What (If Anything) Makes Charters Different?

Nonetheless, when I spoke to teachers in charter schools in Delaware, my worst fears weren't realized: I got the sense that tests were important, but they didn't dominate teachers' days. Because these conversations were at odds with what I'd heard and read, they got me thinking: On the positive side of the ledger, teachers in charter schools report having more control over various aspects of school life, such as choosing the content they teach and making decisions about performance standards. Because these are parts of teaching about which teachers care a great deal, this is a crucial advance. [...]public school administrators should study and replicate the parent outreach practices adopted by charter schools. In both public and charter schools, teachers generally agreed that they would be rewarded for a job well done, but their jobs wouldn't be affected by how their students perform. [...]if charter schools hope to distinguish themselves from public schools - and justify their enhanced level of autonomy - they will need to get more serious about teacher accountability.