The future of our country depends heavily on the success of our children. With global competition increasing and the economy slowing, it is more important than ever that our nation's youth receive the best education possible. As the Obama administration prepares to revamp the No Child Left Behind initiative, much attention is being paid to the challenges and successes of charter schools. A charter school is defined as a school that operates independently of the local school board, often with a different curriculum and educational philosophy than other schools in the system. Supporters of charter schools, while focusing on the successes, believe that funds are needed for these schools so that the successes continue to grow. Others argue that the success of charter schools is exaggerated and that the additional funding provided to these charter schools deprives lower-performing schools that need more help. Should the new education initiative emphasize more funding to support a growing number of charter schools? For the new education initiative to succeed, the positive elements of charter schools must be gleaned and incorporated into the general public school system and pre-existing schools. Parents of children in charter schools are generally more motivated than parents in traditional public schools. schools, especially in areas where traditional public schools are below the national average. These are parents who have likely researched the local charter school, enrolled their child, which can be an arduous process, signed an agreement with the school to adhere to their regulations and expectations, and are sacrificing their personal time to travel. .. middle of paper ......problems with the education system in this country. By taking the principles of functioning charter schools like fiscal and educational autonomy, parental involvement, and seeking private funding, and applying them to our traditional public schools, more effective education reform can take place . Works Cited Seville, Michael, “Involving parents is the basis of student success. When mom and dad come to class, children do better” Eutopia Magazine 6 (2005): n. page. Internet. July 15. 2010. Ravitch, Diane “The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Tests and Choice Undermine Education,” Basic Books. 2010. New York, New York. Wolf, Susan “New Stanford Report Reveals Serious Quality Challenge in National Charter School Sector” Larsons Communications Press Release 15.6 (2009) n. page. Internet. July 15 2010