About Us

The North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools is a uniquely structured 501(c)(6) trade association advocating for public charter schools in North Carolina. Because of its structure, the Coalition is the only charter group with unlimited ability to lobby freely and promote the interests of public charter schools in the General Assembly, the Charter Schools Review Board, the State Board of Education, and the Department of Public Instruction. A member-led organization, the Coalition draws on the policy, legal, educational, and legislative expertise of its leadership and members to protect and promote the interests of public charter schools in our state and the more than 160,000 students these schools serve.

View our 2025 Coalition Annual Report.

Read the Coalition’s Origin Story.

Meet our members.

2026-27 Coalition Board of Directors Executive Director Dave Machado

Our mission

The Coalition serves member schools by keeping charter school stakeholders actively informed of legislative issues, advocating for equal charter school funding, and seeking autonomy of schools at both statutory and regulatory levels.

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Our vision

The Coalition is the leading voice in North Carolina’s school choice movement, while keeping charter school leaders apprised of policy and legislative issues affecting their success. We work to communicate, educate, and advocate.

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Our mission

The NC Coalition for Charter Schools will serve member schools by keeping charter school stakeholders actively informed of legislative issues,advocating for equal charter school funding and seeking autonomy of schools at both statutory and regulatory levels.

Read on

Our vision

The NC Coalition for Charter Schools will become a leading voice in North Carolina’s school choice movement, while keeping charter school leaders well-informed of key issues affecting their success. Legislation, communication, and education!

Become a member

Areas of advocacy

The Coalition amplifies the voice of public charter schools, protects their interests, and advocates for smart, strategic legislative–along with regulatory–reforms.

Financial equity for N.C. charter schools: As a unified voice, the Coalition works to advance statutory changes to ensure that all public school funds follow the child. Existing inequities within per pupil local funding and state-level grants that have omitted access for public charter schools in legislation must be addressed.

Regulatory equity for N.C. charter schools: Recent court rulings and legislative action have resulted in the requirement that all policies affecting public charter schools must be reviewed by the Regulatory Rules Commission. The Coalition serves as the leading voice in Raleigh to monitor excess regulatory burdens as we advocate for the flexibility and innovation that are fundamental for public charter school success.

The Coalition is uniquely structured to facilitate common ground among public charter schools of all sizes and affiliations. Member schools elect the Coalition’s board. This enables us to advance common interests, together, for the good of all North Carolina public charter schools.

The Coalition is organized with a Board of Directors reflecting all facets of the public charter school spectrum. Whether your public charter school is large, small, independent, or part of a charter network, the bylaws of the Coalition provide equity for all. Designated representatives of member schools convene at the Coalition’s annual meeting to select Directors serving the slated terms.

“The Coalition is the best thing that has happened to charter schools in North Carolina in the twenty-something years I’ve been here.”

-Cheryl Turner, Former Superintendent, Sugar Creek Charter School