Today, we are honored to share the extraordinary story of Arthur Samuels, Co-founder and Executive Director of Math, Engineering, Science Academy (MESA) Charter High School in Brooklyn. If you have been in the charter school movement long enough, you may know Arthur Samuels as a founding member of the rap
Good day, CharterFolk. Today we are pleased to share a Contributor Column from Andy Greenawalt, Board Member at Austin Achieve in Austin, Texas. We provide a bio for Andy below. Andy retired from Dell Computer Corporation in September 2000 after a successful 24-year career in information technology. He has since
The recent discussions critique the omission of charter schools in major media, despite their strong academic performance compared to district schools. The data suggests charter schools excel, with high percentages in top performance tiers, while district schools struggle. Advocates argue that the charter school movement deserves broader recognition as a leading solution for public education reform.
Good morning, CharterFolk. Today Andy and I are happy to share a WonkyFolk recording with Derrell Bradford about the recent NHK article. You can find a full description along with a link to the podcast as well as a transcript and show notes on the CharterFolk website. You can also
Good day, CharterFolk. Today we are pleased to share a Contributor Column We provide a bio for Katie below. Katie Charnley is the Founder and Executive Director of the Virginia Charter School Alliance and Assistant Principal at Middleburg Community Charter School in Loudoun County, Virginia. With more than 13 years
The post discusses the evolving educational landscape shaped by global trends, particularly the impact of AI tutoring amid government restrictions in China and alternative instruction in India. It emphasizes parents’ increasing agency in seeking education solutions, highlighting contrasts in responses to educational challenges and the need for trust between parents and educational providers.
Today, we are honored to profile the extraordinary Dr. Benjamin Merrill, Executive Director and Principal of Meridian Medial Arts Charter High School in Meridian, Idaho. Dr. Benjamin Merrill spent most of his early professional career driven by the desire to prove that his upbringing did not define him. Today, he
Weekend greetings, CharterFolk. I got up this morning planning to write on another topic and then saw a flurry of pieces that made me change my plans. The first was the Washington Post Editorial Board … … following up on Eva Moskowitz’s op-ed from last week … … excoriating New
Good day, CharterFolk. We start today in Idaho. Conditions for charter schools vary, but some places clearly remain very open to continued growth. Idaho is leading the pack, showing how a range of different options are resonating with families seeking different things for their kids. BLUUM has one of the
Today, we are honored to introduce you to the extraordinary Danilo Juarez, Principal of Hayward Collegiate in California. There is a version of Danilo Juarez’s life that could have ended in a police uniform. Another that ends with him trying cases in a courtroom. Instead, each day starts with a coffee and
Weekend greetings, CharterFolk. We certainly have our share of doom and gloom occupying the airwaves. In education, the latest reason for it is a dismal set of PISA scores. U.S. scores continue to drop … … but the global collapse has been even more pronounced, such that relative to other
Good day, CharterFolk Today we are pleased to present a Contributor Column from Jason Watts, CEO of Scholarship Prep, which operates charter schools in Southern California. We provide a bio for Jason below. Jason Watts has been part of teams operating award-winning district and charter schools for nearly 20 years.
Good day, CharterFolk. Short on time today. Let’s just get through the news as quickly as we can. We lead with dismal PISA scores. Not the happiest news to lead with, I know. Just trying to keep it real around here, CharterFolk. On a more inspiring front, Eva Moskowitz writes
Today, we are honored to introduce you to the extraordinary Christina Yi-Perry, Founder of Kwenda Collegiate Girls in Brooklyn, NY. On August 31, the inaugural kindergarten class of girls skipped through the doors of Kwenda Collegiate Girls. When first graders joined them on September 2, the school welcomed 120 students
Weekend greetings, CharterFolk. I hope you’re all having a great Labor Day. My topic today is alphas and betas. A confluence of developments has emerged in recent days on the theme. The week began with Mamdani banning AI use in NYC through middle school. The next day, Los Angeles announced
Dr. Rodney Lynk, CEO of Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, emphasizes the transformative power of education in underserved communities. Under his leadership, HFCA aims for greatness by fostering a culture of resilience and support, expanding access and opportunities for students of color. The school focuses on early literacy and long-term college success.
Good day, CharterFolk. After a bit of a summer hiatus, Andy and I are back with a new WonkyFolk. And, as we looked across the education landscape, we found ourselves talking about three different figures who have each been making their own distinctive contribution to the conversation of late. It
Good day, CharterFolk. Today we are pleased to share a Contributor Column by Jerel Bryant, CEO of Collegiate Academies in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. We provide a bio for Jerel below. Prior to becoming CEO in 2022, Jerel led George Washington Carver High School in New Orleans’ historic Ninth Ward
Good day, CharterFolk. I again find myself having missed my weekend publishing window. This week it was moving my daughter into her new apartment for grad school and, yes, biting off another meaty topic requiring enough time to do it justice. Thank you for your continued understanding. I turn today
Today, we are honored to profile the extraordinary Bill Kurtz, Senior Advisor and Former CEO of DSST Public Schools in Denver, Colorado. Two years after stepping down as CEO of the network he helped build from the ground floor, Bill Kurtz keeps coming back to the same sentence when he talks