Best Practices

This companion guide provides examples of evidence that school operators, governing boards, and authorizers may use to examine replication readiness. Strong evidence should show not only that a system exists, but that it is documented, implemented consistently, sustainable over time, and reasonably transferable to another school setting.

Future Ready Replication Readiness Guidebook A practical guide for charter school leaders, governing boards, and authorizers

Expanding access to high-quality career-connected charter schools is essential to ensuring more students graduate prepared for success in college, careers, and life. Across the country, innovative schools are demonstrating how meaningful employer partnerships, work-based learning, industry-aligned pathways, and postsecondary connections can transform student outcomes. As these models mature, there is growing interest in replicating successful…

Bold By Choice Summit 2026 | Student Panel: Featuring Students from Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (Ricky Claxton, Cierra Gee, Martez Rich, Tony Crawford, Christian Brock, and Chanelle Piercefield) | April 28, 2026

Bold By Choice Summit 2026 | Bold Talk by Nick Sheltrown (National Heritage Academies) | April 28, 2026

Bold By Choice Summit 2026 | Bold Talk by Ian Rowe (Vertex Partnership Academies) | April 28, 2026

School as Community A reflection from Mike Chalupa and LaShawn Bowser, City Neighbors Foundation, INC. City Neighbors started with families in a living room asking a question that still guides us: if we could build the best public school experience we can imagine, what would it be. Those families weren’t looking for something exclusive. They…

In partnership with the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition Overview What happens when a school is built around a simple, demanding belief: students learn best when they are deeply known, fully included, and trusted with real agency. In Season 3, Episode 7 of Bold By Choice Podcast, we travel to Baltimore to visit City Neighbors, a…

Neurodiversity in Action A reflection from Dr. Matthew Tyson I grew up moving every few years, living in different states and experiencing very different school systems. What stayed with me was not just the change, but the realization that a child’s educational experience can vary dramatically depending on where they live. Expectations change. Support changes….

In partnership with the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition Overview What does it look like when inclusion is not a strategy, a program, or a compliance requirement, but the foundation of a school’s identity. In Season 3, Episode 6 of the Bold By Choice Podcast, we visit Tapestry Public Charter School, a middle and high school…

Think Big. Build Big. A reflection from Halis Kablan When I first joined Beehive Science and Technology Academy nearly twenty years ago, we were a small school serving about 150 students in the basement of an office building. Resources were limited, but our mission was clear. Science and technology education should be for everyone. That…

In partnership with the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition Overview What does it look like when excellence in STEM education is paired with deep belonging and cultural inclusion. In Season 3, Episode 5 of the Bold By Choice Podcast, we travel to Utah to visit Beehive Science and Technology Academy, a K–12 public charter school proving…

Human First, Excellent Always A reflection from Steven Palmer When I think about the work we do at Valor Collegiate Academies, I always come back to a simple belief. Students are human first, and they deserve schools that honor their full humanity while holding them to the highest expectations. Joining the Bold By Choice Podcast…

In partnership with the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition Overview What becomes possible when a school begins with a simple conviction. Students are human first, and excellence should always be within reach. Season 3, Episode 4 of the Bold By Choice Podcast takes us to Valor Collegiate Academies in Nashville, Tennessee, a network known for its…

Designed with Students A reflection from Dr. Sundai Riggins When people ask what makes Inspired Teaching Demonstration School unique, I often return to a simple truth. Our school is not designed for students. It is designed with them. Every part of our model reflects a belief that children are capable, creative, and ready to lead…

In partnership with the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition Overview What happens when a school is not simply built for students, but designed with them. In Season 3, Episode 3 of the Bold By Choice Podcast, we head to Washington, DC to visit Inspired Teaching Demonstration School, a PK–8 public charter school where student voice, joyful…

In partnership with the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition Overview What becomes possible when schools are intentionally designed to bring communities together rather than keep them apart? In Season 3, Episode 2 of the Bold By Choice Podcast, we travel to Rhode Island to explore that question with Sarah Anderson, CEO and Superintendent of Blackstone Valley…

Beyond College Prep A reflection from Sarah Anderson For most of my career, I have been driven by one question. Who gets access to great schools, and who gets left out? That question is what brought me to Blackstone Valley Prep, and it is what continues to guide our work every day. Serving students from…

Better Together: Inside the Movement for Intentionally Diverse Schools By Sonia Park & Ashley Heard, Diverse Charter Schools Coalition We were grateful for the opportunity to join Season 3 of the Bold by Choice podcast to discuss a belief that guides our work every day. Schools should reflect the world students live in, and intentionally…

In partnership with the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition Overview What if more schools were intentionally built to look like the world our students are growing into. What if diversity, belonging, and academic excellence served as the foundation of school design rather than separate goals that rarely meet. That vision is at the heart of the…