is a document that shapes the future of the
relationship between the school and CMO/EMO. Therefore, drafting, and negotiating
(or renegotiating) a management agreement is one of the most important exercises
in which school leaders and board members will partake. This session will explore
the most common mistakes made when schools and their CMOs/EMOs negotiate
their charter management agreements and how to avoid these (sometimes costly)
mistakes.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Cliff Schneider, Cohen Schneider & O'Neill LLP
Don't Follow Your Passion - Build Your Career
Join this session to debunk the long-held belief that following your passion is good
advice. Not only is the cliché flawed but it can lead to anxiety and chronic job
hopping. Drawing on scientific evidence and case studies, Cal Newport, author of So
Good They Can’t Ignore You, will provide step-by-step advice for escaping the grips
of the dream job delusion and building a career you love and a career built on skill
deliberately acquired and carefully invested.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Cal Newport, Georgetown University
FRAUD!
Scandals real or perceived can damage our schools and the charter movement.
Whether fraud, mismanagement or just a stupid mistake, a whiff of wrongdoing
attracts politicians, regulators, the media and critics. Four experts who have dealt
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with fraud from different perspectives will discuss lessons learned about earlywarning signs, how good practices and monitoring can detect problems in progress,
where the worst vulnerabilities are, and how to manage the scrutiny that follows
disclosure.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Robert J. Bellafiore, Stanhope Partners; Paul O'Neil, Tugboat
Education Services; Scott Pearson, DC Public Charter School Board; Raj Thakkar,
Charter School Business Management Inc.
Future of School
Innovation has always been in the DNA of the charter school movement yet our
schools continue old practices. How can educators, entrepreneurs, and technologists
together transform how our students learn? What can innovations in technology
and entrepreneurship teach us about how to fail fast and iterate? This workshop by
4.0 Schools will explore the future of school, and the role that the charter school
movement can play in bringing this future to life.
Strand: Leadership Level: Advanced
Presented by: Matt Candler, 4.0 Schools; Josh Densen, Bricolage Academy; Hassan
Hassan, 4.0 Schools; Kathleen Padian, Orleans Parish School Board
High Quality School Replication
Replication of high-quality charter schools has become an increasingly important
lever in expanding the reach of the sector. In this workshop, nationally-recognized
leaders in charter school replication will help participants think through the key
questions organizations considering replication must answer.
Strand: Leadership Level: Advanced
Presented by: Eric Chan, Charter School Growth Fund; Jim Ford, New York City
Charter School Center; James Merriman, New York City Charter School Center; Dacia
Toll, Achievement First
How Do We Pay for It? Understanding Special Education Finance
Understanding special education finance requires the knowledge of a CPA combined
with the experience of a seasoned school administrator. To ensure charter schools
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are accessing all of the resources to which they are entitled to support critical
programs, understanding special education finance is essential. Panelists will give
an overview of how special education is financed and explore implementation in
three charter states.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Eileen Ahearn, National Association of State Directors of Special
Education; Adam Hawf, Grand Isle Group; Lauren Morando Rhim, National Center
for Special Education in Charter Schools; Sivan Tuchman, University of Arkansas,
Department of Education Reform
How Good Are You at Giving Feedback? Hone Your Skills to Support Your
Staff
How good are you at giving feedback? Wouldn't it be great if everyone really heard
what you were trying to say? Take a self-assessment and learn techniques to hone
your skills and better support your staff in improving their instruction. Explore how
to implement effective feedback loops to ensure your colleagues can take your
recommendations and use them to advance student achievement.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Cynthia Millinger, Charter School Essentials
I Am For Peace: Social-Emotional Learning and Community
Transformation
See how the students at Perspectives Charter Schools in Chicago are standing up for
peace and how their school's social-emotional learning model is supporting them.
Perspectives students organized a 2,000 student peace march in June 2014, and
raised more than $35,000 via Kickstarter to create a documentary about their peace
movement. Watch the documentary -- featuring Sec. of Education Arne Duncan -and learn how your students can become ethical leaders.
Strand: Leadership Level: Beginner
Presented by: Diana Shulla-Cose, Perspectives Charter Schools
I'm in the Principal's Seat, Now What?
