March 2026 FCI Connect | Replication with Purpose
Welcome to FCI Connect
From the desk of our Executive Director
Miami Dade College authorized its first cohort of public charter schools — six schools, each a replication of an already high-performing charter operating in Miami-Dade and elsewhere in Florida. Each school brought its own mission and model, but all shared the unmistakable signs of quality: academic plans anchored in student outcomes, strong compliance, leadership teams with the skills, knowledge, and demonstrated capacity to open a school instead of merely talk about doing it, and financial plans rooted in discipline, not hope and wishes. These were not vague concepts with a glossy cover sheet. They were serious schools prepared for the serious work of serving children and families.
That is what quality authorizing is supposed to do. It is about identifying schools ready to carry the full weight of public responsibility from day one and creating the kind of environment where great schools take root and thrive.
A good authorizer is, in many ways, a venture bureaucrat — someone charged with protecting the public trust while also making room for excellence to grow. The work requires backbone, judgment, and the good sense to know that accountability and innovation are not enemies. They are partners. Great authorizing does not smother promising schools in red tape, and it does not wave through weak ones with crossed fingers. It clears the ground, sets the bar, and insists on quality.
FCI’s Authorizing Division, a team of seasoned charter professionals with deep expertise in governance, finance, school operations, curriculum, and compliance, deserves enormous credit. They approached each proposal with rigor, discernment, and a healthy respect for both Florida statute and the stakes. Their work ensured that recommendations reflected not just legal sufficiency, but the higher standard that matters most: whether a school is truly built to succeed and has the people in place to build that success.
I am deeply grateful for the professionalism, care, and sharp judgment that shaped this process. An authorizer’s job is not to admire promising ideas from a safe distance. It is to create the conditions where excellent schools can open strong, grow well, and deliver on their promise to students. This first cohort of MDC charter schools reflects exactly that kind of shared commitment.
To quality.
Warm regards,
Susie
Featured Article: Miami Dade College Authorizes First Cohort of Charter Schools
Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Board of Trustees has voted to authorize its first cohort of public charter schools, marking a historic milestone for both the College and the Florida Charter Institute (FCI), which manages the authorization process on MDC’s behalf.
The newly authorized schools include:
- SLAM! Innovation Charter Middle School
- SLAM! Innovation Charter High School
- Doral Collegiate Academies K-5
- Doral Collegiate Academies 6-8
- Doral Collegiate Academies 9-12
- CIVICA Career and Collegiate Academy Homestead
Authorization followed a rigorous, multi-stage review process led by FCI’s Authorizing Division in accordance with Florida’s Principles and Standards for Quality Charter School Authorizing. As part of this process, applications were evaluated for statutory and Request for Applications (RFA) requirements using state-recommended forms, evaluation rubrics, and review protocols to ensure fairness, consistency, and transparency.
Applicants who met initial quality thresholds participated in capacity interviews designed to assess operational readiness, instructional planning, governance structures, and organizational leadership. Applications were then reviewed by teams of FCI staff and external subject-matter experts with experience in governance, finance, curriculum, operations, and compliance to support objective, evidence-based evaluations.
Following this review, recommendations were advanced through MDC’s charter advisory committee for consideration and final ratification by the Board of Trustees.
This milestone reflects the vision and leadership of Board Chair Michael Bileca and the continued support of MDC President Madeline Pumariega in advancing the College’s commitment to innovative, accountable public education. It also represents the extensive work of FCI and the Application Review Commission, whose thorough evaluation process helped ensure that each school meets the standards necessary to effectively serve students and communities.
As FCI continues to build its authorizing portfolio on behalf of higher education institution authorizers, this first cohort represents an important step in promoting academic excellence, innovation, and expanded access to high-quality public charter schools throughout the region.
Building Community and Providing Support
FCI Cohort Meetings bring together charter school leaders with shared roles or school models to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another. These gatherings provide opportunities for peer discussion, practical insights from experts, and meaningful conversations that support strong schools and student success.
