Given that the seats may all be filled from eligible applicants in the town in which the charter school is located, however, town boundaries may ultimately limit a school s potential diversity. For any school that will operate on a 24-hour basis, housing its students in dormitories, enrollment limitations based on the number of available beds for boys and girls may be permitted as a selection criterion. The law has long recognized bona fide qualifications for certain circumstances involving intimate personal privacy, such as would be required by young adolescents living in dormitory accommodations. It must be noted, however, that parity of opportunity is required, even if that means structural accommodation. Lack of physical facilities to house one sex or the other cannot be used to justify inequitable access for either boys or girls.
All charter schools place a high priority on family involvement.
Close collaboration between families and the school is characteristic of charter schools. More than three decades of social science research have established a strong connection between family involvement and children s social and academic success. Children do better when their families are involved in their education and their schools. In addition, extensive research has shown that a family s attitude toward involvement and the level of participation can change. Those who have not previously been involved with the schools will increase their involvement if the school is welcoming and if there are many options for participation.