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Learn the success strategies used by a Miami, FL, Principal of the Year, in turning
around a failing middle school. How can structured visibility be the key to
developing trust and open communication? How does smart delegation lead to
collaboration and change? Why is celebration so crucial? How does school-based
management lead to the development of teacher leaders?
Strand: Leadership Level: Beginner
Presented by: Allan Bonilla, Coaching4educators.com
Improving Your School’s Performance--A Case Study of a DC Turnaround
The bar for school performance is at an all-time high. School boards and leaders
must identify key accountability-aligned performance metrics and apply laserfocused management to achieve them. Using a case study of a Washington, DC high
school that has tripled its state standardized test scores in two years, we will share
best practice strategies to increase academic achievement and overall school
performance.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Katie Herman, TenSquare; Ethan Mitnick, TenSquare; Justin
Rydstrom, IDEA PCS
Keeping Students in School: Advice from Students Who Left
This is a panel discussion with four students who left school and reengaged in an
alternative program. Participants will get the opportunity to interact directly with
students who disengaged from traditional district and charter schools. Participants
will gain perspective on root causes that affected students’ course of study.
Participants will learn what elements they need to incorporate to keep students in
school and to get students back who already left.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Jonathan Keith, Pathways in Education-Louisiana; Martin McGreal,
Pathways In Education-Louisiana
Leadership vs. Management and the Art of ''Time Management''
Sure I want to be an Instructional Leader, but who has the time? Once clearly
understanding the values and difference between leadership and management
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skills, participants will take a close look at how to effectively manage time in such a
way as to balance both sets of skills. Participants will exit the session with tools in
hand to manage time in a more impactful way.
Strand: Leadership Level: Beginner
Presented by: Sid Bailey, Arizona Charter Schools Association
Leading from the Front of the Classroom
If schools are to be successful at preparing all students for a rapidly changing world,
they must distribute leadership more broadly. By developing leadership roles and
skills for teachers, schools, and school systems, it can make it easier for principals,
teachers and above all students to succeed. This panel will be a facilitated discussion
about leadership development, led by Leading Educators and featuring lessons
learned from high-performing charters, FirstLine Schools, and Collegiate Academies.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Chong-Hao Fu, Leading Educators; Stefan Lallinger, Langston Hughes
Academy; Ben Marcovitz, Collegiate Academies
Separating Fact from Fiction: Special Education in Charters Schools
Much of the discussion regarding special education in charter schools is based on
anecdotes. This panel of experts will share recent research on special education and
highlight key takeaways for school leaders and policymakers. Research will include
recent quantitative and qualitative analyses.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Betheny Gross, Center for Reinventing Public Education; Ashley
Jochim, Center on Reinventing Public Education; Lauren Morando Rhim, National
Center for Special Education in Charter Schools; Mukta Pandit, National Charter
School Resource Center
Social Emotional Learning: A Critical Partner to Rigorous Academics
Will only focusing on standard achievement measures ensure our students realize
their full potential and become effective citizens who can create a more
compassionate and just world? Citizens of the World believes we need to expand the
conversation on student success to include students’ self-awareness and ability to
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self-manage, their ability to empathetically engage with and build meaningful
connections with others who are different than them, and to value being part of a
global community. Embedding Social Emotional Learning (SEL) within an
academically rigorous, diverse classroom is necessary to ensure our kids can be our
leaders tomorrow. SEL is inextricably tied to academic skill and content mastery;
you can't have one without the other.
Strand: Leadership Level: Beginner
Presented by: Krupa Desai, Citizens of the World Charter Schools; Hillary Johnson,
Citizens of the World Charter Schools; Maureen Lamorena-Tatsui, Citizens of the
World Silver Lake; Ramona Patrick, Citizens of the World Silver Lake
Stopping the Revolving Door: Addressing Teacher Burnout and Attrition
Losing your best teachers? Are they overwhelmed or burnt out? Join KIPP Tulsa for
an honest, interactive, and collaborative session. Engage with participants, identify
the biggest challenges regarding teacher retention and work towards stopping your
revolving door through feedback, coaching, eliminating teacher isolation and
personalizing professional development. You’ll leave this fun, hands-on session with
real-world, actionable work products including an one-page action plan for your
unique school environment.
