ABSTRACT
Sarason suggested that, at least tacitly, each new charter school that is developed poses a critique of traditional schooling. That critique gains validity if the new setting not only runs counter to existing schooling endeavors in its intentions and practices, but also succeeds at the attempt. Sarason (1 972, 1998) argued that many attempts at creating new settings fail to live up to their original goals or vision. He pointed out that new settings would stand a better chance of succeeding if they (a) had expectations that took into account the experiences of those who had created similar settings in the past (including what Sarason identified as a predictable set of problems) and (b) had a procedure for resolving problems and conflicts as they surfaced (which Sarason believes can be at least partially accomplished through the creation of a “constitution” for the setting). In order for school leaders to hold a set of expectations that fit the realities involved in creating new settings, the stories of those schools already being developed must be told. This chapter, as others like it in the book, represents an effort to add to the body of reports on the development of charter schools.
