Charter school boards are responsible for overseeing multimillion-dollar organizations, yet most only meet for 20 hours a year. So how do the best boards ensure effective governance? The answer: committees. In this episode, The Charter School Insider Podcast welcomes Mike Mizzoni , Chief Governance Officer at BoardOnTrack , to break down the key role committees play in school leadership . Mike shares practical strategies to move beyond “paper committees” and establish high-functioning teams that...
Mar 07, 2025•22 min
Managing school facilities isn’t just about keeping the lights on—it’s about creating spaces that inspire learning and reflect a school's mission. In this episode, The Charter School Insider Podcast welcomes Raymie Fernandez , Chief Operating Officer at Dream Charter School , to unpack the strategic side of facilities planning . With a background in operations and instructional leadership, Raymie shares how Dream transformed an abandoned ice factory into one of the world’s most stunning school c...
Feb 21, 2025•38 min
Finding and retaining great educators is one of the biggest challenges in charter schools today. In this episode, Daniel Casselli sits down with Josh Czupryk , the creator of Josh’s K12 Job Blast , a go-to resource for educators exploring new career opportunities. Josh shares his journey from being a teacher and charter school leader to running a widely used job board that connects transitioning educators with their next role. The conversation dives deep into why teachers are leaving , what they...
Feb 14, 2025•26 min
In this captivating episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast , Daniel Casselli , President at BuyQ , sits down with Dr. Sarper Turker , a visionary leader in education, to discuss his impressive turnaround story at Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools . Dr. Turker shares how he took a struggling school with a 15% staff retention rate and transformed it into a thriving institution with an astonishing 95% retention rate. With a focus on leadership and shifting mindsets, this episode dives deep...
Feb 07, 2025•43 min
In this episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast, host Daniel Casselli sits down with Ru Sharma , Chief People Officer at Achievement First . With a professional background spanning global giants like Coca-Cola and Amazon, Ru brings a fresh perspective to the unique challenges of building and leading a people team at one of the nation’s largest charter school networks. Ru shares candid insights into navigating leadership gaps, fostering a high-functioning people team, and reimagining talent...
Jan 17, 2025•39 min
In this episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast, host Daniel Casselli dives into the intricate world of charter school operations with Tom Tafoya , Chief Operating Officer at Visions in Education . Spanning 9,200 square miles without a single physical classroom, Visions has redefined procurement processes to serve over 7,500 students annually. From adopting innovative technologies to partnering with vendors like Amazon Business, Tom shares how Visions scaled operations, optimized efficienc...
Dec 20, 2024•38 min
In this conversation, Daniel Casselli and Zainab Ali discuss the critical issue of teacher retention in K-12 education, particularly within charter schools. Zainab shares insights from a recent research report conducted by the Charter School Growth Fund , highlighting the importance of executive team culture, effective change management, and the need for ongoing support and development for principals and teachers. The discussion emphasizes that retaining teachers requires a multifaceted approach...
Dec 13, 2024•38 min
Did you know over $100 million in E-Rate funding for charter schools is about to disappear ? This episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast is your ultimate crash course on E-Rate . Host Daniel Casselli dives into this critical topic with experts Cari Warnock and Dave LeNard from CDW, a BuyQ-awarded vendor specializing in education technology. Together, they demystify E-Rate, explaining its two funding categories, eligible services, and the step-by-step process schools need to follow to secu...
Dec 06, 2024•26 min
Join Yeime Valle , Executive Director of Brilla Public Charter Schools , as she shares how her team tackled financial challenges by developing a tiered budgeting strategy. In this episode, Yeime and host Daniel Casselli explore the power of transparency, stakeholder engagement, and staying mission-focused in the face of tough decisions. Perfect for school leaders seeking actionable insights on sustainability and leadership. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]...
Nov 22, 2024•35 min
In this episode of The Charter School Insider, host Daniel Casselli talks with Julie Anne Garretson , Network Director of Operations and School Support at Public Prep . Julie shares her extensive experience managing complex school relocations across New York City, focusing on three major moves Public Prep has navigated over the past two years. These include closing a flagship campus, managing temporary spaces, and the challenges of opening a new facility. Julie offers practical insights into the...
Oct 25, 2024•34 min
In this episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast, we sit down with Tina Dass and Stacy-Ann Brissett , Senior Operations Directors at Prospect Schools (NY), to explore the critical role of operational infrastructure in driving the success of charter schools . Tina and Stacy-Ann share their insights on how they’ve helped shape efficient operations, focusing on everything from resource allocation and technology integration to data-driven decision-making. Whether you’re an executive looking to ...
Oct 11, 2024•40 min
In this episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast, host Daniel Casselli sits down with Dallan Wortham , CEO and Founder of Charter Connect , to explore the essentials of digital marketing for charter schools. They discuss the importance of setting appropriate ad budgets, the differences in spending on Google versus Facebook ads, and how to determine cost per enrollment. Dallan shares practical tips for optimizing digital marketing efforts, including the significance of understanding your sch...
