Better Outcomes Through Quality Authorizing Project

How Strong Oversight Drives Better Charter Schools

High-quality oversight is a quiet but powerful driver of better charter schools and stronger student outcomes. Basis worked with the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) on the three-year Better Outcomes through Quality Authorizing (BOQA) project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The project focused on building clear standards and tools for authorizers so they could set higher expectations, make more rigorous decisions, and hold schools accountable for performance.

By strengthening the systems that decide which schools open, stay open, or close, the BOGA project aimed to lift the overall quality of charter schools in participating states and district and, in turn, improve learning for thousands of students. The work supported authorizers across the country with guidance aligned to national standards, practical tools, and professional development, laying the groundwork for future efforts to evaluate authorizer quality and spread effective practices more widely.

Key Findings

The BOQA project was built on the idea that better authorizing decisions lead to stronger charter schools and improved student outcomes.

Funded through a three-year federal National Leadership Activities Grant
Basis developed standards, tools, and training to help authorizers set clear expectations, approve stronger schools, and intervene when schools underperform
The project created the foundation for ongoing efforts to measure authorizer performance, closing achievement gaps nationwide