nearly every "argument" the anti-charters have fomented. I think you missed something in your reading. . . here's a few very pertinent bits.

Here's the link: http://dpi.wi.gov/sms/pdf/2006-07yearbook....

"Charter School \chär-tEr skül\ n : A public school that: (1) in accordance
with an enabling state statute is exempt from significant state or local rules;
(2) is created by a developer as a public school; (3) provides a program of
elementary or secondary education, or both; (4) is nonsectarian in its programs,
admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations,
and is not affiliated with a sectarian school or religious institution; (5) does
not charge tuition; (6) complies with federal law; (7) admits students on the
basis of a lottery if more students apply for admission than can be accommodated;
(8) agrees to comply with the same federal and state audit requirements
as other elementary and secondary schools in the state; (9) meets
all applicable federal, state and local health and safety requirements; and
(10) operates in accordance with state law.


Charter schools are public, nonsectarian schools created through a contract
or “charter” between the operators and the sponsoring school board or
other chartering authority. The Wisconsin charter school law gives charter
schools freedom from most state rules and regulations in exchange for
greater accountability for results. The charter defines the missions and
methods of the charter school; the chartering authority holds the school
accountable to its charter.

Charter schools are created with the best elements of regular public
schools in mind. Wisconsin established charter schools to foster an environment
of creativity. Charter schools are, in essence, living laboratories that
influence the larger public school system and introduce an element of entrepreneurship
within that system. Charter school leaders may experiment
with different instructional theories, site-based management techniques,
and other innovations. They learn, sometimes by trial and error, what works
best for their student population. Regular schools can observe and learn
from what happens in the charter school and make similar improvements
without having to experience “growing pains.” Through this process, the
entire public school system is continually challenged to improve itself.

A charter school is developed to fit the special needs and interests of its
community, parents, and students. This is what makes each charter school
unique. While many goals for educating and preparing children are similar,
each charter school fulfills a specific local need in education. Charter schools
offer a choice to parents and students in the area of curriculum, teaching
methodology, and classroom structure. Many who serve at-risk populations work hard
to keep their small population of students from falling through
the cracks, offering counseling and personal attention and support. In districts
with charter schools, the community, school boards, and parents have
identified their public education needs and established charters that meet
them.

Again, charter schools are public schools. They are freed from most state
rules and regulations in exchange for greater accountability for results.


snip

"Charter schools in Wisconsin are exempt from most state requirements
regarding public education. However, teachers in charter schools must be
licensed by the DPI. (See appendix A, “Teaching Requirements for Charter
Schools.”) Also, students in charter schools are counted for membership in
the local school district."

Charter schools are not exempt from federal laws governing regular, special
education, or civil rights policies, nor are they exempt from local school
board policies unless negotiated in the charter contract. This last provision
does not pertain to noninstrumentality charter schools. For specific information
regarding special education, see http://www.dpi.wi.gov/sped/index.html .

A charter school cannot charge tuition and must be equally accessible
to all students in the school district. Preference in admission must be given
to students living within the attendance area of an existing school that is
converted to a charter school. Nonresident students may enroll in a district
and be assigned to a charter school under the Wisconsin public school open
enrollment program.

Charter schools may not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion,
national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation,
or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability. The charter
school contract must clearly spell out how the school will achieve a racial
and ethnic balance among its pupils that reflects the balance in the school
district as a whole.


ACCOUNTABILITY
Charter schools are assigned individual school codes by the DPI. A charter
school is a public school that is exempt from many traditional state and
local rules and regulations, thus allowing greater flexibility in their means
for achieving student success. In exchange for this flexibility, charter schools
are held accountable for reporting the achievement of the high academic
standards described in their charters. A charter school that fails to meet
these standards risks being closed by its chartering agency; hence the motto
of charter schools—“autonomy for accountability.”

Pursuant to Wisconsin law, a charter may be granted for any term not
exceeding five school years and may be renewed for a term not exceeding
five years. A charter may be revoked if the chartering entity finds that
the charter school violated its contract or failed to comply with generally
accepted accounting standards of fiscal management, or if enrolled pupils
failed to make sufficient progress in attaining educational goals.

The best charter schools in Wisconsin and across the country balance
clear educational goals and expectations with their unique styles and missions.
These schools and their chartering entities draw up written agreements
specifying the measurable pupil performance indicators they will
use and what constitutes progress sufficient to renew the charter contract.
These charter contracts call for regular reports to the developer and are in
place prior to the opening of the school.