Strand: Leadership Level: Beginner
Presented by: Andrew McRae, KIPP Tulsa College Preparatory; Abby Sterensis,
observe4success
Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork: Avoiding Causes of Dysfunctions
Charter school practitioners Perry Daniel (Principal) and Michael Hicks (Counselor)
engage participants on the nuances in developing cohesive and effective charter
school faculties. They highlight five areas that leaders and their teams should
address to avoid falling prey to causes of dysfunction. Participants are guided in
developing strategies to combat the dysfunctions.
Strand: Leadership Level: Advanced
Presented by: Perry Daniel, Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy; Michael Hicks,
Southern University at Shreveport
The Cage-Busting Teacher
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Teachers can perform magic in their classroom, but often feel powerless over what
goes on beyond those four walls. Our education system wasn’t built to regard
teachers as professionals, and successive waves of reform have done little to change
this. The way forward is for teachers to bust out of that cage and take ownership of
their schools and systems. This session offers practical advice on how teachers can
do just that.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Frederick Hess, American Enterprise Institute
The Together Leader
Effective leading requires strong planning, time and task management, and
organizational systems. Without a clear system to sort through the daily deluge, you
can easily lose sight of what you need to accomplish on your team. The cost of not
having a plan for how you spend your limited free time is enormous. Your
stakeholders suffer, you bottleneck your colleagues, you sleep too little, and you feel
overwhelmed—a dreadful combination that doesn’t help anyone. Thankfully, with
some intentionality, routines, and habits, it is possible to be an effective leader—and
have a life! This intensive workshop will teach you how to consolidate your
calendars, track long-term to-do’s and ideas, identify and solve for common priority
crushers, and plot how to use your limited amount of free time.
Strand: Leadership Level:
Presented by: Maia Heyck Merlin, The Together Group
Why They Love Teaching Is the Last Thing to Ask
Many teachers know what to say to get a teaching job. But beyond the job, leaders
need to know how to hire teachers who work well for the entire organizational.
Hiring includes questions and activities that get at the heart of who you are hiring.
People show you who they are and how they fit within four hours of the process. It
is up to leaders not to ignore what they show you.
Strand: Leadership Level: Advanced
Presented by: Alicia Burgos, Bronx Charter School for Excellence; Charlene Reid,
Bronx Charter School for Excellence
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Working the Core: Developing and Rolling Out Your Strategic Plan
Shifting to the Common Core State Standards has wide-ranging impacts on the
entire school community. During this session, the school leader from Alain Locke
Charter School (Chicago, IL) will share lessons learned as he and his team
developed, monitored, and assessed their school’s multi-year Common Core
transition plan. The case study presented will specifically focus on how Alain Locke
created a successful strategic plan that addressed staff buy-in and course correcting
as needed. School leaders will leave this session with real world tactics and tools
they can draw from as they develop their school’s own targeted transition plan.
Strand: Leadership Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Patrick Love, Alain Locke Charter School
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Operations Sessions
Beyond the PTA: Authentic Parental and Community Engagement
Strategies
Come learn how three charter schools integrate parent and community engagement
throughout the life cycle of a charter school. Through creative and strategic
partnerships with new immigrant centers, community healthcare providers, and
district-charter collaboration, participants will learn strategies and engage in
discussions on how to leverage existing practices to strengthen parent and
community member engagement, build an enrollment pipeline, and impact two
generations at one time.
Strand: Operations Level: Beginner
Presented by: Taishya Adams, American Institutes for Research/ New Legacy CHS;
Monique Daviss, El Sol Science and Arts Academy of Santa Ana
Brand Impact Workshop: Assessing Power and Effectiveness of Your
Brand
This interactive session will invite participants to examine their organization's
brand and identify ways to stimulate growth and raise awareness. After a brief
branding overview, participants will dive into an intensive brand impact rating
exercise and identify goals to help them elevate their existing brand to a more
compelling and dynamic presence.
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Clifton Alexander, REACTOR Design Studio; Emily Gairns, REACTOR
Design Studio; Chase Wilson, REACTOR Design Studio
Charter School Growth Strategies: Start-Up, Expansion, and Maturity
Charter schools face a variety of challenges at each stage of growth. We will outline
the stages of growth from start-up to expansion to mature school and highlight the
challenges schools experience at each stage. Our panel of experts will offer best
practices garnered from their schools' success through these growth stages.
