The development of this guide was initiated and directed by Nina S. Rees, deputy under secretary of the Office of Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. Department of Education. Sharon Horn was the project manager.

An external advisory panel provided feedback to refine the study scope and prioritize issues to investigate. Members included Mark Cannon, executive director, National Association of Charter School Authorizers; Jim Ford, National Council of La Raza; Bryan Hassell, co-director, Public Impact; Bruno Manno, senior associate, The Annie E. Casey Foundation; Lisa Coldwell O’Brien, Coldwell Communications Group; Anna M. Varghese, director of external affairs, The Center for Education Reform; and Jon Schroeder, Education|Evolving.

Staff in the Department who provided input and reviewed drafts include: Mike Petrilli, John Fiegel, Dean Kern, Cynthia Dorfman, Stacy Kotzin, Brenda C. Compton-Turner, Meredith Miller, Carolyn Adams, Cathy Grimes-Miller, Christine Wolfe, Karen Akins, Patricia Landis, John Gibbons, Deborah Rudy, and Jacquelyn Zimmermann.

This guide was written and designed by WestEd. The project is conducted in partnership with Edvance.

WestEd is a nonprofit research , development, and service agency committed to improving learning at all stages of life, both in school and out. WestEd has offices across the United States and also serves as one of the nation’s 10 regional educational laboratories.

Edvance, a nonprofit organization created by the American Productivity and Quality Center, is a resource for process and performance improvement with a focus on benchmarking, knowledge management, performance measurement, and quality improvement initiatives in education.

The eight schools cooperating in the development of this guide and the report from which it is drawn were generous with both their time and attention to this project. We would like to thank the staff who were instrumental in coordinating and participating in the site visits that inform the report and this guide.

The Arts and Technology Academy Public Charter School
53rd and Blaine Sts., NE
Washington, DC 20019
http://www.dcpubliccharter.com
Anthony Jackson
Principal

BASIS School, Inc.
3825 E. 2nd St.
Tucson, AZ 85716
Olga Block
Executive Director
Michael Block
Chairman
Carolyn McGarvey
Principal

Community of Peace Academy
471 Magnolia Ave. E.
St. Paul, MN 55101
http://www.cpa.charter.k12.mn.us
Karen Rusthoven
Principal

KIPP Academy Houston
10711 KIPP Way
Houston, TX 77099
http://www.kipphouston.org
Elliot Witney
Principal

Oglethorpe Charter School
707 Stiles Avenue
Savannah, GA 31401
http://www.oglethorpeacademy.org
Susan Gingrich-Off
Principal

Ralph A. Gates Elementary School
23882 Landisview Ave.
Lake Forest, CA 92630
http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us/schools/gates/
Orquidia Acosta
Principal

Roxbury Preparatory Charter School
120 Fisher Avenue
Roxbury, MA 02120
http://www.roxburyprep.org
John King and Josh Phillips
Principals

The School of Arts and Sciences
3208 Thomasville Road
Tallahassee, FL 32312
http://www.artsandsciences.leon.k12.fl.us
Debo Powers
Principal

WestEd
730 Harrison Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
http://www.wested.org
Glen Harvey
Chief Executive Officer
Nikola Filby
Associate Director,
Regional Laboratory Program

Edvance
123 Post Oak Lane, Floor 3
Houston, TX 77024
http://www.edvance.org
C. Jackson Grayson Jr.
Chief Executive Officer
Kristin Arnold
Project Director