Bold By Choice Podcast

Guest: Steven Palmer, Leader, Valor Collegiate Academies (Nashville, TN) Hosts: Vashaunta Harris & Jim Goenner Powered by: National Charter Schools Institute What happens when a school refuses to choose between academic rigor and student well-being? In this episode of Bold by Choice, we travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to spotlight Valor Collegiate Academies—a nationally recognized, high-perfor...

Guest: Dr. Sundai Riggins, Head of School — Inspired Teaching Demonstration School (Washington, D.C.) Hosts: Vashaunta Harris & Jim Goenner Powered by the National Charter Schools Institute What happens when students aren’t just served by a school, but help design it? In this episode of Bold by Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner sit down with Dr. Sundai Riggins, Head of School at I...

Bold by Choice, powered by the National Charter Schools Institute , is hosted by Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner , and in this episode, they’re joined by Sarah Anderson , CEO & Superintendent of Blackstone Valley Prep , for a conversation about what it truly means to expand opportunity for students and communities. Season 3 of Bold by Choice is all about schools worth bragging about—and this...

The Bold by Choice podcast returns for Season Three — and this time, we’re celebrating schools worth bragging about. In this premiere episode, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner sit down with Sonia Park and Ashley Heard , Executive Director and Deputy Director of the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition (DCSC). Together, they explore how DCSC is leading a movement to design public schools that re...

In this episode of Bold By Choice Podcast, Powered by the National Charter Schools Institute , hosts Vashaunta Harris and Don Cooper continue the Founders Library series with a tribute to one of the most influential builders in the charter school movement— Linda Brown , founding CEO of Building Excellent Schools (BES). From the earliest days of Massachusetts’ charter experiment, Linda Brown saw wh...

In this episode of the National Charter Schools Institute 's Bold By Choice Podcast, we spotlight another great story from the Founder Library. Hosts Vashaunta Harris and Don Cooper sit with the story of Don Shalvey, the California superintendent-turned-founder who helped launch the nation’s first charter management organization — Aspire Public Schools. Beginning in San Carlos, California — home o...

In this episode of the National Charter Schools Institute Bold By Choice Podcast, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Don Cooper continue the Founders Library series with one of the most personal and powerful stories yet — the story behind KIPP: The Knowledge Is Power Program, and the teacher whose wisdom and love shaped its DNA. David Levin, co-founder of KIPP, shares how one extraordinary educator, Harri...

In this installment of the National Charter Schools Institute 's Bold by Choice Podcast , hosts Vashaunta Harris and Don Cooper sit down with education journalist Richard Whitmire, author of The Founders — a deep, human story of how collaboration, not competition, built the nation’s most successful charter school networks. Commissioned by The 74 Million and drawn from the archives of the National...

As Season Two comes to a close, co-hosts Vashaunta Harris , Jim Goenner , Don Cooper , and Ember Reichgott Junge reflect on 30 years of chartering — the bold ideas, courageous people, and enduring lessons that continue to shape public education today. This conversation isn’t just about history — it’s about the future. Together, the hosts look back on the movement’s biggest themes and ask how we ca...

Charter laws created permission, but people created possibility. In this episode of Bold by Choice, co-hosts Vashaunta Harris , Jim Goenner , Ember Reichgott Junge and Don Cooper spotlight the first generation of charter founders who didn’t just respond to the system — they reimagined it. These leaders turned ideas into schools, blueprints into movements, and challenges into opportunities. Their a...

In this episode of Bold by Choice , co-hosts Vashaunta Harris , Jim Goenner , and Don Cooper continue tracing the spread of the charter school movement—this time turning to Arizona and North Carolina. Two very different contexts, two very different laws—but both fueled by bold leadership and a shared belief that public schools could do better for families. In Arizona , Lisa Graham Keegan helped cr...

Passing the first charter laws was only the beginning. Someone had to make those laws real. In this episode of Bold by Choice , co-hosts Vashaunta Harris , Jim Goenner , and Don Cooper take us back to the messy, courageous, and often misunderstood beginnings of charter school authorizing . In Washington, D.C., Tom Nida and Jo Baker recall how two boards were formed to oversee charter schools—witho...

