ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the provisions in the Arizona law that led to the rapid proliferation of charter schools; where Arizona charters appear; some ways in which Arizona charter schools differ from district schools; and how charter school teachers view their schools. Arizona charters operate as "stealth vouchers", providing more comprehensive school choice than would any voucher plan ever come near passage. Both charter school supporters and opponents agree that Arizona has over 270 charter schools because the state has the nation's least restrictive charter law. In Arizona, charters can be granted by local school boards, by the Arizona State Board of Education, or by the State Board for Charter Schools. The main wave of charter applications came from teachers, parents, and social workers. Many of them had attempted to start or expand magnet programs, without success. Additionally, lawsuits and organizational age may make charter schools as unchanging as district schools, prompting reformers to seek still more reforms.
