California school districts with high charter school penetration and/or large immigrant populations are becoming increasingly more vulnerable to credit pressures. On this month's Charter School Investor podcast, "What Charter School Leadership Looks Like," School Improvement Partnership’s CEO Alan Wohlstetter talks with Fitch Ratings’ U.S. Director of Public Finance Akiko Mitsui. Akiko will tell us what is happening in California’s charter sector and share Fitch's analysis and findings from a report Fitch recently published. She also shares details about Fitch Ratings’ bond rating criteria update, including the introduction of two new rating factors you should know about.

Alan Wohlstetter on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-wohlstetter-279a00aa/⁠SIP on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-improvement-partnership/

Akiko Mitsui on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/akikomitsuiRead Akiko's full report: https://www.fitchratings.com/research/us-public-finance/charter-immigrant-exposures-amplify-pressures-on-ca-school-districts-24-02-2026

On this month's Charter School Investor podcast "What Charter School Leadership Looks Like," School Improvement Partnership’s CEO Alan Wohlstetter talks with HilltopSecurities’ Senior Managing Director and Head of Municipal Credit, Yaffa Rattner. Yaffa recently published Hilltop’s important Charter School Market Update. Yaffa walks us through her report, addressing bond volume, the impact of demographictrends, state credit enhancements and why Hilltop revised its outlook from “stable” to unbalanced. In short, important information that charter school investors and other stakeholders will not want to miss!

https://schoolimprovementpartnership.net/

https://www.hilltopsecurities.com/people/yaffa-rattner/

What does it mean to practice accountability as “an act of love?” On this month's Charter School Investor podcast, "What Charter School Leadership Looks Like," School Improvement Partnership’s CEO Alan Wohlstetter talks with New FoundationsCharter School Executive Director Chris Zagacki. Chris has a background in sports and special education, and has led some of the most successful charter schools in Philadelphia. Tune in and you’ll learn why more than 8,000 students are on New Foundations’ waiting list.

https://schoolimprovementpartnership.net/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-wohlstetter-279a00aa

https://www.newfoundations.org/?start=1&a=2

On this month's Charter School Investor podcast "What Charter School Leadership Looks Like," School Improvement Partnership Founder and CEO Alan Wohlstetter has a conversation with President and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Starlee Coleman. Starlee shares with our listeners her journey to leading the foremost national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. It’s content you don’t want to miss. Watch on YouTube, listen on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this month's Charter School Investor podcast, "What Charter School Leadership Looks Like," School Improvement Partnership Founder and CEO Alan Wohlstetter talks with Michael Gonzalez, the Executive Director of Texas’ Rural Innovation Zone Schools (RSIZ). Mike share how he convinced five individual school boards to hand authority to a charter high school - all in the quest to provide quality Career and Technical training option to kids Deep in the Heart of Texas.

The best part? Mike says his model is replicable and he’s always willing to share his expertise!

School Improvement Partnership

Rural School Innovation Zone

What does it mean to “win the minutes” and “stay true to your hedgehog?” In this month's Charter School Investor podcast "What Charter School Leadership Looks Like," SIP Director of Reporting Services Devante Robinson talks with HIVE Preparatory School Founder and Director Carlos Gonzalez. Carlos was given just nine days to open HIVE. Now, 17 years later, HIVE is so extraordinarily successful, you might not believe it, but you’ll definitely want to hear how he did it! Watch on YouTube, listen on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

School Improvement Partnership: https://schoolimprovementpartnership.net/

Subscribe to SIP's biweekly Charter School Investor Newsletter: https://schoolimprovementpartnership.net/subscribe-to-charter-school-investor/

Devante Robinson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devante-j-robinson/

HIVE Preparatory School: https://hiveprep.com/

Carlos Gonzalez on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-gonzalez-14a903166/

Why is opening a new charter school like landing a plane while it is still being built? On this month's Charter School Investor podcast "What Charter School Leadership Looks Like", SIP Director of Reporting Services Devante Robinson talks with Alliance Education Services COO Justin Matthews on being the first in his family to go to college, overcoming the challenges of starting up a charter school and his unique story of helping charter school leaders succeed.

SIP Website: www.schoolimprovementpartnership.net

Justin Matthews on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-matthews-694b42172/

Alliance Education:

https://allianceedservices.org/

Alan Wohlstetter on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-wohlstetter-279a00aa/⁠

Devante Robinson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devante-j-robinson/

SIP on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-improvement-partnership/

Is teacher retention and student performance an issue at a charter school or CMO you are supporting? Then don't miss this month's Charter School Investor podcast "What Charter School Leadership Looks Like", when School Improvement Partnership President Alan Wohlstetter compares notes with Lindsey Fuller, Executive Director of The Teaching Well.

Lindsey spent a number of years at a large charter management organization, and now runs this national nonprofit founded by and for educators to transform schools from burnout to sustainability. Their mission is to disrupt educator burnout, promote mental health, and build sustainable school environments where both educators and students thrive.

The Teaching Well: ⁠⁠https://www.theteachingwell.org/

Lindsey Fuller on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseynfuller

SIP Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.schoolimprovementpartnership.net⁠⁠⁠⁠

Alan Wohlstetter on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-wohlstetter-279a00aa/⁠⁠⁠⁠

SIP on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-improvement-partnership/⁠⁠