New Schools for Alabama

This is what mission in motion looks like. Every meeting, visit, and partnership is part of the larger work of helping more students in Alabama access strong public school options. It may look simple in a photo, but the impact reaches much further.

📸: Tyler Barnett, NSFA, Sekou Biddle, UNCF, Dorsey Hopson, City Fund

NSFA is looking for a Founding School Leader in the Greater Birmingham area.

We are looking for someone with strong leadership, instructional vision, team-building experience, and the ability to engage families and community partners well.

The ideal candidate will bring:

✅ experience building and leading strong teams
✅ strong instructional leadership and academic planning skills
✅ the ability to shape culture and guide school operations
✅ excellent communication and relationship-building skills
✅ a deep commitment to expanding quality education options for students

If that sounds like you, we encourage you to apply.

This work is about people!

For Gail Smitherman, Senior Accountant at NSFA, the mission is deeply connected to the teachers, students, and school leaders who make strong schools possible every day.

“I do this work because of the love I have for teachers for the job they do, and my love for students who deserve a chance to be successful and supported. I also love the school leaders as they lead teachers and students to be the best they can be.” - Gail Smitherman

That heart for people is a powerful part of this work. It is about supporting the educators who pour into students, honoring the leaders who guide school communities, and helping to create the conditions in which students have the support and opportunity they need to succeed.

Today is Memorial Day. We honor and remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

May we never take their sacrifice for granted. Holding their families in our hearts today, with gratitude and respect.

Not every part of NSFA's mission happens in the spotlight, but every part of it matters.

For Michelle Locke, Finance Director, this work is about making sure the mission is supported with care, wisdom, and long-term impact.

“I do this work because I care about making a meaningful impact, and I know wise stewardship helps that impact last. At NSFA, I get to support the mission behind the scenes, helping ensure resources are used well so people can grow, succeed, and thrive.” - Michelle Locke

That is a powerful reminder that strong mission-driven work depends on thoughtful stewardship, too. Behind every program, partnership, and opportunity is the work of ensuring resources are aligned and used wisely, and of helping create lasting impact for students and communities across Alabama.

We’re hiring a Founding School Leader in the Greater Birmingham area.

This is more than a job. It is an opportunity to help build a new public charter school designed to serve students and families well from day one.

We are looking for a strong leader with vision, heart, and the ability to lead key parts of school launch and development, including:

✅ Building and leading a strong team
✅ Designing the charter application and school model
✅ Shaping school culture and academic direction
✅ Overseeing staffing, curriculum, and school operations
✅ Engaging families and building community partnerships
✅ Helping create a school built for long-term success

If you believe every child deserves access to a high-quality public education, this role may be for you.

What the data shows:

Here is one of the clearest takeaways from the 2025 academic proficiency data: 10 of 13 Alabama public charter LEAs (Local Education Agencies) outperformed their local district in ELA.

That matters because literacy is foundational to student success across every subject area. These results show that strong public charter school options are making a meaningful difference for students and families across Alabama.

👏🏽👏🏽Congratulations to Alabama’s 1st charter school, ACCEL Academy!! !

Alabama's first public charter school held its commencement ceremony for the largest graduating class in the school's history: https://www.wkrg.com/news/education/accel-academy-holds-commencement-ceremony-for-largest-graduating-class-in-school-history/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WKRG

NSFA Board Member Spotlight: Carol Butler

We’re proud to spotlight Carol Butler, Executive Director of the Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation and a valued member of the New Schools for Alabama board.

“I’ve spent much of my adult life working on different ways to improve educational outcomes for kids in our state,” Carol shared.

She believes high-quality public charter schools matter because “all children” deserve the best education possible, and “charter schools represent one avenue to that goal.”

What excites her most about NSFA’s work is its focus on increasing access to more high-quality charter school seats across Alabama. At NSFA, we work to support the growth of strong public charter schools so more students and families can access high-quality learning environments. We are grateful for Carol’s leadership and commitment to this mission.

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