Start a Charter School

Approving or denying applications for new charter schools is among the important things we do as an authorizer. These decisions shape the quality, quantity, and types of schools students can access. We believe the updated process will increase the quality of applications, lead to stronger openings, and allow for thoughtful decision-making through capacity-driven calendar planning. These changes also align with the recent New School Application Guidance from the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA). For example, NACSA recommends holding “pitch meetings” where the authorizer provides preliminary feedback to the founding team.

We plan to release the 2026 Charter Application Guidelines this winter. For questions, please contact [email protected] 

Timeline

The following timeline represents the external-facing events comprising the 2026 Charter Application Dates are subject to change based on scheduling needs. All times are for Eastern Time (ET).