At the beginning of the charter movement, little attention was given to the organizations authorized to charter, oversee and hold schools accountable. Now, we realize authorizers matter. Join this thought-provoking session and learn how alpha authorizers can strengthen the movement and help transition America into an educational marketplace that fosters academic excellence for all children.

1. ALPHA AUTHORIZING:
WHY IT MATTERS
2012 National Charter Schools Conference
DR. JAMES N. GOENNER | JUNE 21, 2012

2. Goals for Session
1 Review the idea behind chartering
2 Discuss the need for alpha authorizing
3 Show the promise of performance dashboards
4 Answer your questions and have fun!
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3. The Idea Behind Chartering…
What’s the Problem with the System?
The exclusive franchise guarantees the
Students and Funding
district will always receive:
Thereby providing adults with their: Jobs and Incomes
“This is a system that can take its
customers for granted.”
Albert Shanker, American Federation of Teachers
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4. The Idea Behind Chartering…
Fix the System by Changing the Incentives
“It’s unproductive and unfair to put people under incentives that
are not aligned with the mission they have been given to perform.
That leads to blaming the people for failures that are the fault of
the system…
We should stop blaming people. We should fix the system.”
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5. The Idea Behind Chartering…
Change Incentives, Change Behavior
People need compelling reasons and opportunities
to take on the challenges associated with
fundamental change.
When people decide to change because it’s in their
own interest, it is more likely to be meaningful and
lasting.
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6. “If you do not change, you can
become extinct.”
Who Moved My Cheese?
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7. The Idea behind Chartering…
Kolderie’s Goal = Improve Education for All
By getting states to withdraw the exclusive district
franchise through policies that foster:
CHOICE Empower students to choose
the school they attend.
Empower someone other than the
DIVERSIFICATION
district to create new public schools.
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8. The State of Charter School Authorizing 2011
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9. The State of Charter School Authorizing 2011
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10. Common Authorizing Functions
1 Gatekeeper
2 Monitor
3 Evaluator
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11. Alpha Authorizing Functions
Change Agent
Market Maker
Force for Quality
Catalyst for Excellence
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12. Change Agent
 Challenge the “givens”
 Foster an environment that attracts talent,
capital and entrepreneurship
 Influence policy and practice
 Provide leadership and ideas for
improving education
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13. Market Maker
 Change the incentives by withdrawing the
exclusive franchise
 Charter new schools so people have
choices
 Foster an environment that attracts can-do
people
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14. Force for Quality
 Thoroughly screen applications and
applicants
 Issue performance-based charter
contracts
 Measure and evaluate performance
 Preserve discretionary judgment
 Protect school autonomy
 Appropriately intervene when people fail
to perform
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15. Catalyst for Excellence
 Recognize and reward performance
 Encourage the replication and expansion of
success
 Create new performance-based paths for
authorizing, overseeing, and renewing charter
contracts
 Make authorizing a respected profession
 Relentlessly pursue excellence
 Protect, preserve and advance the idea
behind chartering
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16. Alpha Authorizing –
3 Keys for Chartering Great Schools
1 Establish a Shared Vision and Commitment
Develop a Relationship of Mutual
2
Trust and Respect
3
Set Clear Performance Expectations –
No Surprises!
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18. Performance
Agreement
= • Academic
• Fiscal
• Operational
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19. Setting Goals.
Defining Targets.
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20. THE GOAL
Preparing all students
for success in college,
work and life.
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21. ACT’s Definition of College Readiness:
FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE AT LEAST A 50% CHANCE OF
EARNING A GRADE OF B OR BETTER; OR A 75% CHANCE OF
EARNING A GRADE OF C OR BETTER IN ENTRY-LEVEL
COLLEGE CLASSES, THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED TO ACHIEVE
THE FOLLOWING ACT TEST SCORES:
ENGLISH = 18 MATH = 22
READING = 21 SCIENCE = 24
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22. ACT:
A Respected Standard
for Measuring College
Readiness
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23. Backwards Mapping
From The ACT:
BEGINNING WITH THE END IN MIND
Grade 12
Kindergarten
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35. Performance Suite
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36. “Set the standards higher for
yourself than others would set
them for you.” -John Maxwell
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37. THANK YOU!
Connect with us online at www.CharterInstitute.org
National Charter Schools Institute | 711 W. Pickard Street | Mount Pleasant, MI 48858