In this heartfelt and candid episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner tackle one of the toughest topics in charter school leadership—closure. Joined by Heather Wendling from the National Charter Schools Institute, they dive deep into the emotional, logistical, and community-driven aspects of closing a school.

Vashaunta, Jim, and Heather openly share their personal and professional experiences with school closures, offering listeners an honest look at the difficult realities and essential considerations that must guide these critical decisions. They address the reasons behind closures, from academic performance and finances to governance and enrollment challenges, while questioning whether communities truly have a meaningful voice in these decisions.

The conversation emphasizes the importance of handling closure with humanity, dignity, and transparency, ensuring that the impact on students, families, educators, and communities is handled with compassion and care. The hosts challenge listeners to view closure not merely as an end but as an opportunity for reflection, growth, and improvement within the educational ecosystem.

Episode Highlights:

• Understanding the complex reasons behind school closures.
• Ensuring community voices genuinely influence closure decisions.
• Defining what a healthy education ecosystem means.
• Best practices for handling closures humanely and compassionately.
• Transforming closures into opportunities for learning and systemic improvement.

Whether you're navigating a school closure or shaping policies that impact educational communities, this episode offers valuable insights and guidance to lead with integrity, compassion, and courage.

Listen now to discover how closure, though difficult, can still reflect your values and commitment to the communities you serve.

In this insightful and reflective episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner welcome Mary Bradley, Chief Operating Officer, and Heather Wendling, VP of Professional Services, from the National Charter Schools Institute to discuss one of the most pivotal moments in a charter school’s life: renewal.

Together, they explore the deep meaning of renewal beyond compliance, framing it as a critical checkpoint that ensures schools keep their promises to students, families, and communities. Mary and Heather emphasize renewal as an opportunity to recalibrate, realign, and recommit to the shared vision of excellence and continuous improvement.

Listeners will discover how successful renewal practices balance accountability with grace, consider both qualitative and quantitative measures, and highlight ongoing storytelling to showcase a school’s journey authentically. Through vivid examples and compelling metaphors, the conversation illuminates how renewal, done right, strengthens trust, transparency, and long-term growth.

Episode Highlights:

• Understanding renewal as a vital checkpoint for performance and community trust.
• Evolving practices in charter renewal toward clarity, transparency, and continuous improvement.
• Key considerations for renewal: academics, financial health, governance, leadership, and operations.
• Strategies for balancing accountability with support during challenging times.
• The role of storytelling in communicating renewal clearly and meaningfully to the broader community.

Whether you're a school leader preparing for renewal, an authorizer refining your renewal practices, or a board member guiding your school through critical milestones, this episode offers profound insights to help you navigate renewal effectively.

Listen now to understand how the renewal process can empower schools, honor promises, and drive future success!

In this thoughtful and engaging episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner welcome Alyson Murphy, Partner at the National Charter Schools Institute, to delve into the delicate yet essential balance between autonomy and accountability in charter schools.

Drawing from her extensive experience in governance and compliance at Grand Valley State University’s Charter Schools Office, Alyson shares insights on how effective oversight can simultaneously uphold accountability and support innovation. She emphasizes the importance of clearly defined performance expectations, the benefits of relational versus transactional oversight, and how authorizers can foster trust and collaboration while ensuring schools meet their commitments to students and families.

Listeners will learn practical strategies for authorizers to maintain rigorous yet flexible oversight, recognize signs of responsible autonomy, and understand why building authentic relationships between authorizers and schools is crucial for sustained success. Alyson highlights how a supportive, values-driven approach can enhance educational outcomes and strengthen community trust.

✨ Episode Highlights:

• Defining autonomy and accountability within the charter school context.
• Effective oversight practices that respect school autonomy while ensuring accountability.
• Common oversight pitfalls and how to avoid them.
• Lessons learned from historical oversight practices.
• Innovative approaches to oversight that foster continuous improvement and collaboration.

Whether you're an authorizer, board member, or school leader, this episode provides valuable perspectives and actionable advice to strike the right balance and enhance your oversight practices.

👉 Listen now to explore how oversight can empower innovation while safeguarding educational quality!

In this practical and insightful episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner welcome Mark Weinberg, Vice President of Leadership and Learning at the National Charter Schools Institute. Together, they explore the critical period from when a charter school is authorized to the exciting and challenging moments leading up to opening day.

Mark Weinberg, a seasoned educator, school leader, authorizer, and advocate, guides listeners through essential first steps post-authorization, emphasizing the importance of meticulous planning around facilities, hiring, governance, and community engagement. Drawing on real-world experience, Mark highlights common pitfalls, essential success factors, and strategies to foster effective school leadership and strong board governance from day one.

Listeners will discover how to navigate start-up pressures, overcome common challenges, and leverage the authorization phase to build a solid foundation for long-term success. Mark also encourages listeners to rethink traditional start-up processes, focusing not only on compliance but also on innovation, culture, and community engagement.

