Meeting the Moment: How Charter School Boards Can Lead on Academic Recovery

Meeting the Moment: How Charter School Boards Can Lead on Academic Recovery


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Salon M

This year’s NAEP scores were just the latest evidence that billions of dollars of federal emergency spending in recent years hasn’t produced the academic recovery students need. Leadership to meet this moment needs to come from all sides—including charter school boards, which have an important (and often overlooked) role to play. Join this session for a lively discussion on what accountable governance looks like for charter school boards right now: honestly assessing achievement, attendance, and school culture data even when it tells a difficult story; asking questions to understand the school’s plan to address these challenges; and pushing leaders toward bold action aligned with research and best practice. Charter school board members who attend will walk away with inspiration and practical ideas on how best to embrace their leadership role at this critical moment and partner more effectively with their school leaders to support students.


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Presenters


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Rick Cruz
Board Chair
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

Rick is a trusted advisor to organizations in the business, social impact, and philanthropic sectors. He has served in leadership roles at companies, nonprofits, and government agencies—and has extensive experience in organizational management and governance, partnerships, business development, strategic planning, and external relations. Rick was most recently the president and CEO of Arabella Advisors, a preeminent mission-driven professional services business that has been at the forefront of innovation in collaborative efforts to combat global challenges. In his role at Arabella, Rick led the executive team and guided strategy and operations with the goal of growing the firm’s reach and impact. Previously he built and managed the firm’s client development and external relations functions. Over the last two decades, Rick has served in senior roles at leading social sector education and youth development enterprises, including College Board, America’s Promise Alliance, FSG, Teach for America, and DC Prep Public Charter School. Rick is deeply committed to advancing access to quality education. He serves as chair of the board of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. As well, he recently completed an eight-year tenure as a board member and chair of the DC Public Charter School Board. That independent board oversees the 66 nonprofit organizations and their 126 schools which educate half the public school students in the District of Columbia. Rick is a frequent panelist and speaker on public education and reform efforts. Rick also holds board positions at several other local and national nonprofits, including Instruction Partners, and Goodwill of Greater Washington. Rick earned a BA in philosophy from Yale University. He resides in Washington, D.C. with his wife and two children.


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Carrie Irvin
Executive Adviser
Bellwether

Carrie is a leading expert on education governance. In 2010, she co-founded Charter Board Partners/Education Board Partners; in 2023, EBP merged with Bellwether; she now leads Bellwether's governance work. Earlier in her career, she analyzed federal education policy, shaped innovative school design programs, and taught 8th-grade social studies. Carrie has served on the boards of School Board Partners, the National Child Research Center, and the Georgetown Child/Adolescent Mental Health Advisory Council. A graduate of Harvard Kennedy School and Brown University, Carrie is a Pahara-Aspen Institute Education Fellow and member of the inaugural cohort of the Joyful Impact Accelerator.


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Marlon Marshall
CEO
City Fund


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