Passing the first charter laws was only the beginning. Someone had to make those laws real. In this episode of Bold by Choice, co-hosts Vashaunta Harris, Jim Goenner, and Don Cooper take us back to the messy, courageous, and often misunderstood beginnings of charter school authorizing.

In Washington, D.C., Tom Nida and Jo Baker recall how two boards were formed to oversee charter schools—without a playbook, precedent, or even the word authorizer in common use.

In Minnesota, Pat Sandro raises questions about district-based authorizing and whether districts were ever the right entities to serve as neutral stewards.

Together, these stories highlight the leadership, trial-and-error, and bold problem-solving it took to move chartering from policy on paper to practice in schools.

Lead without a playbook – Early authorizers had no blueprint; they had to define the role as they went.

Balance support and accountability – Even today, authorizers wrestle with being both partner and regulator.

Question the structure – Minnesota’s district-based model raised conflicts of interest that still spark debate.

Reimagine, don’t just repeat – Authorizing is not just compliance—it’s custodianship of the charter promise.

Explore the full oral histories and research in the Founders Library

Interview of Josephine (Jo) Baker and Tom Nida

Interview of Pat Sandro

Interview of Robert (Bob) Mills, Ph.D.

The Politics of Charter School Authorizing: The Case Study of New York by Jonas Chartock (2012) – Read here