Good morning, CharterFolk.
Today we’re pleased to share a Contributor Column from Cameron Curry whose Linked-In can be accessed here.
Cameron has written at CharterFolk previously and recently completed 25 years of service as the CEO of Classical Academies, an organization operating charter schools in San Diego and Orange Counties. He now splits time between California and North Carolina, and I asked if he ever had the time to share observations about charter school conditions in his two homes, we would be eager to hear them. So here they are. Thank you so much, Cameron.
Sea to Shining Sea: Comparing and Celebrating California and North Carolina Public Charter School Success
We are fortunate enough in this country to enjoy educational school choices from ‘sea to shining sea’ to borrow a popular lyric from America the Beautiful written in 1893. I started, led, and grew a successful charter school organization in San Diego County for 25 years. Two years ago, my wife Barb and I bought a retirement home in North Carolina and became a bi-coastal couple. This gave us an interesting vantage point as educators and business professionals in reviewing the educational landscape of public education in both states.
Public charter schools are most prevalent nationally in California, 1,280+ equating to 12% of all public schools. In North Carolina they have 209+ public charter schools, and this equates to 10% of the public schools in the state. The similarities in both states are that they offer parents/guardians great charter public schools aligned to students’ needs and the excitement of what is being offered educationally to communities is seen and appreciated. Happy families, and well-educated children, tell the story of charter school success and it is the obligation of every school leader to elevate their school success so that citizens have and keep an awareness of what is happening with public schools in their community.
The major difference that I have seen in these two states is the way their respective legislative bodies work to support or undermine the growth and success of charter public schools. In all actuality, California was the second state, after Minnesota, to create and adopt charter school legislation in 1992. That legislative act signed by Governor Pete Wilson, opened the door for innovation and expanded school choice in the Golden State. This of course was to curb the rise in interest of school vouchers at the time and the Charter School Act opened an avenue for families and preserved state control over public school funding.
In the years since 1992, the California State Legislature, with a Democratic supermajority, worked diligently over the past decade to curb charter school growth and innovation. They also placed a moratorium on one particular model of charter school and passed laws that curtailed the growth and expansion of schools to appease teachers’ unions and advocacy organizations hired to protect traditional public schools. Decreasing enrollments in traditional public schools was the result of families making choices to send their children to area charter schools. This shift in the marketplace kept tensions tight within the system of public education and it has been exploited as harmful instead of being heralded for what it is, student success and family satisfaction with public school options.
In North Carolina you have a Republican-led legislature and state funding that benefits both traditional and charter public schools. This legislature also worked to pass a bill that created the Opportunity Scholarship Program that provides $3,000 to $7,000 for families with children in private schools. The bill was originally vetoed by the Democratic Governor, Roy Cooper, however the legislature overrode that with a majority vote and the program was created. The Governor then issued a public education emergency decrying the actions of the legislature believing that funding private education was harmful to public education in the state. What’s clear to me as a new resident of North Carolina is the openness and support for educational models, the prevalent positive attitude towards school choice, and the transparent actions of state leaders to support families and their desire to play an active and meaningful role in the education of their children.
State advocacy of charter public schools is also an element that is both familiar and present. Both California and North Carolina have charter school membership organizations, and both have connections to support and advocacy for member schools. I am sure that the state attitude and legislative actions have led to a much more aggressive and present stance for advocacy in California with their member association and a much more laid-back approach in North Carolina and its member association. I think of it in terms of one state ‘has the fear of God’ and the other one ‘knows God.’ (Yes, that is the humor part of the post.)
It is true that the support of 1,280+ charter schools in California, and the expanse of the state in terms of population and size, the California Charter School Association (CCSA), must be an organization of scale to handle the connection, support, and advocacy of a multitude of needs from schools of varying sizes, communities, and regions within the state. North Carolina by comparison, serves fewer schools, a smaller area, and fewer communities. That is not to say that the North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools (NCAPCS) isn’t accomplishing great work, it’s just doing it on a smaller scale.
Both states and their charter public schools have deepened their service levels and impact in becoming more diverse in serving high need students and communities of color. Charter schools by their very nature are created based on need, parent/guardian request, and to fill the gap not being successfully met by the traditional public school system. In each state, the percentage of the racial diversity of the student population increases each year and students from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and households have come to rely on charter public schools to meet their academic and social needs. The false trope that these schools only serve the wealthy, the high achieving, or just white students of privilege is a narrative disrupted by the facts.
The North Carolina State Department of Instruction does release an annual report on charter public schools. This allows the public easy access to data and information about these schools in their state. California, on the other hand, does collect data from their charter schools, however the Department of Education does not produce an annual report to help the public better understand these schools. The North Carolina report published by the Office of Charter Schools, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction can be accessed at https://www.ednc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2024-Annual-Report-CSRB-Presentation.pdf
The California Charter School Association does publish the Portrait of the Movement annually and can be viewed at https://www.ccsa.org/research
The North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools does release an annual report that can be found on their website at https://www.ncpubliccharters.org
The collective benefit of these reports leads to a deeper understanding of where public tax dollars are being spent, who is being served, and what success is being captured.
What both states also hold is the promise that as success is found in charter public schools, communities are strengthened, public education is thriving, and choice remains a relevant and meaningful element within the state funded model of public education. What every leader can be doing to support the health and longevity of the schools they create and lead is to share your story weekly, showcase student outcomes, and elevate what is working in your organizations that directly tie to students and their success. Failure to tell that story leads to misinformation about your work, inaccurate public perception about your school, and unforeseen consequences related to a leader’s inaction.
When it comes to California, I am pleased that the fight to keep charter schools in the Golden State continues to capture the attention of many knowing the struggle is real and worth the effort of so many dedicated and caring educators, parents, and communities. Your shared commitment is why these schools are thriving today. As to North Carolina, I am pleased by your sense of optimism and the promise and potential to ensure great schools for every community. I do not take for granted what I know to be true, our collective greatness as charter school leaders, teachers, school employees, and alumni have elevated the landscape of public education for the betterment of all.
States like California and North Carolina offer a framework of the promise and potential of what families have come to expect from public education over the past 30 years. Their patchwork of innovative, uniquely structured, and successful public charter schools paints the true picture of how options in the landscape not only improve the overall system; they also add a new layer of quality and excellence we all can be proud of today. Be assured, from ‘sea to shining sea’ charter public schools are thriving and families in the Golden and Tar Heel states are finding success and public education has been greatly improved as a result.