In this wide-ranging and energizing episode of CharterFolk Chat, Jed Wallace sits down with Starlee Coleman, CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, for a no-holds-barred conversation about the state of the charter school movement—and where it’s headed next.

Now nine months into her role, Starlee reflects on the chaos, urgency, and opportunity that define her first year. She shares honest insights on what’s working in red and blue states alike, why charter schools are seeing policy wins across the country, and how the movement needs to respond to misinformation, media bias, and old narratives that refuse to die.

The episode covers:

• The national momentum behind charter schools—and why we’re still “on the ascent”
• The implications of the looming St. Isidore Supreme Court case
• Washington’s shifting political winds and why the charter movement must show up with solutions, not just objections
• The urgent need for enrollment growth—and the structural barriers standing in the way
• Why state charter associations are stronger than ever—and how they must be central to advocacy success
• A call to embrace our political power unapologetically and use it strategically for kids

Starlee also shares what it was like to be in the Supreme Court chamber during oral arguments and gives a clear-eyed take on how the charter community must prepare for what comes next.

With wit, clarity, and conviction, this episode is a rallying cry for charter leaders everywhere to stay focused, get organized, and show up like winners—because, as Starlee says, “We are.”