Strand: Operations Level: Beginner
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Presented by: Darlene Chambers, Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools; Stuart
Ellis, Charter School Capital; Marshall Emerson, Entrepreneurship Preparatory
School; Caprice Young, Education Growth Group
CSO Communications Connoisseurs and Social Media Mavens off the grid
Come together to share media and communications plans. Discover what has
worked this past year in communications, social media, and grassroots organizing
technology.
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Mary Carmichael, Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina
CSO Conference Trendsetters and Event Experts off the grid
Who is making money with events and conferences? What is a time suck and what
catapults the charter movement into action? How do you negotiate hotel contracts
and not lose your shirt on keynote speakers.
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Mary Carmichael, Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina
CSO Funding the Work of CSOs w/ CSO CEOs, CFOs, COOs & OWSs Off the
Grid
CSO Leaders and administrators will breakdown budgets, ogle org structures, and
float down a few funding streams. Discuss the balance of advocacy and support
services in your business plan. And identify ways we can Innovate, Collaborate,
Replicate great CSO work.
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Mary Carmichael, Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina
CSO Governance Gurus and Leadership Development Lovers Off the Grid
Who is doing something new in program development for existing schools? How are
you mixing up the use of webinars and in person training? Who will lead our
thousands of schools in the futures? Who is doing what with leadership
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development? How about helping boards with leader evaluation tools? Does any of
this make a difference?
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Mary Carmichael, Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina
CSO Membership Movers and Shakers Off the Grid
Lay out membership tiers and tears…Discuss how your association remains relevant
with your schools and stakeholders? What are the reasons that members join? How
are your engaging your membership?
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Mary Carmichael, Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina
CSO New School Development Divas & Replication Renegades “off the
grid”
Deep dive into what is working for CSOs in New School Development. What are you
doing differently? How can we better use CSP/Walton Start Up funds to create
sustainable and innovative schools? Is new school development a money pit or an
investment in long term high quality charters?
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Mary Carmichael, Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina
CSO School Resource Development Dunderheads off the grid
Discuss the nuances and nuts and bolts of business partner cultivation, member
benefits, helping schools plan for better purchasing/procurement, and oh…business
partner retention.
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Mary Carmichael, Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina
Dropout Recovery: Matching Accountability Policy with Instructional
Practice
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Explore the nuances of applying rigorous accountability measures that are relevant
to schools serving re-engaged dropouts. Panelists include leaders of nationally
recognized dropout recovery schools who will discuss best practices in pedagogy
and school structure including project based learning, competency, flexible
schedules, and comprehensive support services. Discover why enlightened charter
school authorizers have taken on the challenge of developing alternative
accountability measures. Learn about Louisiana’s decision to develop and adopt an
alternative accountability framework.
Strand: Operations Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Linda Dawson, SIATech Charter High Schools; Adam Hawf, Grand Isle
Group; Ernie Silva, SIATech; Nelson Smith, National Association of Charter School
Authorizers
Employment Law and Charters: Healthy Human Resources
Human resources management serves as a foundation for successful charter school
operations. Charter schools need effective directors, teachers, and business staff,
and the human resources component facilitates the recruitment, training,
evaluation, and compensation of these essential staff. Possessing a good
understanding of employment law is necessary, as legal mistakes can be costly. This
session will explore routine human resources decisions which often implicate
employment law issues and will offer ways to ensure compliance.
Strand: Operations Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Jennifer Smith, National Heritage Academies; Wendy Tucker,
Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP; Sarah Vandergriff, Louisiana Association
of Public Charter Schools
Exploring Growth: What’s Driving Geographic Expansion among
Charters?
Join us as we explore the current geographic expansion trends in the charter market
and seek answers to questions such as: What’s driving established CMOs to leave
existing markets? What factors are attracting operators to new markets? What are
some of the challenges and lessons learned? Hear from charter operators and
developers who are at the forefront of these geographic expansion trends, and bring
your own experiences and questions to share!
Strand: Operations Level: Intermediate
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Presented by: Melissa Garcia, Low Income Investment Fund; Laura Kozel,
Rocketship Education; Claudia Lima, Pacific Charter School Development; Faye
Premer, Civic Builders, Inc.
