Further, operating grants to charter schools are withheld until the school is already up and running. Additional costs to charter schools not incurred by other schools include superintendency fees, transportation costs and outside evaluation and assessment. The time parents and staff could be devoting to educational efforts is directed at fundraising and renovating facilities. Limited facilities financing options have also hampered school expansion, despite long waiting lists in some cases. Governance and Organizational Issues Governance issues are complex.
Charter schools are an exchange of greater autonomy for increased accountability.
The terms for both must be clearly articulated. Vague lines of authority and responsibility between charter school boards and school districts have led to conflicts and confusion and, in some cases, neglect of duties. One school charter has been revoked in part due to mishandling of governance issues. Within the schools, organizational issues including adequate planning time, conflict resolution, definition of roles, decision-making, and coping with the demands of creating a school from scratch suggest a need for additional training, technical support and professional development. Accountability The accountability framework for charter schools has been unclear, and the charter renewal process has caused intense anxiety and frustration for the first schools facing this hurdle.