Amazon.com description: Product Description: Charter Schools is part of the Contemporary Education Issues Series. From zero in 1991 to 1,100 seven years later, charter schools (public schools under contract) today educate well over a quarter of a million students. Charter Schools examines this unusual experiment and the controversies that surround public choice and charter schools as a means of educational reform. The coverage looks at what motivates the rise of charter schools, from the frustrations of parents, teachers, and students to the expectations of community members.