Board Governance
As the school’s governing body, the board of trustees is legally responsible for the academic, financial, and operational quality of the charter school. Given the centrality of autonomy to charter schools, the board is integral to the proper oversight of schools. The National Charter School Resource Center leverages the existing body of knowledge to offer best practices and tools to enable charter schools to establish and maintain an effective board.
Featured Board Governance Resources

“A Synthesis of Research on Charter School Facilities” examines the…

Identifying Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools Part 1: The Role and Perspective of Charter School Authorizers
Indicators of Distress and What They Mean in the Charter Sector: A Webinar for Charter Sector Stakeholders Introducing…

Webinar: Recruitment for Governing Boards
The Death Spiral: Identifying Early Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools (A Conversation with Authorizers)
All Board Governance Resources

Introducing Charter School Governance: The Essential Guide
ToolkitsBLUUM01 Oct, 2020
BLUUM has created a series of informative videos that provide a high-level overview of the responsibilities, opportunities and obligations of public charter school board members. Real-life… Read more

A Synthesis of Research on Charter School Facilities
Reports06 Oct, 2020
“A Synthesis of Research on Charter School Facilities” examines the current state of charter school access to facilities, including facility acquisition and ownership, and facility funding… Read more
Indicators of Distress and What They Mean in the Charter Sector: A Webinar for Charter Sector Stakeholders Introducing New Research Related to the Early Indicators of Distress
Webinar30 Sep, 2020 to 30 Sep, 2020
Charter school stakeholders from across the country joined together to explore findings from NCSRC’s new report, Identifying Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools Part 1: The Role and… Read more

Indicators of Distress (And What They Mean in the Charter Sector)
Event30 Sep, 2020
Indicators of Distress (And What They Mean in the Charter Sector)
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
2:00-3:00 PM EDT (11:00 AM-12:00 PM PDT)
Register To Attend
The National Charter School… Read more
The Death Spiral: Identifying Early Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools (A Conversation with Authorizers)
Webinar09 Sep, 2020 to 09 Sep, 2020
Charter school authorizers from across the country joined together to explore the findings of NCSRC’s Identifying Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools report. They heard from their… Read more

Identifying Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools Part 1: The Role and Perspective of Charter School Authorizers
Reports21 Sep, 2020
"Identifying Indicators of Distress in Charter Schools" labels and categorizes the indicators of distress that authorizers encounter as a school’s quality begins to decline. This report can… Read more
The State of the Charter Sector: What You Need to Know About the Charter Sector Today
ReportsBellwether Education Partners22 Jan, 2019
Bellwether Education Partners (Bellwether) summarizes policies and trends and the current status of charter schools in the United States in this January 2019 presentation. The data in the… Read more
State Education Agency, Charter School Management Organizations, Educators, Charter School Family and Community, Policy Maker, Discipline, Opening and Expanding, Policy, Board Governance, Increasing Achievement, Operations and Compliance, Special Education, English Learners, Leadership, Facilities, Funding
Charter School Governing Board Primer: School Leadership
ToolkitsThe National Charter School Resource Center17 Sep, 2018
Every child deserves to attend an excellent school. Public charter schools are governed by independent boards, and great charter schools need great boards. Serving on a charter school board… Read more
Charter School Governing Board Recruitment Tools
ToolkitsThe National Charter School Resource Center17 Sep, 2018
To recruit strategically, boards must know the qualities and skills that already exist around the table and what they are seeking. This tool provides assessments and sample board matrices… Read more

Charter School Governing Board Composition: A Toolkit for Board Members
ToolkitsThe National Charter School Resource Center12 Jun, 2018
Every child deserves to attend an excellent school. Public charter schools are governed by independent boards, and great charter schools need great boards. Serving on a charter school board… Read more