Dear Public Charter Schools Supporter:

On behalf of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, we hope you will join us for the 10th National Charter Schools Conference which will be held June 28 - July 1, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.

Each year, the National Charter Schools Conference provides the sole opportunity for the entire movement to gather – leaders, teachers, and board members of charter schools; authorizers and legislators; and supporters in business and philanthropy. Our 2010 theme is "Innovators in Education: Leading the Race to the Top" -- chosen because the charter school sector is truly at the cutting edge of education reform. Now serving more than 1.5 million students in 4,900 schools, public charter schools provide outstanding examples of innovation and quality. The National Charter Schools Conference is a time to recognize these achievements while rededicating ourselves to pushing toward even higher goals. With states scrambling to create far-reaching Race to the Top plans, and teams of educators hoping to scale their innovations, we are putting out a big welcome mat so all can see what innovative charter schools can offer.

The conference will be divided into eleven strands including Law and Policy; Finance; the role of Charter Support Organizations; Quality Innovation, Student Achievement; and Governance. We're inviting the industry's most distinguished policy gurus, practitioners, advocates, and school representatives to join us - so stay tuned this site for news of sessions and speakers.

Growing from a single school 17 years ago, the public charter school movement is a testament to the dedication and skill of thousands of teachers, leaders, trustees, and those in the wider community who make their work possible. Our national conference is a time to share what we know, learn from one another and celebrate our successes.

Join us! Chicago's the place to be in June 2010.

Nelson Smith
President and CEO