About Florida Charter Institute (FCI)

FCI consists of four core divisions that focus on educating, supporting, authorizing, and providing research on high-quality charter school practices.

FCI Support

FCI’s Support Division provides charter school operators with free technical assistance, professional learning, and resources to promote operational excellence. Building on support efforts that began in 2012, the division has helped charter schools create and sustain well-run, high-achieving learning environments across Florida by offering:

  • Professional Development: Webinars, leadership podcasts, online learning courses, newsletters, and cohort collaborative sessions.
  • Boards & Governance: Recruitment and training, conferences, presentations, and strategic planning guidance.
  • School operations: Resources and document library, budget templates, policy manuals, and legal handbooks.
  • Planning & Launching: Training on charter applications and launch year strategies, cohort collaborative sessions, and best practices for new operators.
  • Community Engagement: Organize events that bring together charter school sponsors, operators, students, and parents to address important issues.
  • Authorizing Support: Develop training and resources for Florida’s authorizers to ensure all charter schools are effective and high-quality.
  • College Support: Work with colleges and universities considering becoming authorizers to develop strong support systems, assisting them in authorizing schools effectively within their service areas.

 

FCI Educate

  • FCI is dedicated to enhancing research-backed, clinically-proven educational practices within charter schools. Our comprehensive initiatives aim to foster an environment that champions learning, leadership, and continuous growth through the following:.

    • Offering workshops tailored for teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders to equip them with the most effective teaching practices and methodologies.
    • Collaborating with experts to refine and disseminate research-based best practices.
    • Evaluating the impact of these practices to confirm they offer continual support.
    • Actively soliciting feedback from charter educators to address their most pressing needs.
    • Investing in and celebrating charter teachers and leaders through Fellowship programming, an application-based progression of development sessions designed to strengthen standout leaders and raise the ceiling for leadership statewide.

FCI Research

  • Research Division

 

FCI Authorize

FCI’s Authorizing Division leads charter application review and oversight on behalf of higher education institution authorizers, including Miami Dade College, in accordance with Florida’s Principles and Standards for Quality Charter School Authorizing. The division ensures a fair, consistent, and transparent process through the following responsibilities:

  • Application Review: Evaluates all charter applications for RFP and statutory compliance using state-recommended forms, evaluation rubrics, and review protocols. Supplemental information is requested when needed to clarify capacity or strengthen the quality of the review.
  • Capacity Interviews: Conducts in-depth interviews with applicant groups that meet initial quality thresholds to assess operational readiness, instructional planning, and organizational leadership.
  • Expert Analysis: Draws on staff expertise in governance, finance, curriculum, operations, and compliance—and engages external specialists when appropriate—to ensure rigorous, objective evaluations.

Families

FCI serves as a trusted guide for families exploring charter school options in Florida. As the state’s premier resource hub for charter schools, FCI is dedicated to helping families understand their choices, identify the right fit, and navigate the enrollment process with confidence.

Through the Families Page, FCI offers:

  • Clear explanations about what charter schools are, how they operate, and the benefits they can provide.
  • Easy-to-use search tools and resources to explore schools by location, grade levels, programs, and unique offerings.
  • Special education support through Exceptional Student Education (ESE) spotlights, highlighting schools that excel in serving students with disabilities and other unique learning needs.
  • Practical tips and key questions to ask when evaluating school options.