I began by being skeptical of charters; but frankly, having seen the example some of them have set in terms of excellence, and the pressure they have put on an under-performing system to “up its game”, I have become a real fan. Also, while I think some of the big charter networks are outstanding, I am also a big fan of a number of smaller “mom and pop” charters such as Synergy Charter Schools (3 schools), Environmental Charter Schools (3 schools) Gabriella Charter (1 school). All of these are built around different approaches, but all of them are doing a tremendous job of educating kids and creating a real sense of community.