Episode Highlights:

• Immediate actions and priorities post-authorization.
• Defining and cultivating strong start-up leadership and governance.
• Avoiding common pitfalls through proactive planning.
• The role of authorizers and support organizations in school success.
• Balancing compliance with innovation and community-building.

Whether you're part of a founding team, an authorizer, or an education leader, this episode provides actionable insights to ensure a strong, sustainable school launch.

Listen now and equip yourself with the knowledge to successfully navigate authorization and start-up phases!

In this dynamic episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner sit down with special guest Heather Wendling, Vice President of Professional Services at the National Charter Schools Institute, to unpack the critical importance of the charter application process. Heather draws from her extensive background in education, authorizing, and coaching to illustrate how the charter application serves as more than just paperwork—it’s the foundational blueprint for a school's identity, commitment to its community, and roadmap to meaningful impact.

Heather emphasizes how effective charter applications are built around a clear, measurable vision and mission that resonate with communities. She shares practical insights on assessing founding teams, crafting rigorous academic plans, establishing strong governance, creating realistic financial strategies, and authentically engaging communities. Throughout the episode, listeners learn how authorizers and applicants can collaborate effectively to shape quality schools from day one, setting clear expectations and fostering innovation.

Episode Highlights:

• Crafting compelling, measurable mission statements and visions.
• Identifying readiness in founding teams and their capacities.
• Creating robust and realistic academic and financial plans.
• Ensuring community voice and genuine demand are central.
• Strategies for authorizers to make the application process transparent, supportive, and impactful.

Whether you're involved in writing, reviewing, or advising on charter applications, this conversation provides essential strategies and insights to build high-quality, thriving schools.

Listen now and gain actionable advice to transform your charter application process into a catalyst for excellence!

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Bold leadership starts here. https://chartersinstitute.org/podcast/

In this insightful episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner welcome special guest Mary Bradley, Chief Operating Officer at the National Charter Schools Institute, to explore the essential concept of the charter school life cycle. Mary brings deep experience from her journey as an educator and leader in authorizer work across Michigan and Chicago, sharing personal stories and professional insights that illuminate why understanding each stage of a charter school's life cycle—from design and authorizing through sustaining success, replication, renewal, or closure—is critical for authorizers, school leaders, boards, and families.

Discover how thoughtful planning and clear alignment from the start help schools fulfill their promise to communities. Mary emphasizes key pitfalls to avoid, highlights indicators of long-term success, and stresses the importance of integrity and vision at every phase. This conversation underscores that a charter school is more than an institution; it's a promise made to students, families, and communities.

Episode Highlights:

• Essential components of effective design and planning.
• Criteria for strong charter applications and balanced authorizing.
• Critical success factors during school launch and early operations.
• Indicators of sustained achievement and continuous improvement.
• Considerations for responsible replication and expansion.
• Strategies for fair renewal and handling closure with integrity.

Whether you're an experienced charter leader or just beginning your journey, this episode equips you with powerful insights to transform student outcomes and strengthen your schools.

Listen now and join the conversation about making bold choices that truly matter!

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Bold leadership starts here.

Welcome to the Bold By Choice podcast — real talk about charter schools, from the boardroom to the classroom. In this inaugural episode, co-hosts Vashaunta Harris and Dr. Jim Goenner invite you into the heart of their mission: transforming student outcomes through connection, courage, and community.

Vashaunta and Jim share personal stories that reveal their “why” — from Southern roots and sweet tea to bold ideas and boardroom breakthroughs. You’ll get to know who they are beyond their titles, and what drives their commitment to making leadership more human, hopeful, and honest.

They’ll also pull back the curtain on the National Charter Schools Institute — how it started, what it stands for, and how it supports leaders across the charter school ecosystem. You’ll hear about the spark that lit The Charter Network, the real-world needs it seeks to meet, and why this podcast is launching now — in a time where real connection, fresh ideas, and actionable support are more essential than ever.

Plus, get a sneak peek at what’s ahead in Season 1: Meet the Movement Builders, where each episode explores a key phase of the charter school life cycle and elevates the voices of the passionate people doing the work.

If you’re a school leader, board member, authorizer, or advocate looking for community, clarity, and real tools to move the work forward — this space is for you.

Listen in for:

• Candid introductions from Jim & Vashaunta
• The origin story of the National Charter Schools Institute
• The bold vision behind The Charter Network and this podcast
• What to expect this season (and why it matters)

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Bold leadership starts here.

What does it really take to lead in today’s charter school movement? In this season trailer, co-hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner set the stage for Bold by Choice—a podcast that brings together the voices of school leaders, board members, authorizers, and changemakers from across the nation. From accountability and innovation to community voice and renewal, Season 1 explores the life cycle of charter schools with real talk, powerful stories, and practical insights. Whether you’re new to chartering or a seasoned pro, this is your space to learn, lead, and move the work forward—boldly.

Bold By Choice Podcast home at National Charter Schools Institute https://chartersinstitute.org/podcast/