Charter schools that fail to comply with the IDEA, and other federal disability laws, put themselves at risk of losing their charter or of not having their charter renewed. Educating children with disabilities is more than simply access to public education. Instead, the IDEA now seeks to ensure a quality education for each child with a disability, an education that promotes improved educational results and student performance. Many of the changes to the 1997 IDEA and its new implementing regulations encourage high expectations for the child's success as well as evaluation and accountability for the sufficiency of the services provided. Not coincidentally, this goal for children with disabilities is very similar to the goal holding charter schools accountable for academic achievement for all students.
Accountability is multi-dimensional.
Holding charter schools accountable for educating all students is a task for the Pennsylvania Department of Education, parents, charter school advocates, and policymakers. The department has developed an accountability model for charter schools. It defines accountability as one of the central elements of Pennsylvania's charter schools and includes ten specific mechanisms for holding charter schools accountable. Some of the elements require charter schools to file standard public school financial reports that are modified for charter schools. Others involve self-reporting documents completed by the charter school itself such as a school profile, a local testing program and an annual report.