Conversion Charter School Meeting
Tuesday, April 28 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The Florida Charter Institute is hosting a Conversion Charter School Meeting for professional
development and networking with like-minded leaders navigating similar challenges.
Location:
44440 Spring Creek Rd
Paisley, FL, 32767
North Florida Regional Cohort Meeting
Friday, April 24 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The North Florida Regional Cohort meeting will be bringing together charter school leaders to build connections and discuss timely issues impacting charter schools.
Location:
Resilience Charter School
1717-A NE 9th St
Gainesville, FL, 32609
Now Streaming
FCI Podcast “Great Leaders = Great Schools” Releases New Episode
In this episode, Jessica Chapman of the Florida Charter Institute sits down with Patricia Pagozalski and Ahmet Akyurek from Tallahassee School of Math and Science (TSMS), a standout example of excellence in Florida’s Charter Schools.
Hear their stories, leadership insights, and practical strategies that show how connection drives innovation and excellence in charter schools.
Listen now:
Introducing FCI Rewind: Now Streaming Our Library of Resources
The Florida Charter Institute is excited to launch FCI Rewind, a new podcast that brings some of our most valuable webinars and conference sessions back to life in an easy-to-listen format.
FCI Rewind revisits these discussions and makes them accessible wherever you are—whether you’re commuting, walking between meetings, or preparing for the day ahead.
Tune in to FCI Rewind and take FCI with you.
The Latest News From the FCI Team
Florida Charter Institute’s Policy Fellow Thibaut Delloue was recently featured in Florida Today with the opinion article, “Indiana’s Bold School Overhaul Could Reshape Florida’s Future.”
In the piece, Thibaut explores how Indiana’s new education governance model could offer lessons for Florida as the state continues to navigate an evolving public education landscape that includes both district and charter schools.
Read the full article here
Proven methods for mastery in teaching and leading
Delve into our curated articles designed to enhance and support best practices in the dynamic world of charter school education, brought to you by the Florida Charter Institute’s Paul Powell and Kathryn Perkins.
Read the latest blog post here
Help Inform FCI’s Latest Research
The Florida Charter Institute is currently conducting a research project examining how IDEA Part B funds are distributed to charter schools by sponsoring school districts in accordance with federal law.
To support this effort, we are inviting charter school leaders and finance professionals to pilot a brief 5 to 10-minute survey to inform FCI’s ongoing policy research on equitable funding for charter schools.
Your participation will help provide early insights that guide future research and policy conversations across Florida’s charter school community.
As an early participant, we also welcome your feedback on the survey. Please feel free to share comments with FCI Policy Fellow Thibaut Delloue at tdelloue@flcharterinstitute.org.
Take the survey linked here
Upcoming Programming
March 26, 2026
Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Leaders Meeting | Open to Florida leaders
This statewide convening of Exceptional Student Education (ESE) leaders will be centered on collaboration, shared learning, and practical problem-solving to strengthen support for students with disabilities across Florida charter schools. The meeting will be an interactive, working session where leaders can connect with colleagues from across the state, exchange ideas, and engage in meaningful dialogue around compliance, service delivery, staffing, and improving student outcomes.
March 30, 2026
LeveragED Foundation | LaunchPad Leadership Development Program
We’re proud to partner with LeveragED Foundation to bring Launchpad, a leadership development program designed to support education leaders in creating and sustaining innovative school models while growing their leadership capacity, to Florida. Interested in growing your leadership practice alongside a powerful network of changemakers? Join us for an upcoming information webinar to learn more about the next Launchpad cohort and the application process.
March 31, 2026
FCI Webinar | One Lesson, Many Learners: What Does “Differentiation” Truly Mean?
