The record of charter schools has been a mixed bag. They have become racialized, radicalized into business-generation schemes, scorned by teachers unions, and in some cases rammed down the throats of poorer communities. But charter schools sometimes have spotlighted best practice in urban education. In this article, Samuel D. Henry, a former Oregon State Board Chair, reports on his experience with the charter school system, stating that good charter schools authorized at the state level are characterized by: (1) sound policy and effective leadership; (2) continually evolving best practice and assessment; (3) a stated equity framework that includes the ongoing participation of diverse communities; (4) clear authority to terminate schools; (5) citizens watchdogging state policymaking authorities to ensure that charters reach this high bar; and (6) policymakers being courageous and transparent in their decision making, with the sure knowledge that kids' futures are at stake with every decision.