Institute Newsletter for November 13, 2025

Dear Colleague:

One of the defining characteristics of SUNY’s charter portfolio is the ability of our authorized schools to build a culture that reflects and supports the communities being served. This encompasses not only the neighborhood schools reside in, but also the types of learners, including students from economically disadvantaged households, those with disabilities (SwDs), and English Language Learners (ELLs).

SUNY charters, from independent community-based schools to large, multi-school education corporations, are using a variety of thoughtful and creative strategies to successfully enroll and retain these special populations. Some common threads emerge when reviewing the data.

For one, charter leaders are centering their schools in the community. They build partnerships with local organizations, churches, and early childhood centers; host open houses and family events; and maintain a visible presence at community fairs and cultural celebrations. These schools understand that recruitment starts with building trust with local families.

SUNY charters are also prioritizing inclusivity, using bilingual materials and a multilingual website to recruit to families of English Language learners and offering translation services at every step to ensure all families feel welcome and informed. Many are also highlighting their robust special education services to help reinforce their school’s ability to provide every child with a pathway to success.

Retention efforts are building on these foundations. Schools leverage data-driven approaches, including family satisfaction surveys and exit interviews, to better understand why families stay or leave. The most successful schools use this data to make changes and impactful improvements to build higher levels family engagement, which can lead to higher student retention.

Over the coming months, the Institute will reach out to several SUNY schools that have been successful in meeting their enrollment and retention goals to offer opportunities to share and highlight their practices with the broader charter community. In the meantime, I encourage you to share your school’s strategies and successes – not only with the Institute but with your peers. Together, we can continue to learn from one another and strengthen our shared commitment to ensuring every student finds a school they can truly call home.

Kathryn