CSDC's Boarding Pass Podcast is a ten-episode series for new and returning board members as well as other leaders in California charter schools. Hear from experts in the field about how and why charter schools work, and how charter leaders can work to improve their schools. In this first season we’ll discuss everything from finance to governance to student achievement to the future of charter schools. Listen to the audio version at the gym or on your commute or watch the video version from your home computer. The podcast conversations, as well as the resources linked in the show notes for each episode, are all designed to help charter school board members make a meaningful difference to students in their communities and throughout the state.
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Let’s kick off season one of the CSDC Boarding Pass Podcast learning about the history and creation of charter schools in California. In this episode, we hear from Eric Premack, CSDC Founder and Executive Director about the work of crafting the charter school law, and we pick his brain to gain an understanding of charter school corporate structure.
Guest
Eric Premack
Founder & Executive Director
Charter Schools Development Center
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Show Notes
Are you a new board member and wondering how to prepare for your first board meeting? Or are you a veteran board member hoping to gain deeper insight and improve your school’s board meetings? In this enlightening conversation, Kennedy Hilario, CEO of ACE Charter Schools discusses foundational documents, recruitment process, board workshops and more.
Guest
Kennedy Hilario
CEO
ACE Charter
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Show Notes
Takeaways from this episode include:
Resources
Join Boarding Pass host Caitlin O'Halloran Heller and Yu Ming Charter School Board Chair Reggie Lee for an insightful discussion on leading a successful charter school through critical transitions. Drawing from his experience at California's first Mandarin immersion charter school, Reggie shares practical wisdom on succession planning, leadership evaluation, and building an effective board that truly represents its community. Learn how to navigate the complex charter renewal process while maintaining strong community engagement and ensuring equitable outcomes for all students.
Guest
Reggie Lee
Charter School Board Chair
Yu Ming Charter School
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Show Notes
Charter school advocacy a critical part of keeping the charter school movement alive and well in California. Charter school leaders – board members and administrators play a critical role in advocacy both at the local and state level. In this episode, CSDC’s Laura Kerr shares a few funny stories as she talks about myth busting, relationship building and becoming a successful charter school advocate.
Guest
Laura Kerr
Legislative & Community Outreach Specialist
Charter Schools Development Center
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Show Notes
One of the two most important responsibilities of charter school board members is effective fiscal oversight (the other is monitoring student achievement). Tune in to this episode of Boarding Pass to hear veteran charter leader Joyce Montgomery as she shares tips for effective oversight and outlines a board member’s financial oversight obligations.
Guest
Joyce Montgomery
Advisor and Guest Instructor
Charter Schools Development Center
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Show Notes
Caitlin O'Halloran Hellar
Governance & Policy Specialist
Charter Schools Development Center (CSDC)
More than 20 years ago, CSDC’s Governance and Policy Specialist Caitlin O’Halloran Hellar was an enthusiastic (if naive) parent with the bright idea that she should start a charter school in her small, rural community. In 2004, the school launched with 38 students and two teachers, and today, with nearly 500 students, Dixon Montessori Charter School is the highest-performing school in the community, and one of the highest performing schools in the Solano County.
Before coming to work for CSDC, Caitlin worked for the California State Legislature, and as a lobbyist for the California Department of Education and today she combines that background with her deep knowledge of charter school governance and her hands-on charter school experience to offer a 360-degree view of charter schools in California.
Learn from Caitlin’s two decades of charter school missteps, mishaps (and subsequent success) as a charter founder, district board member (authorizer) and now veteran charter school board member.
CSDC provides comprehensive supports for California charter school governing board members. Learn more here:
