THE NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS INSTITUTE is a mission-driven, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose core purpose is to inspire and democratize excellence in education.

Our team is made up of passionate professionals who thrive on empowering people to grow and achieve more than they think possible. We know education. We’ve served as teachers, school leaders, board members, authorizers, association executives, and leaders of business and technology. We believe in the transformative power of education and we want all people to have the opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

We have a long history with the charter schools movement. Founded in 1995 as the Michigan Resource Center for Charter Schools, our original mission was to support and guide the implementation of Michigan’s newly adopted charter schools law. Based on our impact and the rapid growth of chartering, the United States Congress provided $1 million in 2001 for the Resource Center to transition into the Institute and expand our services nationally.

Today, we provide a range of training and support for people and organizations in the charter community—from policymakers to authorizers to school operators—who are serious about helping students. Epicenter, our digital compliance and performance management platform, is working in 27 states and the District of Columbia, helping streamline the oversight and reporting process for over 1,500 schools, thereby allowing them to focus more time and energy impacting the lives of more than 500,000 of our nation’s kids. Our coaching and consulting work, along with our speaking engagements, places us on the front line supporting the thinkers and doers who are giving their all to advance excellence for our kids and our country.