Facility Financing Fundamentals Workshop
Is your charter school planning an expansion of facilities? Join us to learn about the
key factors to look at when evaluating your school’s credit worthiness. Under the
guidance of lenders and facilities financing experts you’ll assess your school’s equity
base, surpluses, cash flow and project affordability. You will leave this session with a
bottom line affordability number for your project and a practical plan that ensures
that all your financing needs are met.
Strand: Operations Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Jane Ellis, Self-Help Credit Union & Ventures Fund; Michelle Gleason,
IFF; Molly Melloh, The Reinvestment Fund; Joseph Palazzolo, New Jersey
Community Capital; Sara Sorbello, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
Financial Management Certification - Help Schools Reduce Their Risks
Estimates indicate that more than 40% of charter schools close due to financial
mismanagement. The Georgia Charter Schools Association and the State Charter
Schools Commission recognized the need for more robust training in business
operations, including: accounting, budgeting, purchasing, and financial policy. Along
with The University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government, they launched
a Financial Management Certification program for charter school business
managers. Hear about the partnership and how it might be replicated.
Strand: Operations Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Tracy Arner, Carl Vinson Institute of Government; Dave Lakly, Carl
Vinson Institute of Government; Terence Washington, State Charter Schools
Commission of Georgia; Rena Youngblood, Georgia Charter Schools Association
Fiscal Foresight: Right Financial Ratios to Eliminate Your Blind Spots
Go beyond the financial audit, dive into your finances, and understand the true state
of your organization’s financial health. Learn to calculate financial ratios that really
matter and analyze what this means for your school. Participants are encouraged to
bring their financial statements and laptops to this working session or use our
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samples to gain hands-on experience. Gain feedback and insight on your next steps
to improving the financial health of your school.
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Karen Daniels, Charter School Business Management Inc.; Raj
Thakkar, Charter School Business Management Inc.
Food for Thought: Access Funding to Improve Student Achievement
Federal child nutrition programs have a profound impact on alleviating hunger in
our nation’s schools and are proven to support academic success. Learn how to
increase participation in school breakfast and lunch, certify more eligible children
for free meals, maximize administrative savings, and provide meals during the
summer and afterschool. This session will highlight how to access federal funding
available to charter schools to provide the nutritious meals that students need to
learn and thrive.
Strand: Operations Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Jessie Hewins, Food Research and Action Center; Bea Zuluaga, Centro
NÖa, DC Bilingual Charter School
From Concept to Completion: Navigating the Facilities Maze
Experts from school operations to financing to construction will provide
comprehensive perspectives on how to approach and execute on charter school
facilities development. This moderated panel will help professionals from a variety
of functional disciplines consider the complete path to a new or renovated facility,
including: identifying partners and service providers, regulatory requirements, due
diligence and financing, contingency planning, financial implications, and much
more.
Strand: Operations Level: Beginner
Presented by: Michael DeMatteo, Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy; David
Lauck, Rhode Island Mayoral Academies; Faye Premer, Civic Builders, Inc.; Noah
Wepman, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
How a Lender Looks at a Charter School (and How You Can Look Your
Best)
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Parents trust their children’s education to you, and now to build your dream facility,
you need a lender to trust millions of dollars in your school. We’ll review actual
charter school budgets from a lender’s perspective to identify what will catch a
lender’s eye. We’ll then discuss how you can address (or avoid) any weaknesses.
Finally, we’ll hear from Rocketship Schools on how they choose a financing solution
to best meet each school’s needs.
Strand: Operations Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Adrienne Barnes, Capital Impact Partners; Laura Kozel, Rocketship
Education; Gasper Magallanes, EdTec Inc.; Adam Miller, EdTec Inc.
How Can We Work Effectively with Journalists?
Join us to understand the importance of working effectively with journalists.
Presenters offer extensive journalistic experience and will share several practical
suggestions you can use immediately. Participants will meet in small groups with
media experts to develop a draft media action plan their school can use for the
2015-16 school year.Join us to take your school's media engagement to the next
level.
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Dakarai Aarons, Data Quality Campaign; Joe Nathan, Center for
School Change; Jessica Williams, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune,
Is Your School's Wireless and Network Infrastructure Future Proof?
This session will explore wireless and network infrastructure technologies for the
modern classroom that your charter school should examine, test and implement in
preparation for today's academic technology requirements, and beyond (e.g. online
testing, including PARCC assessments). Thought leaders from Uncommon Schools
and mindSHIFT Technologies will walk you through their case study and share
learnings, best practices, and recommendations for how to achieve short and long
term instructional goals in the transforming EdTech landscape.
