In this month's podcast "What Charter School Leadership Looks Like", School Improvement Partnership Director of Reporting Maria Mills interviews Rhonda Dillingham, Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Public Charter Schools.

Rhonda sees charters as "laboratories of innovation".  When Asheboro, NC was dubbed the 'fastest dying city in America', the Asheboro High School Zoo School was brought together to counter that image, and Rhonda was the first English teacher there.

With this innovative teaching experience, she craved continued autonomy and creativity as an educator.  To continue supporting Randolph County, she co-founded Uwharrie Charter Academy in the same area to make sure kids who graduated stayed around - with flex days for exploring the community and more.  Uwharrie is now the 5th largest charter in NC.

Rhonda next moved to the state level, where she leads an association of over 210 charter schools.  Recently, NC, a single authorizer state, established a Charter School Review Board, and Rhonda touches on how NC can be a national model for how charter schools are authorized and managed.

Sponsor: ⁠HJ Sims Education Finance

Email Maria for a 10% Discount on Reporting:

maria@schoolimprovementpartnership.net

Rhonda Dillingham's LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-dillingham-61366726/

NC Public Charter Association: https://www.ncpubliccharters.org/

School Improvement Partnership Website:

https://schoolimprovementpartnership.net/

Maria Mills LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-mills-5b206113b/