That theme came through loud and clear at the Charter Schools USA Summit August 9 in Orlando, Florida, where I had the honor of presenting the pioneering charter school story. Imagine 3,500 educators sitting by school at tables in a gigantic conference exhibit hall in Orlando. Imagine them being connected by television simulcast with 500 more educators in Chicago.

Click here for a radio “call-in” show about Zero Chance of Passage that took place on Baltimore public radio July 29 hosted by Anthony McCarthy.

This week I received a handwritten letter from the Hon. John Banks, Associate Minister of Education in New Zealand, who is also a member of Parliament. Last month I sent him a copy of my book, Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story because the New Zealand Parliament passed chartered schools legislation in June.

As a Duke Law graduate, I always love returning to North Carolina, where I had the chance to keynote the North Carolina Charter Schools Conference on July 15-16, 2013 in Greensboro, hosted by the North Carolina Public Charter Schools Association. Entitled “Crowning our Educators!” this well-attended conference illustrated the vibrant new chartering sector in North Carolina with 130 charters opening in the fall of 2013 and at least 25 more already approved for 2014.

Our nation’s capitol was the site of the 2013 National Charter Schools Conference which ended just before the fireworks burst into air. For me, the highlight is always networking with charter school friends from around the nation.

I must admit I didn’t know much about Pitbull, the international superstar musician also known as Mr. Worldwide and Mr. 305. But the audience of the National Charter Schools Conference in Washington DC sure did! And I was smitten by his heartfelt speech and his personal story of how his family fled Cuba where “parents were denied the freedom to decide where and how to educate their children.”

I just spent a fascinating weekend June 28-29 in Chicago with librarians from all over the country! My book, Zero Chance of Passage, was featured in the exhibit and catalog of the Independent Book Publishers Association at the Show, and I’m told that the catalog was a popular item. I was also pleased with my conversations with librarians of higher education institutions that offer education degrees.

There’s a LOT working in Utah’s charter schools. What a pleasure to keynote the state conference of the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools on June 17 in beautiful Provo Utah, where the mountains seem to kiss the center city buildings. I am grateful to Conrad Freeman, Andrew Larsen and Jim Tustison with Zions Bank who sponsored my keynote address and assured that every conference attendee could leave with a signed copy of Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story.

Today I had the pleasure of recording an interview with Cyrus Webb of www.blogtalkradio.com about Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story.

A short flight took me to Reno, to keynote the 2nd annual Charter School Association of Nevada Conference June 19. This state association is young, with great potential for growth in the future. In fact, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools reported that Clark County, Nevada (Las Vegas) was ranked the #1 community in charter school growth potential.

One of my education heroes who inspired my work in chartering is Seymour (Sy) Fliegel, who was leading dramatic changes in the East Harlem schools in the 1970s and 80s. He came to Minnesota to share his experience at the 1988 Itasca Conference on education reform, where I first learned about chartered schools. You can imagine how special it was to have Sy accompany me to the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards presentation at the Harvard Club in New York, where Zero Chance of Passage was named Third Grand Prize Winner for Nonfiction Books.

Dear Zero Chance of Passage Team:

Because each of you was personally involved in some way, I’m especially pleased to share with you that my book, Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story, was named Third Grand Prize Winner for Nonfiction Books in the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards on May 29, in New York City.

What fun to be part of the St. Olaf College Alumni Author Signing outside the St. Olaf Bookstore on June 1, during Alumni Reunion Weekend. Ten Ole authors ranging from the classes of 1953 to 2003 visited with alumni.

Will you be around St. Olaf College during Alumni Weekend, today through June 2? If so, I invite you to join me at a special alumni signing for my book, Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story outside the St. Olaf Bookstore in Buntrock Commons on Saturday, June 1, 2013 from 9-11 a.m.

Last night wasn’t just a book discussion. It was an emotional coming-home party with my long-time fellow members and supporters from the Crystal, New Hope, East Plymouth League of Women Voters, organized by Gini Hickman, Lois Wendt, and New  Hope Mayor Kathi Hemken. The League chose my book, Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story, for a group discussion–did that ever make my heart sing!

What a privilege to be part of such a successful Wisconsin Advocacy Day! In contrast to Maine, Wisconsin passed a charter school law 20 years ago, but it is weak, and does not allow autonomy for true chartering. Wisconsin charter supporters are on a mission to strengthen that law and they have a good chance to do just that this year!

President Barack Obama declared May 5-11, 2013 National Charter Schools Week, calling chartered schools “learning laboratories (that) give educators the chance to try new models and methods that can encourage educational excellence in the classroom.” That is indeed happening in Maine and Wisconsin where I traveled that week.

Zero Chance of Passage:  The Pioneering Charter School Story  was a top award winner at the May 8, 2013 Midwest Book Awards in Bloomington, Minnesota, winning the Current Events/Political Science Division, the Education/Learning Division, and for Total Book Design.  The book was also honored as a finalist in two other categories:  Autobiography/Memoir and History.

After spending hundreds of hours studying in the library “stacks” as a law student at Duke University Law School in Durham, North Carolina, I never dreamed I would return as an alumni author 36 years after graduation in 1977.   What an honor to return to campus to speak, just in time for Alumni Weekend.  My message for law students of today? 

I was delighted to learn today that Zero Chance of Passage, The Pioneering Charter School Story won several top awards in the 2012 Reader Views Reviewers Choice Awards.