Jack McCarthy  
Co-Founder & Managing Director, AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation

William J. "Jack" McCarthy is Co-Founder and Managing Director of the AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation ("ATI") in Washington, DC.

During the past twelve years, Jack participated directly in the creation of seven charter schools in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. Together those schools currently serve 4,718 students from preschool through high school with total combined budgets of $30 million.

Jack is a native of Massachusetts, attended public schools and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from The American University of Washington, DC. He chairs the board of the AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School (Washington, DC) and serves on the boards of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association and the Marstons Mills East Charter Public School (Barnstable, MA). He has written articles and op-eds on charter schools, school reform and district-wide improvement.

As one of the first advocates for DC public charter schools in 1996, Jack helped to establish a strong foundation for the grassroots movement that serves 1 out of every 5 public school students today. Using social entrepreneurship strategies, ATI developed the nation's first charter schools incubator combining surplus federal space at Waterside Mall with community development block grant funds to provide affordable, accessible classroom space for new schools to grow in.

Since 2000, Jack and ATI have concentrated on developing an early language and literacy preschool model aimed at closing the achievement gap in at-risk students before it opens. AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School serves three and four-year old children and provides them with the requisite background knowledge and pre-reading skills to help them enter kindergarten ready to learn.

Jack is leading ATI and AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School's efforts to expand the school horizontally through partnerships with community development corporations, public and private schools; and other community partners in Washington, DC.

Articles by Jack McCarthy: (1)