ious states' laws aren't very good when concerning charter schools.
             Failures spur review of charter school laws
             According to the Education Commission of the States, as of August 2001 there were more than 2,300 public charter schools serving more than 500,000 students nationwide. The Commission reported that 37 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws providing funding and permitting charter schools to operate. However, many of those statutes are being revisited and revised in light of a number of charter school failures, some with disastrous consequences for students.
             NEA's position on charter schools is necessarily general. State laws and regulations vary widely, and NEA state affiliates have positions that are appropriate to the situation in their states. For example, accountability for meeting high academic standards is an essential component of successful charter schools. But not all state charter laws have strong accountability requirements. In addition, not all state laws require charter schools to develop programs conforming with state or local academic standards, and many charter laws do not require charters to participate in the state accountability system.
             According to the U.S. Department of Education: "Charter schools are public schools that come into existence through a contract with either a state agency or a local school board. The charter - or contract - establishes the framework within which the school operates and provides public support for the school for a specified period of time. The school's charter gives the school autonomy over its operation and frees the school from regulations that other public schools must follow. In exchange for the flexibility afforded by the charter, the schools are held accountable for achieving the goals set out in the charter including improving student performance."
             But holding charter schools accountable to parents and taxpayers is proving to be tr...