CharterNation Podcast

In this episode, host Ana Tintocalis takes listeners to Larchmont Charter School in Los Angeles to learn about a simple yet powerful social and emotional strategy: talking circles. We also preview an upcoming report produced by the California Charter Schools Association called "Are the Kids OK? How California Charter Public Schools Support Social-Emotional Wellbeing Schoolwide." 

In the Change Makers segment, CCSA's President and CEO Myrna Castrejón interviews Republican State Senator Scott Wilk, the Republican State Senator who represents the Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita and Victor Valley regions. At the start of this legislative year, he was elected as Senate Minority Leader. Castrejón and Wilk discuss the statewide enrollment decline and learning loss. 

Is homeschooling the next wave in education? That's the topic of this week's Change Makers interview on the CharterNation Podcast Episode 5. CCSA's President/CEO Myrna Castrejón interviews Lance Izumi, Senior Director of the Center for Education at the Pacific Research Institute about his new book, "The Homeschool Boom: Pandemic, Policies and Possibilities."

Then, we spend time with Amelie Caswell, a high school senior who was on the verge of suicide until she found Motivated Youth Academy (MY Academy), a nonclassroom-based charter public schools that works to give at-promise students a second chance.

And finally, we hear from Angella Martinez, the CEO of KIPP SoCal, about why she believes  each and every public school campus should be equipped with a COVID Response Team. 

PEOPLE POWER! That's the theme of Episode 4 of CharterNation. You'll hear from three individuals who are working in the trenches of Los Angeles to make sure students can access high-quality school options or get the social and emotional support they need. 

First, as part of our Change Makers interview series, CCSA's President/CEO Myrna Castrejón interviews Jay Artis-Wright, the new executive director of Parent Revolution.

Then, spend time with a Christiana Cobb-Dozier also  known as "Ms. CD" by her students. She's a school counselor at Resolute Academy Charter School in the Watts community of South L.A. Christiana shares how she's helping students manage grief and anxiety so they can stay focused in school.

And finally, we hear from Alfredo Rubalcava, the CEO/Superintendent of Magnolia Public Schools which has just launched its Portrait of a Graduate initiative.

In honor of Latino Heritage Month, we dedicate an entire episode to understanding how charter public schools are working to transform the lives of Latino students in California.

In a special Change Makers segment, CCSA's Myrna Castrejón interviews Marcos Aguilar, one of the visionaries behind Anahuacalmecac International University Preparatory of North America in East Los Angeles. AIUPNA is perhaps the only charter public school in the U.S. to teach indigenous cultures, languages and native ways of knowing. 
 
CharterNation host Ana Tintocalis is then joined by Erin Abshere, CCSA's Vice President of School Performance, Accountability, and Research who offers key takeaways from CCSA's new research brief Two Charter Public Schools, One Mission: Latino Academic Excellence. 

This special episode then takes listeners to the Central Valley to find out how a career-tech charter high school is changing the way Latino students see their future. 

How can we transform the state’s public education system so kids get the wraparound services they desperately need? That’s one of the topics in Episode 2 of the CharterNation Podcast which features a Change Makers interview with Maria Echaveste, the President and CEO of the Opportunity Institute based in Berkeley. Ms. Echaveste was a former aide to President Bill Clinton during the inception and passage of federal charter school legislation. She also reflects on that time in public education. 

Also, CharterNation Podcast host Ana Tintocalis is joined by CCSA's Director of Data Analysis Jonathan Slakey and Learn4Life's Caprice Young to talk about charter school enrollment trends in the state. 

Recent history has made one thing clear: charter school communities up and down the state are leaving us feeling inspired and uplifted. And as families navigate yet another challenging school year, it’s also apparent that they, and educators, need a trusted source of news, information, and research that is impacting charter school policies at the local and state level.

That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our CharterNation Podcast—the only podcast dedicated to California’s charter school movement! We hope you’ll join us for our first episode (EP1 S1) which debuts on Thursday, Sept. 16.