This has produced some extraordinary improvements in efficiency and productivity. More than half of all charter schools encounter unexpectedly difficult challenges from the students who attend them, primarily from the large numbers of disadvantaged and at-risk pupils who enroll. Charter schools, in general, are welcoming such youngsters, adapting to their circumstances, and serving them well. For a host of reasons, nearly all charter schools receive less funding than conventional public schools. Yet they are expected to demonstrate better results.
Fiscal issues are often the greatest concern facing charter schools, particularly at the outset.
The lack of capital funds and start-up funds is a particularly severe problem, as are uneven cash flow, burdensome paperwork, and school finance formulas insensitive to the peculiar circumstances of charter schools. Most charter laws still make it needlessly difficult to launch viable charter schools. Many restrictions arise in response to political pressure from charter opponents. Others come from unanticipated laws and regulations as well as inadvertent failure to eliminate or waive statutory and regulatory provisions. Governance and Staffing Governance problems, although not widespread, cause grave difficulties for charter schools where they arise.