Strand: Operations Level: Advanced
Presented by: Heather Evans, Uncommon Schools; John Stewart, mindSHIFT
Technologies, Inc. (a Ricoh company)
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Strong Bodies, Strong Minds: Innovating for Healthy Food in Charter
Schools
Recently, some schools have begun innovating in healthy food service to ensure
students are reaching their highest potential. By partnering with food service
providers, growing their own food and other strategies, leaders have found creative
ways of bringing local, organic, and other healthy options into schools. This session
explores such innovations and addresses ways that schools can break down barriers
to bring healthy foods and nutrition education into the classroom.
Strand: Operations Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Andrea Chen, Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation; Pat Donovan,
Revolution Foods; David Emond, Liberty's Kitchen; Katherine Groves, Capital Impact
Partners; Natalie Kaharick, New Orleans College Prep; Shawn Wessell, West
Michigan Academy of Environmental Science
Understanding Financial Audits for Non-Financial Board and Staff
Members
Strong audits often mean access to greater funding, continued operations and a
positive financial reputation for your school. Understand what’s involved in this
important financial reporting process, why auditors ask for various items, and how
to prepare for the audit throughout the school year. Participants will also
understand how their daily actions and those of the school’s staff will help result in
a strong vote of confidence from your auditor and ultimately your authorizer.
Strand: Operations Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Karen Daniels, Charter School Business Management Inc.; Raj
Thakkar, Charter School Business Management Inc.
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Policy Sessions
A Common Expulsion Policy: Early Lessons from New Orleans
In response to complaints about widely-varying and possibly discriminatory
policies on student expulsion, New Orleans adopted a uniform policy that applies to
all charters as well as district schools run by Orleans Parish School Board. How is it
working after three years, and what might other cities learn from it? What are the
trade-offs between a uniform policy and charter autonomy?
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Adam Hawf, Grand Isle Group; Adrian Morgan, Algiers Charter
School Association; M.Karega Rausch, National Association of Charter School
Authorizers
A Universal Lottery for All Schools? Advantages and Limitations
Charter schools in Denver, New Orleans, Newark, and Washington, DC participate in
a universal enrollment system. Parents fill out just one application for any choice
school and a centralized lottery assigns students. The process is meant to be fair and
easy for parents, but charters worry that it is one more constraint on their
autonomy. Experts discuss the advantages and limitations of universal enrollment
and how to make it work for parents and schools.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Betheny Gross, Center on Reinventing Public Education; Ashley
Jochim, Center on Reinventing Public Education; Scott Pearson, DC Public Charter
School Board; Michael Stone, New Schools for New Orleans
Beyond Kumbaya: Realizing the Full Potential of District-Charter
Agreements
District-charter cooperative agreements have been signed in cities all over the
country and while, early on, some of the agreements may have seemed like
Kumbaya spirit dances, most are much more than that. Arrangements now range
from simple deals where districts share funding in exchange for asking that charter
schools recruit more students with disabilities, to much deeper arrangements to
transform the entire system. Come learn why bold deals are here to stay.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
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Presented by: Duncan Klussmann, Spring Branch Independent School District;
Robin Lake, Center on Reinventing Public Education, University of Washington;
Sarah Yatsko, Center on Reinventing Public Education
Charter Schools for Upward Mobility
Charter Schools for Upward Mobility dives into how innovative schools can lift poor
children out of poverty into the middle class. From no-excuses charter schools to the
revival of career-and-technical education, how can more charter schools help their
low-income youngsters beat the odds and become successful members of the middle
class?
