Current school reform debates often connect schools' autonomy to opportunities for pedagogical innovation. Scholars have argued that in charter schools, this theory does not always hold. While charter schools offer choices for parents, the array of possibilities is narrower than advocates envision. This article reports on an historical examination of the progressive Eight-Year Study and the isomorphic obstacles schools faced with colleges, professional peers, and parents. The implications for schools and policy makers who seek to promote innovative practices, including people-centered reform, and the promise for charter innovation in structure, governance, and culture are discussed.