ABSTRACT
The number of charter schools has grown dramatically since they were first introduced in Minnesota in 1991. As of May 1999, approximately 1,400 charter schools were operating in 27 states, and 35 states had passed charter school legislation. President Bill Clinton, among others, has frequently asserted his commitment to a belief in charter public schools' capacity to innovate and experiment. At present, charter schools are being discussed in all forms of the media and in most state legislatures in the country.
