Charter school legislation exists in 34 states and the District
of Columbia. School year 1998-99 saw nearly 1,100 charter
schools open their doors serving over 250,000 students in 26
states. This fastgrowing reform movement has not been without
its bumps in the road. All charter schools report financial
barriers such as a lack of start-up funds, inadequate operating
funds, and inadequate facilities to be the three largest
barriers in developing and implementing their charters. These
fiscal and resource barriers tend to affect newly created
charter schools more than converted (former public and private)
schools. Over 80 percent of newly created charter schools
reported at least one financial or resource barrier. Facilities
challenges are especially acute for newly created charter
schools. According to a U.S. Department of Education study, in
“cases where schools have difficulty finding appropriate
facilities, our fieldwork suggests that the entire school start-
up process can be impacted.” The importance of fac