2025 - CharterFolk

Whip Around – Turning the Corner on a Period of Gloom? Good News Populates the Charter School Landscape

April 14, 2025

After spring break, the CharterFolk leadership expressed gratitude for new subscriptions and reaffirmed their commitment to financial sustainability. They highlighted emerging good news in the charter school sector, including legislative progress, positive performance comparisons, and successful renewals. Despite concerns over tax-exempt bonds, optimism grows about the future.

CharterFolk X Vol. 4.24, Marcelino Trillo — “There’s room for everyone at the table to help kids.”

April 11, 2025

Marcelino Trillo, principal of Robert Treat Academy Charter School, emphasizes community, stability, and personalized education, leading RTA to academic success despite limited resources.

CharterFolk X Vol. 4.23, Monica White — “Education done for a kid, not to a kid.”

April 4, 2025

This week, we are excited to profile Monica White, the extraordinary co-founder of Elevate Academy, a network of year-round 6th-12th grade career technical education charter schools in Idaho. Monica White had served in a variety of roles in the traditional public school system—teacher, administrator, principal, superintendent—and she wasn’t “super fond” of charter schools. But she

No One’s Going to Write Abundance For Us

April 1, 2025

Challenges faced by charter schools in Philadelphia, emphasizing systemic educational scarcity and the need for charter advocates to reclaim their narrative and push for reform.

WonkyFolk Vol 24 — Not All is Lost (Just Some)

March 28, 2025

The latest WonkyFolk discussion addresses instability in higher education, its impact on K-12 education, and highlights opportunities for progress in the evolving educational landscape.

What Sustains Us and What Ultimately Defines the Difference That We Make

March 28, 2025

The conversation with Marlon Marshall highlighted the importance of educational connections, resilience, and lasting relationships formed through teaching, which profoundly impact students’ lives.

CharterFolk Contributor Sabrina Pence — Cultivating Engagement and Bridging Learning Gaps: Innovative Strategies at FirstLine Schools

March 26, 2025

Sabrina Pence, CEO of FirstLine Schools, highlights strategies for bridging learning gaps and enhancing student engagement post-pandemic. Through innovative programs like the Edible Schoolyard and WOOF, FirstLine focuses on holistic development, integrating real-world learning, community involvement, and social-emotional learning, fostering an environment where both students and teachers can thrive.

Whip Around — Scarcity Agenda Remains Firmly in Place | Cognitive Decline in More Ways Than One

March 25, 2025

The NEA and AFT have sued the Trump Administration, highlighting a surprising alliance against efforts to defund charter schools amid ongoing educational policy debates across the country.

CharterFolk X Vol. 4.22, Dowayne Davis — “A window into the future for our young people”

March 21, 2025

This week, we are excited to profile the extraordinary Dowayne Davis, a decorated scholar-athlete, former NFL player, and Chief Executive Officer of Philip’s Academy Charter School in Paterson, NJ. At nine years old, Dowayne Davis boarded a flight to move to the United States from Jamaica. Before getting on the plane, his mother said

The Huge Opportunity We Have Amid Great Disruption — A CharterFolk Chat With Marlon Marshall

March 20, 2025

The CharterFolk Chat features Marlon Marshall discussing his leadership at City Fund, addressing educational disparities, and highlighting opportunities for significant changes amid current disruptions.