Education One staff, school leader present at national convention

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Staff from Education One, Trine University’s charter school authorizer, attended the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, from Oct. 27-29.

Education One Executive Director Emily Gaskill and Director of Academics Amanda Webb led a session alongside Anteria Gross, founder and school leader of Innova Academy.

The team presented, "From Rejection to Recommendation: How Community-Centered Design Transformed a Charter Application."

Navigating the process

Gross shared her experience navigating the charter school application process, from having her initial application denied a couple of years ago to revisiting her proposal, engaging a new community and ultimately receiving a recommendation to move forward with Innova Academy in Muncie, Indiana, which is expected to open in fall 2027.

The session explored how community-centered design can transform a charter school proposal. Participants examined the difference between identifying a community's need for additional educational options and demonstrating authentic community interest, support and readiness for a proposed school.

Through an interactive case study, attendees stepped into the role of an authorizer review team, evaluating the original application before reviewing the additional evidence, community partnerships and stakeholder engagement that helped reshape the proposal.

This experience highlighted the importance of looking beyond the application to understand the community a school intends to serve. It also provided an opportunity to share perspectives from both sides of the authorization process and demonstrate how meaningful community engagement can strengthen a school's foundation before it even opens its doors.

“Education One is proud to continue contributing to national conversations around innovative authorizing practices and looks forward to supporting Innova Academy as it prepares to serve students and families in the Muncie community,” Gaskill said.

Maintaining balance

Centered around the theme of “Balancing the Equation: Agency, Accountability, and Excellence,” the conference provided opportunities to discuss how authorizers can balance school autonomy with strong accountability while continuing to promote educational quality, innovation and meaningful community engagement.

Charter school authorizers, school leaders and public education professionals came together to share ideas, explore innovative approaches and strengthen practices that support high-quality public charter schools.