Based in Washington DC, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools remains one of the staunchest believers in the charter school system for America. It comes up with sound policies that will help make quality charter schools more accessible to low income and disenfranchised families. To do this, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has assisted charter school movements across the country. To increase awareness, it has embarked on campaigns across various media, held conferences like the Chartering 2.0 leadership summit, and published relevant briefs and other issue paraphernalia.

For three years beginning 2007, The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools hopes to significantly improve as well as expand this fledgling educational system. The Alliance is bent on lifting the arbitrary caps hampering charter growth, and redesigning the Charter Schools Program on a federal level. Ideally, the Alliance wants to see funding for charter education increase by 25%. Before the 2009 congress session ends, the Alliance also hopes to attain changes in policy in at least six states.

One way the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools hopes to do this is by ensuring the government’s policies only benefit the charter system. Among many strategies, it has gone at lengths to orient lawmakers about the system. It is developing a model charter law which it hopes all states could emulate. With this, the Alliance is consolidating its efforts on certain “target states” so that these states shall receive the Alliance’s assistance with review of legislative drafts, interstate forum for lawmakers, and such.

Another strategy is state-wide capacity-building which the Alliance does by serving as convener for the adoption of industry standards and concentrating efforts on CSOs, or Charter Support Organizations, composed of state associations and resource centers. Getting public support and enlightening them that charter schools are also public schools is another important matter. The Alliance uses polls, national conferences, branding and media campaigns, and other efforts to sway the public, and influence the broadsheet editorials. Every year, the Alliance publishes one or two research papers.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has 24 knowledgeable directors, headed by Nelson Smith.