Charter Renewal Isn’t the End, It’s Part of the Ongoing Work
In the world of charter schools, few events carry more weight than a renewal cycle. For many leaders, the charter renewal process can feel like a high-stakes, high-pressure sprint and the success of getting renewed. In an April webinar, Lewis Center for Educational Research shared how their renewal journey became a powerful opportunity to uncover the real story behind their data and success of renewal. Instead of simply assembling documents, the team focused on clarifying outcomes, identifying root causes, and building a narrative that reflected both their challenges and their impact.
What followed was a thoughtful, year-over-year preparation process that offers powerful takeaways for other schools navigating their renewal journey.
Case Study: Lewis Center’s Approach to Charter School Renewal
For the first time, they received unexpected pushback from their authorizer and were placed in the “low-performing” category. This was a shift from previous years, and it prompted a deeper look at what their data was really saying. Rather than rushing to defend past performance, Lewis Center leaned into the opportunity to examine root causes and tell a more complete story. This was a parallel effort serving both the long-term growth to move up to the middle/high categories while also writing a strong petition for renewal.
Their leadership team focused on aligning to the California charter renewal rubric and, more importantly, uncovering the narrative behind the numbers. The process wasn’t just about meeting benchmarks, it was about understanding what was driving the outcomes and engaging staff in owning that reflection.
Renewal and Root Causes: Seeing the Full Picture
A pivotal moment in Lewis Center’s journey came when they reflected on underperformance at the secondary level. Their initial assumption? That incoming high schoolers, new to their system, simply needed time to acclimate.
But their data told a different story.
“We had a lot of seats open at the secondary level… and the story we told ourselves was, ‘It’s the new kids—they just haven’t adjusted yet.’ But some of the data didn’t support that story, and we were really forced to look at things differently. As an instructional leader, it’s changed how I approach the stories we tell ourselves.” Said Dr. Lisa Lamb, President/CEO of the Lewis Center for Educational Research.
The Power of Comparison Data: Local and Statewide Impact
To help Lewis Center contextualize their progress, Parsec shared side-by-side comparisons of how their students were doing relative to neighboring district schools and statewide benchmarks.
When Parsec shared a math comparison slide showing how Lewis Center stacked up against neighboring schools, it didn’t just offer clarity. It offered hope.
“Our principal was able to share this with the staff… we’re not alone in struggling with math,” Lisa said. “We need to do better. But also, we’re in this with everybody else who serves the same community.”
This was able to show that while challenges remain, their school was providing better options than what students might experience elsewhere surrounding and state-wide.
Proactive Communication with Their Charter Authorizer
Lewis Center also took an intentional approach to their relationship with their charter authorizer. Rather than waiting for renewal season to begin those conversations, they set up meetings to collaborate on the data story. These weren’t just check-ins, they were collaborative strategy sessions where the school could preview their approach, ask clarifying questions, and confirm that their narrative aligned with expectations.
This transparency led to better feedback and reduced stress on both sides. When it came time to submit, the authorizer already understood the school’s story and had seen their progress along the way.
Building the Data Narrative
Lewis Center’s ability to challenge assumptions and uncover what was really driving their outcomes came from more than just looking at data, it came from making space to interpret it with purpose.
With Parsec’s support, their team walked through a series of three workshops designed to help build the narrative behind the numbers. Each session focused on a different layer of the renewal story. This process starts with current realities, identifying areas for improvement, and ending with a final review aligned to their petition.
While Lewis Center was developing their charter renewal petition, Parsec provided support in shaping the data story, highlighting bright spots and ensuring the data was clear and accurate. Our role focused on strengthening how the evidence supported their narrative.
The sequence includes:
- Workshop 1: Assess current reality and create a plan to gather local data
- Workshop 2: Analyze insights and develop improvement ideas
- Workshop 3: Final review of data, narratives, and the renewal petition
Takeaways for Other Charter Schools
Charter renewal doesn’t need to be overwhelming. As Lewis Center demonstrated, it can become a process that builds clarity, staff engagement, and long-term school health.
Here’s what other schools can borrow from their approach:
1. Use the charter renewal rubric now, don’t wait until later
- Whether your renewal is in six months or two years, reviewing the rubric today gives you time to prepare.
2. Don’t assume strong results speak for themselves
- Document impact. Show how your school is making a difference! This is especially important for subgroups like English learners, students with disabilities, or foster youth.
3. Create a system that listens and learns
- Gather feedback from your team. Build a culture where improvement is visible and tied to your goals.
4. Build strong relationships with your authorizer
- Transparency builds trust. Regular updates, honest reflection, and clear planning go a long way.
Final Word: Renewal Can Be More Than a Requirement
Lewis Center’s story proves that charter renewal doesn’t have to be chaotic. With intentional planning, clear documentation, and a structured approach, schools can go into renewal feeling confident about their story.
And more than anything, Lewis Center showed that when the process is driven by data and student impact, renewal becomes a reflection of what a school truly values.
Ready to take control of your charter renewal process? Request a demo to see how Parsec can support your team or learn more about our Charter Renewal Support services today.
