Introduction
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools promotes the rights and needs of millions of kids who hope to attend charter schools for a better education. The goal of this organization is to educate the community about the value of charter schools and to be a leader in pioneering the work necessary to help charter schools thrive. According to www.publiccharters.org, there are 7,000 charters nationwide serving 3.2 million students. This is a large piece of the school-age population which is why the National Alliance creates a support network for the organizations that make charter schools possible. Throughout this series, we will highlight various components of the National Alliance’s work to promote awareness of the charter school movement.
- Charter School Trailblazers
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools recognizes educators, administrators, and community members for their groundbreaking work in charter school education. On their website, the National Alliance highlights the work of amazing school staff through the “Trailblazers” page. The page creates a small biography of amazing people that have defied the odds to create change in education for the good. Various awards are highlighted, such as the Hall of Fame Award, the Rising Champion for Charters Award, the #BringtheFunk Leadership Award, and others. The Trailblazer page not only raises awareness of the work that is being done in the charter world but also puts the work with a name and face. When people in the community can see the work their neighbors, principals, and teachers are doing to make the world a better place, there is a heightened awareness of the good that charters do in the world.
- The Charter Law Database
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools provides a framework for states to create legislation that will promote high-quality charter schools. The National Alliance ranks states each year according to their framework so that the public experiences full transparency. If you would like to read more about how the model works, there is detailed information about the review in the following link. The 21-component review is meant to provide families with more decision-making power as they decide what school is best for their child. This marks the 10th year of the rankings and the rankings are published every January. The transparency and objectivity of the rankings is very useful for states to realize their competitive level compared to other states. Information in the review can be used to improve charter school initiatives in states that are struggling compared to the national scores.
- How to get involved
The National Alliance for Public Schools makes many suggestions on how to get involved with the charter school movement. In this section, we will highlight the pathways of involvement with charter schools. First and foremost, it is vital to stay informed on the up-to-date charter information. The Alliance allows interested individuals to sign up for email subscriptions and also provides various links to provide additional information, depending on your level of knowledge and interest. After you become informed, the second way to be involved is to advocate for the charter movement. Individuals and organizations can become advocates for the charter movement, depending on your skillset. The National Alliance for Public Schools allows people to sign up to be a Charter School Champion, thus advocating for charters by contacting Congress members. If advocating doesn’t sound like a good fit, you can always donate to the cause. There is a donation option on the National Alliance website and you can select your amount of choice.
- Events to Support
National Charter School Week is coming!! May 12-18, 2019 marks National Charter School Week this year. There are many ways to expand awareness during the week. Share posts on social media surrounding National Charter School Week and follow National Alliance on all the social media channels! Not only are social media channels an excellent outlet, but so are press-releases.Get reporters involved to raise community awareness and create a positive story of charter schools. The Governor could also issue a declaration to recognize the week. Another great way to celebrate is to invite elected officials to school to meet the students and also watch the classroom interactions.
