The primary reason why most such schools are begun is to gain autonomy from their districts or bypass various regulations. Private schools that convert to charter status seek public funds so that they can stabilize their finances and attract students, often students whose families could not afford private school tuition. Most charter schools say they attract parents and students by focusing on academics, but they also feature other attractions. Charter schools tend to focus on one or a combination of the following themes in seeking to attract students a quality academic program with high standards, a supportive environment often based on small school size, a flexible approach to educational and cultural programming, or, in sharp contrast, a highly structured environment. Charter challenges Regardless of how they started, practically all charter schools have had to overcome obstacles and problems during their development.
Most charter schools cite resource limitations as a serious difficulty.
Lack of start-up funds was the most frequently cited difficulty almost six out of 10 charter schools reported it as difficult or very difficult. Inadequate operating funds was the second most commonly reported difficulty. Newly created charter schools are more likely to cite resource limitations as a major difficulty than preexisting charter schools. Inadequate facilities and lack of planning time also posed more serious difficulties for newly created schools than for preexisting schools. Political resistance and regulations caused implementation problems for some schools.