Charter schools vary widely in their amount of operating autonomy and in the demands they make on districts. The amount of public funding that charter schools receive for operating expenses ranges widely from one district to the next and even within the same district. Private resources are usually necessary for the survival of charter schools. Charter schools often depend heavily on strong, well-connected leaders. Charter schools vary widely in their ability to generate private sources of revenue.
Charter schools exercise considerable control over the type of students they serve.
There are no mechanisms in place for charter schools and regular public schools to learn from one another. Public school educators belief that charter schools have an unfair advantage inhibits competition.