New NACSA Chief Karega Rausch’s Mission For Authorizers: Make Charter Schools More Responsive To The Communities They Serve

New NACSA Chief Karega Rausch’s Mission for Authorizers: Make Charter Schools More Responsive to the Communities They Serve

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) has recently named Karega Rausch as its new president and CEO, making him the first Black man to lead the organization. NACSA is dedicated to enhancing oversight of public charter schools by encouraging authorizers, who are responsible for granting permission for charter schools to operate, to hold these schools accountable for their academic and financial performance. Rausch, who had been serving as interim president since the departure of Greg Richmond, aims to take authorizers a step further by ensuring that the charter schools in their portfolios are responsive to the needs of the communities they serve.

This new direction comes at a time when education advocacy groups that focus on improving schools for students of color and other disadvantaged groups are facing the issue of leadership being predominantly white. Therefore, Rausch emphasized at NACSA’s annual virtual conference in October that authorizers must ensure that charter schools address the needs identified by community members.

During a conversation with , Rausch shared his vision, highlighting four key points:

1. NACSA’s pre-pandemic analysis revealed that nearly one-third of proposed new charter schools between 2013 and 2018 were "general-model" schools without a specific approach. Rausch believes this suggests a failure in proposing and approving schools that cater to the diverse range of needs that children and families have. To address this, he believes individuals interested in creating new schools should assess the unmet needs and design a model that targets the gaps.

2. Often, educators or organizations invest significant time and resources into opening a school, only to discover that there is minimal local interest. If the new school fails to meet enrollment targets, it will lack sufficient funding to operate and may displace enrolled students.

3. When authorizers determine that a proposed school will be responsive to its community, they must establish performance standards. These standards should be utilized when deciding whether to renew a school’s charter, serving as an evaluation of its success in fulfilling the mission. In addition to academic expectations in literacy and numeracy, this evaluation should also reflect the concerns raised by communities of color, who have long voiced their dissatisfaction with the education their children receive. The challenge lies in creating new measurement methods that accommodate schools with specific missions, ensuring rigorous evaluation.

4. Leaders of color are better equipped to advance charter school accountability because they have firsthand knowledge of the unmet needs and strengths within their communities. Rausch acknowledges that all communities face challenges, but they also possess valuable assets. It is crucial to center this work around the hopes, aspirations, and requirements of local communities for their children. Rausch concludes by emphasizing the need to welcome and engage with individuals who wish to collaborate, while shifting the balance of power to empower local communities.

It is important to note that the Walton Family Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provide financial support to NACSA and .

In conclusion, Rausch’s appointment as president and CEO of NACSA brings a renewed focus on ensuring charter schools meet the needs of the communities they serve. By addressing the shortcomings of current practices and embracing the assets within these communities, Rausch aims to create a more accountable and inclusive educational system.

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