Charter School Legislative Wins, Losses, and What’s Next for State Advocacy and Policy
Charter School Legislative Wins, Losses, and What’s Next for State Advocacy and Policy
,
Salon G
The 2025 legislative sessions were as busy as ever for charter school advocates, with successes and challenges from coast to coast (and sometimes in the same state). While advocates made some impressive gains related to funding, facilities, and authorizing, they also played strong defensive games against threats to rollback previous legislative wins. These efforts occurred in the context of a looming U.S. Supreme Court decision that could have profound implications for the future of charter schools. This session will discuss an overview of key wins and setbacks and highlight emerging trends in state policymaking. We invite you to come listen and learn to deepen your knowledge about what’s happening across the country to better inform advocacy efforts in your own states.
Scroll down to view handouts.
Presenters
Education Advocate
Tennessee Charter School Center
Elizabeth Fiveash is the CEO for the Tennessee Charter School Center. Prior to joining TCSC, Elizabeth worked in state government relations for ACT and was the Assistant Commissioner for Policy & Legislation for the Tennessee Department of Education. Elizabeth has an extensive background in education policy and a deep commitment to ensuring all kids have the opportunity to attend a great public school. Elizabeth is a native of Alabama and worked in government affairs for eight years in Washington, D.C. prior to moving to Nashville. She received a BA in political science from the University of Alabama and a master’s in public policy from Georgetown University. Elizabeth resides in Nashville with her husband and two children.
Lisa Grover, PhD, Senior Director, State Advocacy
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Lisa Grover, Ph.D., is Senior Director of State Advocacy and Support at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. She successfully helped pass new charter school laws in five states, and most recently, in North Dakota. Lisa’s expertise includes policy and legislative advocacy and new sector development. Lisa was the lead founder and board president of one of the first rural charter schools in New Mexico. She later helped establish the state’s charter school association and brings experience as a high school teacher of Spanish and ELL in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She and her husband have two grown children: Kai, an honorably discharged Sargeant in the US Army Special Forces and Hannah, a Ph.D. candidate in Biophysics. Both attended charter schools. She is a Master Gardener and hot yoga aficionada and holds a Doctorate Degree in Romance Languages and a dual master's degree in Linguistics and Multi-Cultural Education.
Handouts
Scroll down to view handouts.