Charter schools are schools that are financed by taxpayers, but which are allowed to operate independently of local school boards. Some have been organized and are run by parents, others by teachers, still others by community groups. In certain circles, they are thought to be a kind of "magic bullet" that can cure failing schools and accomplish needed education reforms almost overnight.

Professional educators know that there are no "magic bullets," but they watch charter school experiments in different parts of the country with genuine interest. As of January, 428 charter schools were operating in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Since they are structured and run according to many different models, it is impossible to speak of a "typical" charter school.

In truth, it is their diversity that makes them so interesting. Some are like laboratories for educational experimentation -- others seem to be attempts to return to some educational "golden age." Some are designed to serve special populations -- ethnic, language, or racial minorities, for example. Many were founded in pursuit of an "educational vision."

It can be hard to get reliable information about charter schools because so many of their most outspoken supporters seem to be out of touch with the realities of the schools already in existence. Most charter schools are small, and not especially interested in "healthy competition" with traditional public schools. Despite their public funding, 70 percent name at least one area where "resource limitations" create problems. It seems very unlikely that the growth of charter schools will save tax dollars.

Right now, charter schools are too new for us to predict their overall impact, or to know whether particular types of charter schools will help or hinder learning. Like private schools, they are likely to benefit from greater parent involvement and the power to exclude students who "don't fit in." Still, those advantages are no guarantee of success.

More important are features common to all successful schools, whether public or private, innovative or traditional. First in importance are high standards of achievement -- at least as high as those expected of students in other public schools. The performance of both traditional and charter school populations should be measured by the same tests, so that accurate comparisons can be made.

Second, children in charter schools should be taught by certified, professional teachers. To entrust children to amateur teachers is just as wrong as entrusting them to amateur doctors -- too much damage can be done. Also, charter school teachers should be protected by the same collective bargaining agreements as teachers in their host districts. This will enable charter schools to compete for the best instructors, and encourage creative teachers to seek charters for new schools.

Finally, charter schools must be open and accountable to the taxpayers who fund them, just like other public schools. They must not become vehicles for religious or ideological indoctrination of the young at public expense. Schools that fail to serve the public good should be shut down.

Much of the information in this article comes from "A Study of Charter Schools: First Year Report," the first installment in a four-year study of charter schools by the U.S. Education Department. The complete report is available online at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/charter/.

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