The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools will honor seven exceptional teachers and eight congressional lawmakers who are moving the charter school sector forward
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools will celebrate the annual National Charter Schools Week (NCSW) from May 7-13, 2023 to honor the 7,700 public charter schools, 206,000 dedicated teachers, and hundreds of lawmakers who serve and advocate for more than 3.7 million students each day.
“Every year, National Charter Schools Week is a meaningful chance to bring our community together and celebrate the accomplishments of our students, teachers, parents, activists, and legislators who make charter schools’ success possible,” says Nina Rees, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “It is a fulfilling and inspiring week when we can connect with our peers and colleagues across the nation and remind ourselves why we do this work. Teachers are the backbone of our movement and we are excited to honor their contributions to public education.”
This week, in conjunction with National Teacher Appreciation Week, the National Alliance will honor seven exceptional teachers with the annual Changemaker Award, recognizing these leaders for using their ideas, talents, and platforms to advance education opportunity for all. Throughout the week, the National Alliance will highlight and celebrate the impactful and life-changing work teachers do for students and communities every day. The 2023 Changemakers will be announced on May 4, 2023.
National Charter Schools Week 2023 programming is as follows:
- Sunday, May 7: Begin the week with gratitude and use #ThankATeacher on social media to share how teachers have made a positive impact on our lives.
- Monday, May 8: The National Alliance announces the eight federal lawmakers honored as 2023 Champions for Charters, recognizing their commitment to advocate for and prioritize policy that will enable charter schools to thrive.
- Tuesday, May 9: The National Alliance will release the 2023 Charter Schools Program Impact Report that includes the latest data and examples of the federal program’s effectiveness.
- Wednesday, May 10: The celebration continues with an event on Capitol Hill to honor the Changemaker and Champion award recipients who will share their stories of why they are so committed to public charter schools.
- Thursday, May 11: Enjoy a recap of the Capitol Hill Event.
- Friday, May 12: #CharterLove Day: Celebrate on social media and amplify the voices of the local charter school community.
- Saturday, May 13: Keep the celebration going by finding ways to get involved.
Public charter schools are an important part of the public education community. These unique public schools serve 3.7 million learners–nearly 70% students of color – and the teaching staff reflects this diversity. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly one in three charter school teachers and school leaders are educators of color. This exceptional group of educators can do what many thought impossible: educate students from all backgrounds and support them to achieve academic success.
Enrollment in public charter schools increased by 7% over the last three years, evidencing parents’ need for public education options for their children. Parents turn to charter schools for their strong community ties, powerful student focus, and teachers’ ability to personalize instruction to meet the needs of the students in their classroom. Ninety-three percent of American parents across the political spectrum agree that one size does not fit all in education and 73% of parents with school-aged children expressed their approval of charter schools in a survey conducted by The Harris Poll in 2022.
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About Public Charter Schools
Public charter schools are independent, public, and tuition-free schools that are given the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. Since 2010, many research studies have found that students in charter schools do better in school than their traditional school peers. For example, one study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University found that charter schools do a better job teaching students from low-income families, students of color, and students who are still learning English than traditional schools. Separate studies by the Center on Reinventing Public Education and Mathematica Policy Research have found that charter school students are more likely to graduate from high school, go on to college, stay in college and have higher earnings in early adulthood.
About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the public charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit www.publiccharters.org.
About National Charter Schools Week
National Charter Schools Week is an annual celebration of charter schools and our community of educators, parents, students, and leaders. This year’s celebration, May 7-13, will focus on the contribution of charter school teachers in co-recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week.
