Opening and managing a quality charter school is an enormous task that requires vast expertise and resources. It is absolutely critical that the charter application evaluation process be highly rigorous, selective and insulated from political pressure.

As required by Louisiana’s charter law, both BESE and OPSB rely on an independent third-party charter application reviewer for expert recommendations regarding whether to approve or deny each proposal. The National Association of Public Charter School Authorizers (NACSA), an organization with more than a decade of experience in advising charter school authorizers and researching authorizer practices, is used by both Boards to manage the charter application evaluation process and provide recommendations. The Boards ultimately make the final decision whether or not to approve each charter application.

The evaluation process employed by NACSA is rigorous and designed to be unbiased. NACSA assembles independent evaluation teams comprised of individuals with national, state and local experience and expertise on the operation of successful charter schools. NACSA’s five-stage evaluation process includes not only a review of the submitted application, but also multiple in-person interviews and an opportunity for applicants to submit supplemental information.

It is important that the charter application process have the community’s trust by being transparent and consistently communicating and applying expectations and guidelines. The Louisiana Department of Education has made available online all 2011 BESE charter applications as well as NACSA’s Evaluation and Recommendation Summaries, which include further explanation of the evaluation process.

NACSA’s recommendations are certainly not a perfect predicator or guarantee of a school’s future success.  However, NACSA and the Boards’ charter application processes are appropriately stringent. On the whole, charter schools in New Orleans have performed well. According to a recent study by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), the majority of charter schools in New Orleans are improving student performance at a faster rate than traditional schools.

Community groups in New Orleans need more resources and support for opening charter schools as well as more opportunities to play a role in the governance of existing charter schools.  The Recovery School District, non-profit organizations and charter boards should work together to provide more ways for local community groups to be a part of a positive transformation in the public school system, while ensuring the charter application process remains uncompromising. OPSB and BESE can and should require charter operators to have a detailed plan for how they will engage communities they operate in, and hold them accountable for doing so.  Creating schools that deliver quality outcomes for families is a goal that requires the diligence and engagement of every stakeholder.