Here is a short edited volume that brings together in one place, the best scholarly articles in charter schooling by national experts and leaders, written in a user-friendly fashion. It is the ideal introduction for those interested in the charter school movement with numerous insights for and by charter operators, administrators, and teachers as well as the academic community. The volume starts with essays explaining the history of education reforms past, in particular why their failures make charters a necessity. Additional essays examine such research questions as whether class size matters, how to end the teacher shortage, routes to alternative certification, why urban school reform fails, and how to make merit pay work. The second section includes essays outlining the key research on charter schools. Chapters examine such questions as how charter schools compare to district schools, how non-profit charters compare to for-profit charters, what determines teacher quality, and how the small size of charters makes for complex questions of accountability. The final section includes personal reflections, tips and horror stories from charter operators. In particular, essays examine why most charters have a tough first year, the difficulties of converting a private school to a charter, how to manage facilities, how to obtain grant money, and how to do good charter marketing.

Susan Will holds a Master's Degree in special education. She is an elementary school special education teacher in Davison, Michigan with twenty-five years of experience. As a veteran teacher, she recognized the need for a catchy way to teach the classic insect characteristics to elementary school students. By incorporating music, text, and illustrations she created a fun, easy way to teach the identifying traits of most insects. In her book she includes both groups of insects, those that follow the characteristics and those that don't. Sing along with the free music download or read as a book. Teachers, students, and parents will love the familiar tune, colorful photographs, and cartoon illustrations.