The Hudson Institute out of Indianapolis is currently studying charter schools in Massachusetts and Arizona. The thing to keep in mind here is that because teachers and parents choose to participate in a charter school, they have the opportunity and interest to examine the curriculum, review the methods and goals of the school, and make an intelligent, informed decision about whether or not to participate. Therefore, charter school are much more likely to satisfy parents than are public schools to which parents are merely assigned. The opportunity for an applicant to go either to a local school board or to some other public body for its charter is the single most important factor in producing a law that will have the dynamics the public wants. More and more states are providing multiple routes to the charter.
Some states allow community colleges to grant charters.
The funding should be provided regardless of whether the school is a public school being converted to charter, an existing private school being converted to charter, or a new start-up charter school. Charters should extend over a period of at least five years with renewal upon satisfactory performance. Students at charter school should participate in nationally normed standardized testing programs as an accountability measure. Charter schools should have their own governing bodies to determine policy and select school staff and administrators. Some charter schools may give special consideration to children on a needs basis.