How did the charter school movement jump from one bold law in Minnesota to states across the country? In this episode of Bold By Choice , hosts Vashaunta Harris,   Jim Goenner , and season two collaborator Don Cooper (a charter historian & researcher), travel to Michigan and Florida to explore how state leaders reshaped public education for families and communities. You’ll hear directly from G...

Charter school laws didn’t appear everywhere at once. In this episode, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner highlight two bold frontier stories—California and Colorado—where courageous leaders and cross-aisle coalitions helped chartering carve new paths. From California’s SB 1448 negotiated in a few days by bipartisan champions, to Colorado’s collaborative law shaped by Peggy Kerns , Bill Owens...

In this pivotal episode, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner explore how the charter school idea moved from a Minnesota innovation to a national movement. They are joined by Ember Reichgott Junge and Don Cooper to reflect on the federal leadership that elevated chartering from a local experiment to a system-shifting strategy supported across the country. Listeners will hear clips from Senator D...

In this powerful episode of Bold By Choice, host Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner sit down with Ember Reichgott Junge — the Minnesota State Senator who authored the nation’s first charter school law — and charter historian Don Cooper . Together, they revisit the story of how one bold law sparked a national movement, reshaping the landscape of public education. Ember takes listeners behind the scen...

In this episode, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner reflect on the life and legacy of Ted Kolderie , whose groundbreaking ideas reframed chartering not just as a type of school, but as a system redesign strategy. Joined by returning guests Ember Reichgott Junge and Don Cooper , the conversation pairs archival clips of Ted with fresh insights about what it means to lead boldly today. Episode Hi...

In our Season 2 premiere, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner travel back to the spark that ignited a national movement. With guests Don Cooper and Ember Reichgott Junge , we trace the formative ideas, people, and policy moments that shaped chartering—from early proposals by Ray Budde to Al Shanker’s influential 1988 National Press Club speech, and the Minnesota Citizens League’s work that turn...

In this special live episode recorded at the National Charter School Alliance Conference, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner celebrate 30 years of chartering and offer a preview of what’s ahead in Season 2. Joined by Don Cooper and Ember Reichgott Junge , they walk through the founding stories that sparked the movement and reflect on why the history of chartering still matters today. From the...

In this episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner shine a light on the three essential roles that uphold the charter school promise: authorizers, governing boards, and school leaders. Joined by Alyson Murphy , Director of Partner Services at the National Charter Schools Institute , they unpack how clarity, trust, and aligned responsibilities create a strong governance ecosy...

S1 E8 Innovation & Support: Beyond Compliance In this dynamic episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner welcome special guest Don Cooper , Senior Fellow at the National Charter Schools Institute and Director of Civic Initiatives at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation . Together, they explore the powerful concept of authorizing as a role that extends far beyond co...

In this heartfelt and candid episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner tackle one of the toughest topics in charter school leadership—closure. Joined by Heather Wendling from the National Charter Schools Institute , they dive deep into the emotional, logistical, and community-driven aspects of closing a school. Vashaunta, Jim, and Heather openly share their personal and pro...

In this insightful and reflective episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner welcome Mary Bradley , Chief Operating Officer, and Heather Wendling , VP of Professional Services, from the National Charter Schools Institute to discuss one of the most pivotal moments in a charter school’s life: renewal. Together, they explore the deep meaning of renewal beyond compliance, framin...

In this thoughtful and engaging episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner welcome Alyson Murphy , Partner at the National Charter Schools Institute , to delve into the delicate yet essential balance between autonomy and accountability in charter schools. Drawing from her extensive experience in governance and compliance at Grand Valley State University’s Charter Schools Off...

In this practical and insightful episode of Bold By Choice, hosts Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner welcome Mark Weinberg , Vice President of Leadership and Learning at the National Charter Schools Institute . Together, they explore the critical period from when a charter school is authorized to the exciting and challenging moments leading up to opening day. Mark Weinberg, a seasoned educator, scho...