While some see charter schools as a radical experiment of the 1990's, the model is actually over 200 years old, according to an article by Susan Hollins of the New Hampshire Charter School Resource Center. A review of historical documents in the Granite State reveals that as early as 1781, New Hampshire residents were petitioning the legislature for the authority to establish free public academies, with groups of concerned citizens serving as trustees. Once approved, their petitions (which resemble today's charter applications) became the charters for the schools. Much like today, trustees were given the power to hire staff and make rules for the governance of the schools. Modern day New Hampshire has a law supporting charter schools, but alas, no charter schools are operating in the state at present. To read more, including some interesting examples of early charters, see "Chartered Schools in New Hampshire: 18th Century and Today," by Susan Hollins, Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, December 2001.
