Charter schools are public schools that may be started by anyone willing to do the work and who can get approval from a chartering authority. Over the last ten years, charter schools have popped up all over the nation. These schools are officially public schools, but there are a few differences. Charters are the epitome of local control. They offer a much wider variety of choices to parents and students than do the traditional public schools. In their years of being directly involved in charter school teaching and administration, Deb and Judy have seen the excitement these schools have brought to education, but they have also found a few unsettling pitfalls that need to be avoided to insure charter school success. They have compiled their thoughts and experiences with the intention of publishing a book for charter school boards and principals. This book could also be of assistance to those groups that are interested in starting a charter school or joining the charter school community. Deb and Judy hope that sharing the lessons they have learned can help others to avoid some common mistakes that have been made early in the charter school movement.
