Washington State Charter School Commission

What Washington State Charter School Commission does

The Washington State Charter School Commission is an independent state agency established in April 2013 under the authority of Initiative 1240 (approved by Washington voters in 2012) and codified in RCW 28A.710. It functions as the sole state-level authorizer of charter public schools in Washington, currently overseeing 16 schools across communities including Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Bellingham, Bremerton, Vancouver, Des Moines, and Wenatchee. The Commission's core function is regulatory: it evaluates charter applications through a four-category rubric (exceeds, meets standard, partially meets standard, does not meet standard), executes charter contracts (currently in their fourth iteration, developed with NACSA input), monitors academic, organizational, and financial performance via Performance Frameworks, and can revoke charters when schools fall irreparably short of commitments, as demonstrated by the June 2024 Pullman Community Montessori revocation.

The Commission operates a sales-led, event-driven engagement model rather than commercial GTM. Prospective charter operators (certified non-profit corporations) file a notice of intent, submit a detailed application (typically 600–700 pages), participate in capacity interviews and public forums, and face an 11-member Commissioner vote in bimonthly public meetings held across Washington cities and streamed via TVW and Zoom under the Open Meetings Act. The agency is staffed by approximately 10 personnel, led by Executive Director Marcus Harden (selected September 2024), Deputy Director Dr. Sarah Lloyd (announced March 2025), Chief Operating Officer Kara Lowe, and Chief Accountability Officer Jess Saven Barton, supported by three Directors of Technical Assistance, a Business Manager, a Manager of Communications and Engagement, and an Executive Assistant. Headquarters is at 1068 Washington Street SE, Olympia.

The business model is state appropriations-funded; the Commission does not generate commercial revenue and its services to schools and the public are free. Authorized charter schools receive state apportionment and categorical funding (Learning Assistance, Transitional Bilingual, Special Education, Highly Capable, Transportation) but those funds flow to the schools, not the Commission. Marketing and stakeholder communications are limited to the Commission's website, newsletter, public meetings, and press releases consistent with its government-agency status. No technology products, AI/ML capabilities, or commercial revenue streams exist; the Commission's value proposition rests entirely on its statutory authorization authority, accountability framework, and operational oversight of the charter portfolio.

Name

Washington State Charter School Commission

Legal name

Washington State Charter School Commission

Website

https://charterschool.wa.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Washington State Charter School Commission is an independent state agency that serves as the sole statutory authorizer and oversight body for 16 charter public schools across Washington State, exercising regulatory authority under RCW 28A.710 to evaluate applications, execute charter contracts, monitor performance, and revoke underperforming schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Regulatory Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter School Authorizers & Oversight Boards (EDADABAB)

Keywords

• Charter school authorization
• Public education oversight
• School accountability
• Regulatory agency services
• Education governance

Headquarters

HQ city

Olympia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State Funding Appropriation: The Washington State Charter School Commission is a state government agency funded through state appropriations. Charter public schools receive state apportionment funding and categorical funding (Learning Assistance, Transitional Bilingual Education, Special Education, Highly Capable, Transportation). Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools do not receive funding from voter-approved local levies. There is no state funding source for school construction or modernization.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Washington State Charter School Commission is an independent state regulatory commission that reviews charter school applications, authorizes new charter public schools in Washington, monitors academic and operational performance against approved charter contracts and performance frameworks, and makes renewal, revision, and closure decisions. It serves charter school applicant groups, operators, and the public by ensuring charter schools meet statutory accountability standards.

Product overview

The Washington State Charter School Commission is a state government regulatory agency that provides oversight and accountability services for charter public schools in Washington State. The Commission does not offer a commercial product or service in the traditional sense; rather, it exercises statutory authority to authorize, monitor, and ensure compliance of charter public schools through regulatory frameworks including performance frameworks, charter contracts, complaint processes, and regular oversight activities. The Commission oversees 16 charter public schools across Washington State and facilitates public engagement through commission meetings, complaint resolution, and policy administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Commission collaborated with NACSA in developing and refining the charter contract. NACSA provided guidance on best practices for charter school authorizing, contract development, and oversight processes. The current charter contract is the fourth iteration, incorporating feedback and lessons learned from NACSA collaboration.
• Summit Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Charter Management Organization (CMO) operating three authorized schools (Atlas, Olympus, Sierra) in Washington. Schools within CMOs are subject to even higher accountability levels. If one school's charter is revoked, all CMO contracts may be revoked.
• Impact Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Charter Management Organization (CMO) operating four authorized elementary schools (Black River, Commencement Bay, Puget Sound, Salish Sea). Subject to enhanced oversight as part of the CMO structure.
• Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)coreOthersPart of the multi-pronged accountability system. OSPI handles appeals related to discrimination, civil rights, special education, and federal programs. Also provides report cards for all public schools.
• State Auditor's Office (SAO)coreOthersPart of the multi-level system of accountability and oversight for charter schools. Conducts audits of charter public schools.
• State Board of EducationminorOthersAppoints a designee to serve on the Commission. Commissioner Harium Martin-Morris serves as the State Board of Education Designee.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI): Co-regulator within Washington's multi-pronged accountability system (handles appeals, civil rights, federal programs, school report cards) — an adjacent oversight partner rather than a competing authorizer.
• Summit Public Schools (Washington): CMO operating three authorized schools (Atlas, Olympus, Sierra) in Washington under Commission oversight; comparable to a regulated entity rather than a peer authorizer, but operates within the Commission's framework.
• National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA): Industry association whose guidance Washington's Commission used to develop its fourth-iteration charter contract; not a peer regulator but an enabling/standards body that shapes how authorizers like the Commission operate.
• Impact Public Schools: Charter Management Organization authorized by the Commission to operate four elementary schools in Washington; represents the operator side of the authorizing relationship — not a peer regulator but a key stakeholder ecosystem participant.

Direct peers

• Colorado Charter School Institute: Colorado's statewide charter authorizer exercising direct authorization and oversight authority over charter schools — parallel to Washington's exclusive state-level authorization role under statute.
• Indiana Charter School Board: Statewide charter authorizer for Indiana that votes on charter applications, renewals, expansions, and revocations using a public-meeting model — directly comparable to Washington's application rubric, capacity interviews, and public-meeting authorization process.
• Idaho Public Charter School Commission: Idaho's statewide charter school authorizer with a comparable Commission structure (appointed board, statutory authority) and similar scope of authorizing charter schools. Strongest structural analog given similar Western-state scale and statutory framework.
• South Carolina Public Charter School District: South Carolina's state-level charter authorizer with comparable responsibilities for application review, ongoing oversight, and renewal/revocation decisions across an authorized portfolio.
• SUNY Charter Schools Institute (New York): Authorizes and oversees charter schools in New York under statutory authority, using performance frameworks and renewal decisions comparable to those the Washington Commission applies to its 16 schools.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wa-state-charter-school-commission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Washington State Charter School Commission