About Us

Mission

The MN Association of Charter Schools, as a membership organization, advocates for fair and just education policies for students in charter schools, supports charter school innovation, quality and accountability, and facilitates cooperation in Minnesota’s charter school community to promote equitable opportunities and excellence in education for students.

Our Vision

We envision a public education community in Minnesota where:

• Chartered public schools are places that challenge the intellect, embolden the human spirit, recognize the distinctive and diverse needs of students, celebrate the dignity of every individual learner, and further democracy, equity, and justice in our society.
  
  
• Chartered public schools are a quality choice of parents and young people, and are recognized by people throughout Minnesota, the nation and world as valuable, innovative, accountable, and learner-focused public schools of opportunity, and choice.
  
  
• Chartered public schools are places where academic, social-emotional development, and personal achievement are enhanced by living out the guiding principles of providing: safe learning environments, quality learning  experiences, excellence in teaching, transparent accountability, and school choice.
  
  
• Chartered public schools are locally designed, community-based, and democratically governed by educators, parents, and community members who are empowered to establish local outcomes, oversee operations, disseminate innovations, and ensure accountability.
• Chartered public schools are leaders in incubating, developing, implementing, documenting, and disseminating new, creative, and innovative teaching methods, learning formats, accountability measures,  and professional opportunities for educators.
   
• Chartered public schools are recognized as setting the “standard” for effective organizational performance, educational governance, financial integrity, partnership sustainability, and measurable learner outcomes.

Our History

The Minnesota Association of Charter Schools [MACS] was formed by charter school leaders in 1995 and formally incorporated as a Minnesota 501(c)3 nonprofit membership organization in 1998. Membership in the Association is open to charter schools, authorizers, and individuals who support the charter school movement.

Our Logo

Our logo represents something that is a common tool in education – A BOOK looked at from a different perspective.

Normally, we look at a book from its side as it sits on a shelf, or from its front (cover) as it lays on a table. Our logo looks at a book from the bottom up as the pages are being opened. Looking at a book from the bottom up is a different perspective than we normally look at books.

Likewise – chartered public schools are supposed to be about looking at public education from a different perspective than the conventions that have bound and continue to bind public education.

So, our logo and tagline “Unleashing Education from Convention” are designed and meant to remind us of the fundamental concept that chartered public schools are to look at public education from a new, different, and innovative, perspectives.