Uplift Education CEO Yasmin Bhatia to Step Down After 16 Years
Yasmin Bhatia, CEO of Uplift Education, will step down in December after 16 years leading the largest network of free, public charter schools in North Texas.
Bhatia, who announced her upcoming retirement at the school’s annual convocation for faculty and staff Thursday at the Texas Trust CU Theatre, will be succeeded by Uplift President Remy Washington.
Under Bhatia’s leadership, the 29-year-old charter network saw immense growth. It bolstered enrollment from 3,500 in 2009 to over 23,000 today, earned national recognition for academic achievement and established a health care high school in partnership with Baylor Scott & White Health. Uplift has 45 schools across Dallas and Tarrant counties.
Washington, who has served as president since 2021, will step into the CEO role as Uplift faces headwinds, including a funding gap between charter and traditional school districts, and increased competition as more charter schools open.
Background and Achievements
Bhatia, 49, came to Uplift in 2009 with a vision to scale the organization, which serves students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, across North Texas. A majority of Uplift’s students come from low-income families and are the first in their families to go to college.
A “total non-traditional hire,” Bhatia was a consultant at McKinsey & Company with no experience in education systems. She was drawn to the school’s commitment to ensuring every child, regardless of background, could go to college and achieve economic mobility — and knew she could draw on her skills from McKinsey to amplify that mission.
Yasmin Bhatia, CEO of Uplift Education, gives out the Top Hat Awards during a convocation on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.
Bhatia focused on growing the school’s signature Road to College & Career program, which provides students with support through their college years. Uplift now boasts a 100% acceptance rate for its graduating seniors. Alumni make $20,000 more on average compared to their Dallas County peers, according to data from the Texas Education Agency.
Challenges and Future Plans
The most challenging part of leading Uplift is maintaining growth with shrinking funds, Bhatia said. That’s why, after her retirement in December, Bhatia will take a volunteer position guiding Uplift through its first endowment campaign.
Charter schools receive around $1,600 fewer overall dollars per student compared to traditional school districts. Traditional district schools and charter schools are both funded based on average daily attendance of students. But while district schools also receive funds from local tax revenue, charter schools do not, driving that per-student funding gap.
Legislation passed this year funneled more money to charter schools, reducing the per-student gap by $200, but it’s not enough, Bhatia said.
Members of Uplift Hampton Primary Choir perform during Uplift Education convocation, on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.
Washington, 45, said she aims to build on Bhatia’s momentum by emphasizing career pathways for Uplift’s students when she takes the reins in January.
New Leadership and Initiatives
Formerly a math teacher and school administrator in Chicago, Washington came to Uplift in 2013 as a campus director. She held multiple leadership positions, including managing director and chief academic officer, before becoming president.
She plans to invest more heavily in Uplift’s new teachers, thanks to lawmakers’ recent investment in teacher recruitment, retention and preparation. She also aims to close gaps in math achievement, an area that was slow to bounce back after the pandemic.
