A Guidebook for Chartering Agencies
January 1997
Marc Dean Millot
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This is a guidebook for school boards and other government agencies given the power to permit private individuals and groups to operate autonomous public schools under state “charter school” legislation. It is intended to help these chartering agencies develop their own charter school programs by providing basic information on: The charter school concept. What to look for in charter applicants: i.e. the capabilities required to develop and implement charter school programs. What an agency needs to do its job well: i.e., the specific functions and capabilities of chartering agencies. Additional advice for chartering agencies initiating a charter school program. As public schools, charter schools are established by state and local agencies under authorities granted by state legislatures. Charter school laws vary by state. Local circumstances vary by jurisdiction and chartering agency. This guide is an introduction to charter schools, not a prescription for a charter school program. It discusses a broad array of important issues chartering agencies should consider before they begin to review charter applications and grant charters. Chartering agencies should consider the ideas laid out here and adapt them to their own needs and philosophies of management. This guidebook is only a starting point. This work was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml) and conducted by the RAND Institute on Education and Training (IET) (http://www.rand.org/education/) and the joint RAND/University of Washington (UW) Center on Reinventing Public Education. The recommendations are based on the author’s research and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the U.S. Department of Education.
