They must hire certified teachers, administer the state MEAP test and meet health and safety codes. The difference rests in the fact that charter schools are new. The teams that develop the schools are free to select a curriculum and determine the environment they wish to create. Many charter schools are small, where staff members know every child by name. They often incorporate character education, where values such as respect and responsibility are taught.
Charter schools tend to generate a high degree of enthusiasm among teachers, students and parents.
They stress excellence and routinely stimulate accelerated performance. Charter schools are monitored closely by their authorizing entity and can be closed if they do not fulfill their charter contacts. Charter schools receive per-pupil state aid but cannot levy millages or issue bonds.