Anastasia Hawkins is the Deputy Director of BASIS Charter Schools, Inc. (“BCSI”), where she works closely with DeAnna Rowe, a seasoned charter school teacher, authorizer, operator and advocate, to support the growth and success of the BASIS Charter Schools network. BCSI is the nonprofit charter holder of BASIS Charter Schools nationwide, including 23 schools across Arizona, as well as schools in Washington, D.C., Louisiana, Texas, and an affiliated school in Arkansas. In her role, Anastasia helps guide the network’s strategic planning and operational goals, ensuring the organization meets both regulatory and academic standards across all jurisdictions.
Before joining BCSI, Anastasia spent more than a decade in Charter School Compliance after graduating law school in 2013, gaining extensive experience on both the Charter Management Organization (“CMO”) side and the Charter Authorizing side. Her work in this field has provided her with a unique and valuable perspective on the complex requirements of charter school compliance, as well as the heightened expectations and challenges faced by charter schools, particularly in light of charter school legislation and common misconceptions about charter schools within the broader community.
The landscape of charter school compliance is multifaceted. Charter schools must navigate state and federal laws, charter agreements, and often a range of local regulations. These requirements include ensuring transparency in governance, tracking student data, meeting financial accountability standards, and adhering to reporting protocols. As charter schools operate with a degree of autonomy that traditional public schools may not have, they are also subject to heightened scrutiny from authorizers, state departments of education, and the public. This can make compliance work especially challenging, as charter schools must strike a balance between innovation and regulatory adherence.
Anastasia’s career has been defined by a deep commitment to fostering practices that empower charter schools to fulfill their educational mission while minimizing legal risk. Her work has focused on the development of policies and procedures that improve compliance tracking and reporting, while also innovating methods for the effective implementation of compliance protocols. By doing so, she has ensured that school leaders and staff within the BASIS Charter Schools Network can focus on delivering excellent academic outcomes for students, knowing that compliance needs are being met. Anastasia has also developed training programs that equip school leaders with the tools to identify compliance challenges early and address them proactively, all while receiving the necessary support when needed.
Her expertise in compliance has expanded beyond simply adhering to regulations, encompassing governance structure and strategic planning aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability for charter schools. Anastasia’s approach emphasizes transparent governance practices that not only meet the standards set by various authorizers, regulations, legislation and requirements, but also help foster the growth of schools in a rapidly evolving educational landscape. Her work spans across multiple jurisdictions, including Arizona, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Louisiana, and Texas, giving her a broad understanding of the varied regulatory and operational landscapes in which BASIS Charter Schools operate.
Charter school compliance work continues to be vital to the success of the BASIS Charter Schools network as it helps steer the organization toward achieving its mission of academic excellence. Through her expertise in charter school compliance, governance, and strategic planning, she plays an integral role in supporting the organization’s long-term goals and ensuring that all students within the network receive the high-quality education they deserve.
Outside of work, Anastasia is a mother to a very rambunctious two-year-old boy and loves to spend her weekends with her husband and son, taking him to parks and splash pads around Phoenix as well as frequent trips to Tucson to see their extended families.
About BASIS Charter Schools, Inc.(“BCSI”): Established in 1998, BASIS Charter Schools, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation whose operations are governed by a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, led by retired Chairman of the Board at Intel Corporation, Dr. Craig Barrett, oversees all operations of the corporation including the operations of its charter schools. BASIS Charter Schools are the #1 tuition-free, public schools offering rigorous college-preparatory curriculum for grades K-12 in Arizona, Louisiana, Washington, DC and Texas.
Learn more at: https://enrollbasis.com/find-a-school/