Four exemplary charter schools in Arizona and North Carolina have been granted national accreditation as part of a pilot program by the American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE). Widely respected as an accreditor of liberal arts colleges, the Washington, DC-based AALE sought K-12 charter schools that demonstrate educational and administrative excellence, including a content-rich curriculum, effective use of assessments, innovative teacher recruitment and promotion practices, strong leadership and financial stability. For more information, see http://www.aale.org/charters/4_new_schools.htm. For a broader look at a related issue - the importance of a rigorous, but not excessively bureaucratic, system of charter school authorization - see "New scrutiny for sponsors of charters," by Caroline Hendrie, Education Week, November 20, 2002
