Some student and staff turnover in the first few weeks is not unusual. Excellent teachers flock to charter schools. Some accept lower pay. Most want no involvement with the teachers unions. Our impression is that most are certified even when not required by law, but that those who are not are nevertheless well qualified by virtue of other relevant experience and training.
Most charter schools have small classes.
Days and years are long, though, at least for staff. Although charter schools do not want to pay lower wages, their cramped budgets, their commitment to small classes, and their emphasis on high-quality instructional materials mean that most simply do not have the wherewithal to offer fatter salaries. Still, except for those in the most remote locations and those that opened on very short notice, the charter schools we visited were inundated with candidates for teaching positions. Many students at charter schools are square pegs too. Contrary to the predictions of some critics, the families who are flocking to these schools are not the most fortunate.