In this 45-minute webinar, educators and school leaders will explore practical strategies for designing flexible lessons and practices that enhance communication and participation while providing multiple entry points for students with varied learning needs. Participants will examine how communication supports embedded in core instruction and classroom routines can strengthen differentiation, inclusion, and IEP implementation. The session will also demonstrate how ready-made, interactive instructional materials and tools for enhancing existing lessons can help teachers differentiate efficiently without sacrificing rigor or time.
April 21, 2026
FCI Webinar | Medicaid School-Based Services for Charter Schools: A Guided Walkthrough with the Florida Department of Education
During this session, Nanci English, Medicaid School-Based Services (SBS) Project Consultant with the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Services, will provide a guided walkthrough of the Medicaid SBS website and explain the key steps for enrollment, implementation, and program readiness. Participants will gain practical insights into how the program works, where to find important resources, and how charter schools can prepare to participate. The session will also include time for questions.
April 22, 2026
Operations Leadership Workshop
This one-day workshop, designed for COOs, Directors of Operations, Project Managers, Office Managers, and anyone supporting school operations, will immerse participants in best practices for creating and implementing standard operating procedures. High-performing schools are almost all operationally excellent. However, leaders are rarely trained in the skills needed to balance enrolling students, running food service and transportation, maintaining facilities, overseeing information technology, and managing so many other operational responsibilities.
April 24, 2026
North Florida Regional Charter School Cohort Meeting
The Florida Charter Institute invites charter school leaders from across North Florida to join us for a North Florida Regional Cohort Meeting. This gathering will bring together school leaders to build connections, share best practices, and discuss timely issues impacting charter schools across the region. The session will focus on collaboration, problem-solving, and strengthening the network of charter leaders serving students in North Florida.
April 28, 2026
Conversion Charter Cohort Meeting
The Florida Charter Institute invites leaders from Florida’s conversion charter schools to join us for a Conversion Charter Cohort Meeting at Spring Creek Charter School, the first conversion charter school in Florida. This gathering will bring together leaders of conversion charter schools to share insights, discuss challenges unique to the conversion model, and exchange best practices for sustaining strong school communities. The session will focus on collaboration, problem-solving, and strengthening the network of conversion charter school leaders across Florida.
May 1 – 2, 2026
2026 Florida Summit of Classical Education
The Florida Classical Education Summit is a premier gathering uniting K-12 and higher education leaders to advance classical education from kindergarten through graduate school.
June 5, 2026
Back to School Compliance and Planning Meeting
Preparing for the upcoming school year while balancing compliance, operational tasks, instructional fidelity, and accountability requirements.
June 9 –11, 2026
Leading for Learning: The Power of Studying Student Work Instructional Leadership Workshop (Miami)
This three-day workshop, designed for principals, deans of instruction/curriculum, and instructional coaches, will immerse participants in a coaching model that ensures student learning lives at the forefront of instructional coaching and decision making.
June 16 – June 18, 2026
Leading for Learning: The Power of Studying Student Work Instructional Leadership Workshop (Orlando)
This three-day workshop, designed for principals, deans of instruction/curriculum, and instructional coaches, will immerse participants in a coaching model that ensures student learning lives at the forefront of instructional coaching and decision making.
July 28, 2026
Foundations of Classroom Management and Engagement with Teach Like a Champion Workshop
This practice-intensive workshop will focus on high-impact behavioral and engagement techniques that enable joy and academic achievement.
July 29 – 30, 2026
Science of Deeper Learning: Checking for Understanding with Teach Like A Champion Workshop
Teach Like a Champion will offer two sessions across three workshop days running from Tuesday, July 28 to Thursday, July 30. Participants can attend one or both sessions. The Wednesday and Thursday Workshops will focus on instructional best practice, with more coming as the event approaches.
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FCI Connect is the monthly newsletter from the Florida Charter Institute. FCI’s mission is to serve as Florida’s premier hub for charter excellence and insight by providing research-based best practices, resources, and support. FCI is powered by Miami Dade College and authorized in Florida statute.
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