Episode #60 Best practices for working with your authorizer, featuring Kathryn Connell-Espinosa

SHOW NOTES

Kathryn Connell-Espinosa, Executive Director, SUNY Charter Schools Institute

Connect with Kathryn

Website:

https://www.newyorkcharters.org/

EPISODE SUMMARY

Strong authorizer relationships are the foundation of long-term charter school success — but they can also be one of the most misunderstood.

In this episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast, host Daniel Casselli sits down with Kathryn Connell-Espinosa, Executive Director of the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, to discuss what effective collaboration between schools and authorizers really looks like.

Kathryn shares more than a decade of insight from overseeing 237 charter schools across New York, offering a rare glimpse into what makes great authorizer-school partnerships thrive. She explains how open communication, strong governance, and early transparency can help schools avoid pitfalls — and why authorizers are most successful when the schools they serve succeed.

Whether you’re a school leader, board chair, or new founder, this episode will help you build stronger, more productive relationships with your authorizer — and understand the key role they play in your school’s accountability, growth, and long-term success.

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS

• Communication is everything: Keep an open and consistent dialogue with your authorizer — especially during challenges.
• Start early: The best relationships begin during the new charter application process, not after approval.
• Transparency builds trust: Sharing challenges early allows authorizers to serve as thought partners, not just overseers.
• Strong boards matter: A well-rounded, engaged board with financial, legal, and education expertise supports both accountability and success.
• Know your charter: Understanding your accountability plan and benchmarks helps prevent surprises at renewal time.
• Authorizers want schools to succeed: As Kathryn puts it, “Your authorizer is only as successful as the schools in its portfolio.”
• Leverage available resources: Authorizers like SUNY offer extensive guidance and connections to help schools solve challenges faster.

RESOURCES

• SUNY Charter Schools Institute: newyorkcharters.org

• National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA): qualitycharters.org
• National Alliance for Public Charter Schools: publiccharters.org

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and Housekeeping
00:05 Overview of SUNY Charter Schools Institute
03:44 Challenges in Authorizer-School Relationships
08:00 Current Challenges Facing Charter Schools
11:08 Communication Strategies with Authorizers
15:17 Traits of Effective Charter School Boards
18:26 Engagement Cadence with Authorizers
21:03 Leveraging Authorizer Resources
22:53 Navigating Current Environmental Challenges
24:41 Final Advice for School Leaders

ABOUT OUR GUEST

As Executive Director, Kathryn Connell-Espinosa provides strategic and visionary leadership to the Institute and is accountable to the SUNY Board of Trustees and Chancellor for all aspects of the Institute’s programmatic and fiscal operations. Kathryn is responsible for overseeing the Institute’s charter authorizing and renewal activities, monitoring the performance of charter schools, presenting recommendations to the SUNY Board of Trustees, and representing the Institute to the broader community. She also represents the Institute and SUNY to charter sector and charter advocacy organizations at the state and national level.

Kathryn joined the Institute in 2013, and has held several previous positions since then, including Director of Leadership Team Operations, Chief of Staff, and Interim Executive Director. Prior to joining the Institute, she served at the Research Foundation for SUNY’s Professional Development Program as a Compliance Specialist for the Educational Incentive Program. Her deep understanding of the Institute’s history, operations, and SUNY structures ensure that the Institute can fulfill its mission to cultivate an environment where strong public schools can take root and thrive. Kathryn is a proud SUNY graduate with a BA in Psychology from the University at Albany..

ABOUT OUR HOST

Daniel Casselli is a life-long learner whose passion for education has driven his professional endeavors. He is a former classroom teacher and youth ministry director whose entrepreneurial spirit landed him in the world of education technology. At EVERFI Inc., Daniel helped run the business development efforts for EVERFI’s Financial Education Program and the company was eventually sold to Blackbaud for $750M in 2021. Shortly before EVERFI’s acquisition, Daniel joined Class Technologies as one of the earliest sales hires and went on to lead K12 Enterprise Sales and helped the company land its first 100+ K12 customers across public, charter, and private schools. Daniel brings his unique experiences to BuyQ where he is focused on growth, operational excellence, business strategy, and client satisfaction. He is a graduate of Grove City College where he studied Religion and History. 

You can listen to Charter School Insider: Lessons from the Nation's Top Charter School Operators on your favorite podcasting platform...

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