This report labels and categorizes the indicators of distress that authorizers encounter as a school’s quality begins to decline. The report can help authorizers and other charter sector stakeholders recognize signs of distress in schools in their unique contexts and take action towards the goal of school improvement. This report is the product of extensive qualitative research and formal interviews with nine authorizers across policy contexts from a variety of authorizing entities.

State entities can use the report to better understand authorizers’ evolving roles, especially related to school improvement.

Charter school developers and leaders and CMOs can use the report to help assess quality and health and drive improvement in schools in distress.

Charter support organizations can use the report to help facilitate continual support throughout the school lifecycle.

It is the first in a multi-part series published by the National Charter School Resource Center in partnership with lead authors Aimee Evan, Laura Groth, and Hannah Sullivan.