Chapter 7: Interview With Dr. James (“Jim”) Goenner

This chapter features an oral history interview with Dr. James (“Jim”) Goenner, a pioneering leader in Michigan’s charter school movement and a national authority on charter school authorizing. Goenner began his work in 1995 at Central Michigan University (CMU), where he managed the application and authorization process for new charter schools under Michigan’s groundbreaking law. After serving as founding president of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, he returned to CMU in 1998 as executive director of its charter schools office, establishing CMU as the nation’s largest university authorizer and the “gold standard” for quality oversight. Goenner’s contributions extended beyond Michigan through the creation of key institutions, including the National Charter Schools Institute, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, and the Michigan Council for Charter School Authorizers. His leadership accelerated the development of systems and best practices for authorizing, ensuring accountability and sustainability for charter schools nationwide. Inducted into the National Charter Schools Hall of Fame in 2010, Goenner continues to influence policy and practice as president and CEO of the National Charter Schools Institute. This interview underscores his role in shaping the infrastructure that enabled Michigan’s charter sector to thrive and in disseminating authorizing standards that have strengthened the charter school movement across the United States.