It has been almost fifteen years since the first charter school opened its doors in 1991. Once considered just a fad, charters now represent the fastest, most successful reform in public education today. This week is National Charter Schools Week, a time to celebrate the movement that has gone from a ripple to a tidal wave in bringing about a sea change for public education.

The Center for Education Reform (CER), the nation’s leading education advocacy and research organization, has created this website dedicated to National Charter Schools Week 2005, with daily updates, charter schools
in the news, resources and research, and event information. And help celebrate the week by visiting a charter school yourself -- if you can't go in person, surf the web to visit a visit a charter school today!

To kick off the week, CER is releasing new, national survey research on public perception and knowledge of charter schools – the first of its kind. CER's findings show that most Americans still know very little about charter schools, but that, when educated on what charter schools are and how they work, they support the concept by significant margins – and across all political affiliations, incomes and race.  

So, in the spirit of education and education reform, here are some basic facts about charter schools:

• Charter schools are new, innovative public schools that are accountable for student results.
   

• Charter schools provide parents an opportunity to choose from among a number of public school options.
   

• Today there are approximately 3,400 charter schools operating in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
   

• These schools serve nearly one million students; there are approximately 77,000 students on charter school waiting lists nationwide.
   

• Charter schools use innovative practices to help students meet high standards.
   

• The majority of national research finds that charter schools are succeeding where many traditional public schools have failed.