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Kate Kreamer, National Association of State Directors of Career
Technical Education Consortium; Michael Petrilli, Thomas B. Fordham Institute;
Robert Schwartz, Harvard University Graduate School of Education; Erica Winston,
Match Education Partners
Completion with a Purpose: Better Preparing Students for Their Future
This session will explore ways that employers and educators can partner to ensure
students have the competencies and information necessary to complete their
education and find a career that both meets our ever-changing economic needs and
provides individuals with a fulfilling, purposeful career.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by:
Congress, Charter Schools, and the Reauthorization of No Child Left
Behind
2015 kicked off with legislative action in the U.S. House and Senate to reauthorize
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Join the federal government relations
team from the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools for an update on the
status of the legislation and an analysis of key issues including testing,
accountability, and the Charter Schools Program.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
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Presented by: Gina Mahony, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Conversations on Policy, Programs, and Accountability for Off-Track
Youth
New York State plans to augment current design principles and accountability
measures for district and chartered high schools serving off-track youth. This
statewide collaborate Enhancing Performance Outcomes Project (EPO) objectives
are to advocate policy, promote design principles, and implement accountability
measures sufficiently inclusive of the unique academic and nonacademic needs of
this population. EPO is committed to increasing the number of quality high schools
with effective cultures, notable graduation rates and alumni who realize
postsecondary success.
Strand: Policy Level: Advanced
Presented by: Robert Clark, YouthBuild Newark; Susan Miller Barker, SUNY
Charter Schools Institute; Ernie Silva, SIATech; Tony Simmons, High School for
Recording Arts; Leslie Talbot, Talbot Consulting
Defining Equity: Special Education Policy in Charter Schools
How do you define equity in a school choice context? Does equal mean the same or
are policies simply requiring open access adequate? This panel will present diverse
perspectives about the meaning of equity in both brick and mortar and online
learning environments.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Paula Burdette, NASDSE; Kimberly Hymes, National Center for
Learning Disabilities; Robin Lake, Center on Reinventing Public Education,
University of Washington; M.Karega Rausch, National Association of Charter School
Authorizers
How to Make the Low-Income College Graduation Rate Go from 9% to
90%!
The college graduation rate for low-income students in the U.S. is 9%, and the rate
for those who graduated from the highest performing charter schools in the nation
hovers below 50%. In this session, participants will hear from college persistence
experts about strategies that work and how we can scale these successful
interventions in the future.
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Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Seth Andrew, Democracy Prep Public Schools; Stephanie Fiorelli,
Alumni Revolution; Stacy Kane, Washington Leadership Academy; Princess Lyles,
Democracy Builders
Little Inequities: How State Policies Block Charter Schools from
Accessing Preschool Funds
This session presents the results of the first national report on charter schools'
ability to access pre-k funds. The panel will review which states do and do not allow
charter schools to access pre-k funds, the rules and processes through which charter
schools gain access, and the barriers that charter schools encounter. This panel will
highlight examples and experiences of charter schools providing high-quality pre-k,
and will provide recommendations for advocates, charter school leaders, and
policymakers.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Jack McCarthy, AppleTree Institute; Ashley Mitchel, Bellwether
Education Partners; Ian Rowe, Public Prep; Victoria Sears, Thomas B. Fordham
Institute
Making Lemonade: Two Options for Failing Schools
What role can charter school operators play in providing high quality seats to
students attending poor performing traditional or charter schools? Two important
strategies have recently emerged. Charter schools are replacing failing district-run
schools. Additionally, failing charters are being replaced with high quality operators
as an alternative approach to outright closure. Come engage in a discussion of the
most recent research and learn from experiences of charter school operators.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Julie Corbett, Corbett Education Consulting; Jessica Sutter, EdPro
Consulting
Needs-Based Authorizing: Designing a Process to Fill the Gaps
The Achievement School District was created to move schools from the bottom 5%
to the top 25% of schools in Tennessee and utilizes needs-based authorization to
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ensure that turnaround efforts address community needs. This session will present
the development of a needs-based authorization process, from identifying gaps to
writing an RFP to vetting evaluators. Participants will leave with a clear
understanding of next steps in developing their own process.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Anna Kucaj, Achievement School District; Margo Roen, Achievement
School District
Playing the Field: The Grassroots Dating Game
Your parents and staff are your best ambassadors. Yet most schools don't effectively
and intentionally engage them. This interactive and entertaining session will walk
through the reasons and benefits of meaningful parent engagement and a tried-andtrue approach to grassroots organizing. Check your inhibitions at the door because
this session will request that you are willing to open up and be vulnerable as
community organizing's first principle is meaningful connection with others.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Keith Dell'Aquila, California Charter Schools Association; Tyler
Whitmire, California Charter Schools Association
Relinquishment: Getting the District to Give Up Control
New Orleans, Detroit, Memphis, Kansas City and other cities have begun
experimenting with strategies to fundamentally alter the role of the traditional
urban district--and with varying success. The strategies and tactics differ, but the
general theme is, in many ways, the same: if government’s role shifts from school
operator to system regulator, performance will follow. This panel will examine
strategies employed to drive that shift, and the associated pitfalls and challenges.
