The term “authorizer” conveys an imposing sense of size and authority, but in the world of charter schools, the authorizer is often a small-scale office or, more commonly, a single employee for whom chartering is just one among many responsibilities amidst a large institution like a state or local board of education, university, or private nonprofit. Thus, the “blood, sweat, and tears” of authorizing are typically shed inconspicuously from the periphery of an organization that has a much broader focus.

Topics of Interest include: Authorizer Capacity, Accountability