








This article synthesizes past research findings on the work of charter schoolteachers and juxtaposes this research kith case studies of forty charter school teachers in six urban charter elementary schools, Charter schools, A with increased autonomy over personnel and budget, are given the freedom to make many decisions related to hiring, salary, and working conditions. In general, charter school teachers work longer hours and receive less job security than colleagues in traditional public schools. In some states, charter school teachers earn significantly less than other public school colleagues. The evidence also suggests, however, that teachers generally enjoy their professional lives in charter schools-their colleagues and the school's education program. The authors argue that in order to continue to attract and retain teachers, charier schools may need to extend their use of autonomy to improve the working conditions of teachers and ultimately, to extend the life of the school.
