In this episode of Bold By Choice Podcast, Powered by the National Charter Schools Institute, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Don Cooper continue the Founders Library series with a tribute to one of the most influential builders in the charter school movement—Linda Brown, founding CEO of Building Excellent Schools (BES).

From the earliest days of Massachusetts’ charter experiment, Linda Brown saw what was missing: a system to ensure that new schools were not just open, but excellent. She founded BES to meet that need—developing rigorous fellowships, training future leaders, and creating schools built on discipline, love, and results.

“Excellence is not accidental—it’s engineered through vision, discipline, and belief in what’s possible.” — Linda Brown

Brown’s philosophy pushed beyond authorization or enrollment numbers; she believed success was only real when students achieved world-class academic outcomes. Through her leadership, BES has launched and supported more than 50 schools nationwide, and her imprint can still be felt in classrooms where high expectations meet deep care.

“Poverty is not a limit on potential. The limits we accept are the ones we place on ourselves.” — Linda Brown, Founders Library Interview

Linda Brown didn’t wait for permission. When she saw no clear pathway for ensuring excellence in new charter schools, she built one—from scratch.

“If it doesn’t exist, build it. That’s what founders do.” — Linda Brown

Brown rejected the idea that innovation alone was enough. For her, rigor, accountability, and consistency were non-negotiables. She championed longer school days, family engagement, and relentless follow-through.

She challenged deficit thinking head-on. Her mission: to prove that literacy, access, and opportunity were the real game-changers, not circumstance.

BES’s Fellowship model was demanding by design—long hours, constant feedback, and the requirement to move to where the need was greatest. Those who finished the program emerged ready to found and sustain great schools.

For Linda, the win wasn’t authorization or funding—it was when third-grade reading and math scores outpaced district averages. Student results were the measure of excellence.

Don Cooper:

“Linda Brown’s story reminds us that excellence doesn’t emerge by accident—it’s engineered through vision, discipline, and belief in what’s possible.”

Vashaunta Harris:

“Her legacy lives on in every BES-trained leader and every classroom where high expectations meet deep care. To be bold by choice is to build systems that last.”

Interview: Interview of Linda Brown

Collection: The Linda Brown Collection

Organization: Building Excellent Schools (BES)

Founders Library – Main Archive: charterlibrary.org

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