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(Past Event) WestEd at the 2023 National Association of Charter School Authorizers Conference (NACSA)

WestEd at the 2023 National Association of Charter School Authorizers Conference (NACSA)

Join WestEd’s Robin Chait, Kelly Wynveen, and Aimee Evan at the 2023 National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) Leadership Conference, October 23–26.

NACSA advances and strengthens the ideas and practices of authorizing so that students and communities—especially those who are historically underresourced—thrive. With the wide variety of high-quality sessions that will be led by a diverse group of experts and numerous networking opportunities, NACSACon 2023 will fully equip leaders with the tools, resources, and connections they need to best serve their students and communities. The keynote this year, “The Evolution of Excellence: Authorizers at the Forefront,” will spotlight the voices of several educational leaders as they describe the connection between quality and innovation and remind us that excellence still matters—it just needs to evolve.

Check out WestEd’s presentations below.

Tuesday, October 24

Session:  A-GAME Measure What Matters (Part I): Unleashing the Power of Responsive Accountability
Time: 1:30 p.m.–2:45 p.m. (Pacific)
Presenters:  Vashaunta Harris, V. Harris Enterprises; Naomi DeVeaux, National Charter Schools Institute; Aimee Evan, WestEd; Jody Ernst, Momentum Strategy & Research

This will be a deep-dive interactive session about responsive authorizing and the critical role that qualitative data play in charter school renewal decisions, which are crucial to ensuring quality education for all students. The session will include analyses of a real-world case study; information about how responsive approaches to authorizing can serve the unique qualities and challenges of each charter school; interactive discussions for fellow attendees to share insights, experiences, and best practices for qualitative data utilization in charter school renewal; and actionable takeaways.

Session: A-GAME Measure What Matters (Part II): Embedding Indicators of Distress in Monitoring & Oversight
Time: 3:15 p.m.–4:15 p.m. (Pacific)
Presenters: Aimee Evan, WestEd; Jamie Garwood, Office of Charter Schools at Ball State University; Vashaunta Harris, V. Harris Enterprises; Naomi DeVeaux, National Charter Schools Institute; Jody Ernst, Momentum Strategy & Research

Research indicates that school decline is a gradual process. By implementing an early warning system called “Indicators of Distress,” educators can proactively identify signs of decline in schools and develop targeted strategies to address specific areas of concern, including minimizing widening academic gaps, improving teacher retention, and creating supportive learning environments.

In this session, attendees will learn more about the Indicators of Distress, hear about the specific indicators that authorizers found in the analyses of their own portfolios, and better understand what indicators to look for in their own schools.

Session: Indicators of Distress Meetup
Time: 4:15 p.m.–6:00 p.m. (Pacific)

This meet and greet is for anyone interested in the groundbreaking research on identifying Indicators of Distress in schools before distress impacts student outcomes. Learn about efforts with authorizers nationwide, through a federal Charter School Program Dissemination grant and partnership with A-GAME, to recognize the early warning signs of school decline and mitigate these challenges. Meet authorizers who have identified the indicators in their schools, and learn how to make improvement efforts faster, less costly, and more effective to save schools years of decline and ensure high-quality education for all students.

Wednesday, October 25

Session: Community Based Authorizing: Current and Evolving Strategies
Time: 9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (Pacific)
Presenters: Robin Chait, WestEd; Kelly Wynveen, WestEd; Erin Anderson, Osprey Wilds; Ryan Marks, Colorado Charter School Institute; Tomeika Bowden, DC Public Charter School Board

Community-Based Authorizing: Current and Evolving StrategiesThis session, based on the WestEd brief Community-Based Authorizing: Current and Evolving Strategies, will define community-based authorizing, discuss why it is important, and share strategies for implementation from our research and from current authorizers. Participants will walk away with new community-based strategies to implement in their own contexts. The session will include a presentation, a panel discussion with current authorizers, and an opportunity for participants to apply their learning by engaging with a scenario and reflecting on their own practice.

Learn more about WestEd’s Charters and School Choice and School Improvement.