Oct 04, 2024•29 min
In this episode, we chat with Maria Blencowe , Director of Communications & Marketing at Georgia Cyber Academy , about how they grew enrollment from 8,000 to 10,000 students. Maria breaks down the strategies behind their digital marketing success and how charter schools can drive growth in a competitive educational landscape. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Sep 12, 2024•27 min
In episode 29 of The Charter School Insider Podcast, Mollie Mitchell , Founder of The K12 Search Group, sheds light on why succession planning in charter schools often falters. With her expertise in executive recruitment, Mollie highlights the need for transparency, stakeholder involvement, and redefining the CEO’s role. Whether you're a board member, CEO, or aspiring leader, this episode offers practical advice for navigating leadership transitions. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at...
Sep 05, 2024•37 min
In Episode #28 of The Charter School Insider Podcast, “You don’t have to do it all: Leadership Lessons with Executive Coach MK Flynn,” host Daniel Casselli sits down with MK Flynn, an expert in executive coaching and education consulting. They delve into the art of effective leadership, emphasizing that it’s not about knowing everything but about continuous learning and strategic delegation. Discover key insights on balancing expertise, embracing humility, and leading with impact. Interested in ...
Aug 27, 2024•37 min
In this insightful episode, Tricia Noyola, CEO of Rocky Mountain Prep, reveals the behind-the-scenes details of their groundbreaking merger with Strive Prep. She discusses the strategic motivations driven by declining enrollment and financial challenges, and how setting clear goals led to a unified vision. Noyola offers valuable advice on managing mergers, emphasizing the importance of embracing challenges, focusing on the mission, and addressing emotional impacts on staff. She also shares her f...
Aug 08, 2024•44 min
In this episode, Vanessa Segovia Barry from Mariposa Consulting Group unpacks the secrets to mastering enrollment marketing for charter schools. She emphasizes critical elements often overlooked: goal setting, strategic resource allocation, and adapting to the seasonality of parent behavior. Learn how to enhance the parent experience and leverage automation to streamline communication. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]...
Jul 25, 2024•29 min
In this episode of The Charter School Insider, Daniel Casselli talks with Trey Vernaci, Sr. Director of Operations at RePublic Schools, about the shortage of qualified operations professionals in charter schools, focusing on Mississippi. Trey discusses his innovative solution: an operations leadership residency program covering key areas of operations and offering practical advice for replication. Gain valuable insights to enhance your school's operational efficiency. Interested in sponsorship? ...
Jul 18, 2024•26 min
In this episode, Daniel Casselli outlines five best practices to make procurement a financial stability pillar. He stresses procurement's role in tough financial times and covers its four core pillars: strategic sourcing and cost management, policies, compliance and risk management, technology and data, and stakeholder engagement. The best practices are: revisiting the purchasing policy, listening to data, developing supplier relationships, standardizing and consolidating, and measuring performa...
Jul 12, 2024•24 min
Jen Davis Wickens & Kristen McCaw are the Co-Founders of Seminar, a national community for charter school leadership development. As school leaders and founders themselves, Jen & Kristen speak to the need for tactical/practical support for executives and we explore how Seminar is tackling this challenge using AI as an example of a hot-button item leaders are currently navigating. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]...
Jun 03, 2024•30 min
What's the role of the board? How can CEO's and boards best collaborate to achieve shared goals? We sit down with Dr. Garland Thomas-McDavid to answer these questions and more. She highlights the importance of building relationships, open communication, and leveraging the resources and knowledge of the board. Dr. TM also addresses common challenges, such as navigating the transition from a founder/startup phase to a more mature organization, uncovering and addressing sacred cows, and recruiting ...
May 16, 2024•35 min
We sit down with Megan Thomsen to talk all things "day one readiness". It's never convenient to start prepping for next years opening, but with no plan things get messy fast. Megan shares her experiences as the former director of operations at Ednovate driving day one readiness strategy and optimization. If you are an ops enthusiast who is eager to learn more about process improvement methodologies and systems codification, this is a can't miss episode. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us...
May 10, 2024•36 min
In this conversation, Jemia Cunningham-Elder, CEO of North Lawndale College Prep, discusses the importance of being part of the community and developing strong community partnerships. She cites the Peace Warriors program and Phoenix Hall as successful collaborations, underlining the significance of external affairs and ongoing evaluation in partnership sustainability. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]...
Apr 19, 2024•34 min
Chad Miller, CEO of Pinnacle Charter School, explores the importance of shared language in leadership, tackling barriers and fostering collaboration. Discover strategies for alignment and growth. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Apr 12, 2024•30 min
We sit down with Lana Ewing, Executive Director of the Maine Charter Commission, to discuss her experience as a former operator now running the state authorizing body for Maine charter schools. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Mar 29, 2024•28 min
Hiring is hard. Hiring rapidly to support growth of your organization is even harder. We break down pitfalls and learnings to get hiring right as your school grows into new communities. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Mar 22, 2024•45 min
We sit down with the Chief Operating Officer and Chief People Officer of DSST to discuss their experience taking the organization from "fully insured" to "self-funded" as a strategic cost-saving and value creating initiative. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Mar 15, 2024•43 min
If I had to cut $100,000 out of my school/network's subscription costs, here is the 7 step process that I would follow and exactly what your team should know if you want to do the same. Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Feb 23, 2024•21 min
What exactly does a Chief of Staff do? How about one that serves in this role at one of the largest charter networks in California? Tune in to find out! Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Feb 02, 2024•44 min
In this conversation, Emily discusses the importance of school food programs and the challenges that school leaders face in providing healthy meals to students Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Jan 26, 2024•30 min