Strand: Policy Level: Advanced
Presented by: Chris Barbic, Superintendent of the Tennessee Achievement School
District; Ethan Gray, Education Cities; Neerav Kingsland, Kingsland Consulting; Dan
Varner, Excellent Schools Detroit
Should Charter Schools Pursue Socioeconomic and Racial Integration?
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A growing number of charter schools are intentionally serving socioeconomically
and racially diverse groups of students as part of their mission. Diverse schools offer
academic and civic benefits for students, but they by nature educate fewer
disadvantaged students than do schools devoted to underserved populations. What
are the costs and benefits of creating more charter schools that prioritize diverse
enrollment? Participants will engage with panelists from a variety of perspectives in
an interactive debate.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Richard Kahlenberg, The Century Foundation; Michael Magee, Rhode
Island Mayoral Academies; Halley Potter, The Century Foundation; Gerard
Robinson, Black Alliance for Educational Options Action Fund; Renita Thukral,
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
State Legislatures: Building Consensus and Collaboration
State legislators who have sponsored either new charter laws or overhauled existing
laws will discuss their experiences finding consensus among their fellow legislators
and stakeholders, as well as building public support for their legislation. They will
also talk about the critical role the legislature plays in developing quality charter
school policies.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Josh Cunningham, National Conference of State Legislatures
Teacher Leaders: Shaping Policy and Politics from the Classroom
Teachers are uniquely powerful advocates for their students and schools. Hear from
two classroom teachers and the state charter association about how California's
charters are leveraging their teachers' talents and perspectives to help shape
education policy through advocacy efforts. Explore how to deepen teacher
understanding of the charter movement, build a network of teacher advocates,
increase teacher prominence in policy debates and influence elections.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Andrew Blumenfeld, Crown Preparatory Academy; Keith Dell'Aquila,
California Charter Schools Association; Rebecca Rodriguez, Camino Nuevo
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Today's Charter Sector Suffering from Yesterday's Messages and
Practices
The poor messaging of the early ''wild west'' days of our nation's charter sector set
many of today's charter schools and petitioners up for frustrations around issues
such as funding equity, accountability and oversight. Attend this session to better
understand how the messages of yesterday shape the charter landscape of today
and what you can do to reshape those original messages/policies for a better
charter environment today.
Strand: Policy Level: Beginner
Presented by: Mashea Ashton, Black Alliance for Educational Options; Andrew
Broy, Illinois Network of Charter Schools; Gary Larson, Larson Communications;
Andrew Lewis, The Georgia Charter School Association
Using CSP Grant Funds: Advice and Guidance from the Field
Charter Schools Program (CSP) grants provide a financial lifeline to developing
charter schools. Each grant has specific uses and prohibitions designed to help
support and sustain schools as well as carry out the CSP’s mission. Participants will
learn about the allowable uses of CSP funds and review real-world examples. The
goal of this session will be to inform participants about how to maximize their
limited resources and avoid common misuses of CSP funds.
Strand: Policy Level: Beginner
Presented by: Sara Allender, WestEd; Stephen Ruffini, WestEd; Khadijah Salaam,
WestEd; Emanda Thomas, WestEd
Where's the Money? Federal Grants, Fiscal Flexiblity and Charter
Schools
This session will help charter schools identify federal grant funding and to maximize
fiscal flexibility within their existing federal funding programs.
Strand: Policy Level: Intermediate
Presented by: Gina Mahony, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Why Should/How Can Educators Work with State Legislators and
Governors?
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What have we learned in helping governors and legislators in 40 states adopt and
improve some form of the charter law? What has worked well, what did not? 10 key
lessons will be shared. Please come prepared to share and participate in honest,
direct, and hopeful conversations. We'll share a few ideas, then breakout into small
groups where participants can share with each other and then have the groups
share with each other.
Strand: Policy Level: Advanced
Presented by: Tiffany Forrester, Black Alliance for Educational Options; Lisa
Grover, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools; Joe Nathan, Center for School
Change
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