Happy Friday, CharterFolk. Today, we release a CharterFolk Chat with The Mind Trust CEO, Brandon Brown, who shares critical insights about advancing charter schools in a challenging public landscape. The conversation is accessible via YouTube and our website, promising to inform and inspire all listeners. Don’t miss it!
Good morning, CharterFolk. Today we are pleased to share a Contributor Column from Matt Tyson, the CEO of Tapestry Public Charter Schools in Atlanta, Georgia. We provide a bio for Matt below. Dr. Matthew M. Tyson is an educational leader based in Atlanta who began his career as a special education teacher and currently serves
This week, we highlight Dr. Ahmed White, founder of The Rock Academy in Nashville, TN. An educator dedicated to at-risk youth, he transitioned from law school to education, championing transformative school experiences. Despite challenges, The Rock Academy recently gained state approval as Tennessee’s first opportunity charter school, offering tailored support for its students.
Mike Huguelet, Iowa Coalition of Public Charter Schools director, shares his mother’s lesson: relationships matter. From Noble Schools to Des Moines, he saw systems fail without connection. After personal tragedy, he built Iowa’s charter movement, doubling schools, quadrupling enrollment, securing laws and startup funding. His mission: student-centered relationships driving excellence.
The rise of charter schools is attributed to families prioritizing safety and academic rigor over public schools. Recent legislative victories in California aim to improve transparency and accountability within charter schools. States like Indiana and Ohio are serving as models for funding reforms, while leaders within the charter community continue to inspire progress.
This week, we are excited to profile the extraordinary Phillip Hon, a career educator from Stockton, CA and the founder and executive director of Unbound Stockton Community School. No one would blame Phillip Hon if he had gotten discouraged. It was a difficult journey to get the school he founded—Unbound Stockton—up and running. And it
The post acknowledges the tragic event involving Charlie Kirk and highlights recent supportive outreach. It critiques the “Abundance” rhetoric in education, asserting a disconnect between political agendas and genuine reform. The text outlines five essential points for a “North Star” in the charter school movement, advocating for community-driven educational improvement and transparency.
Good morning, CharterFolk. Today we are pleased to share a Contributor Column from Robert Vagi, the Senior Director of Research and Membership at the Tennessee Charter School Center. We provide a bio for Robert below. Robert Vagi is the Senior Director of Research and Membership at TCSC. Prior to joining the Center, Robert worked in
This week, NAEP scores plummeted, raising concerns in education. However, charter schools stand out, showing resilience and positive trends in performance compared to traditional public schools. Supporters rallied against legislative attacks in California and Albuquerque. Overall, there are encouraging developments for charter schools, specifically in Tennessee and Colorado.
This week, we feature Nanette Merrill, the new executive director of the Idaho Charter School Association. After a 17-year pause from her accounting career to raise children, she transitioned to education. Her success as a teacher led her to administrative roles and, ultimately, to leading Gem Prep schools in Idaho. Now, she advocates for charter schools to enhance educational access.