The simple gesture of a home visit--where the focus will be on the child and not on academics or classroom behavior--pays huge dividends, say teachers. A teacher who has met a student's parents in their home is better equipped to reach that child and keep him or her on track through the year. Home visits are common, if not mandatory, in charter schools. By contrast, some school districts prohibit teachers from visiting students at home for liability or contractual reasons. This practice, conducted once or twice a year, is just one of many ways that successful charter schools have modified the learning and teaching experience, often with positive results. Charter schools have two advantages over most traditional schools: autonomy and a mission. Having a focused mission or school philosophy and the autonomy to make the decisions to put that philosophy into practice is what sets charter schools apart from regular public schools. However, traditional schools are gaining ground.