The top four trends we noticed from our clients this year
2018: Year in Review
We are so proud of the work our client schools do. We’re honored to have been a part of their accomplishments in 2018, which included seven successful renewals, an authorizer transfer, and one replication!
Top Four Trends for Success in 2018
What did successful independent charter schools have in common in 2018?
Here are the top four trends we noticed from our clients this year:
Embrace unique elements: Schools demonstrated that unique design elements, such as inquiry-based learning, can support academic achievement. While models and design elements differ from school to school, we find that a unifying factor for success is the use of a well-developed data cycle to inform instruction.
Reflect the district: Schools got creative this year to ensure that their enrollment and retention demographics reflect that of their district. Strategies included adding lottery weights, revising admissions applications, adding PreK, forming relationships with community groups, hiring specialized staff, and taking a deeper look at enrollment and retention data.
Succession planning: Boards recognized the importance of school leadership succession planning with “principal in residence” and leadership pipeline models growing in popularity.
Boards step up: Boards drove school success through proactive—and sometimes difficult—decisions. Some examples of these high-impact actions include transitioning school leadership, applying for replication, additional grades, or PreK, and enrollment expansion or contraction.
Thank You!
Our clients continue to inspire us. From dedicated trustees to visionary school leaders and talented teachers, our charter partners continue to go above and beyond for New York State students. Whether 2019 brings change or business as usual for your school, we wish the very best to you and your team.
As always, feel free to email us for more best practices. We are always happy to share!
