A variety of databases were used to answer questions about charter and public schools with regard low-income students, special education students, and academic performance. Charter schools in Dallas and Detroit served comparable numbers of poor children, but charter schools enrolled far fewer students in special education. "High-performing" charter schools had 1) fewer poor students 2) fewer special education students 3) anomalous test scores 4) a location on the outskirts of a school district and 5) selective admissions. Although charter schools have been promoted as "better" than public schools, only 9% of charter schools in Dallas and Detroit surpassed the average pass rate posted by public schools on the eighth-grade reading/language arts test. For eighth graders in Dallas and Detroit, especially those in the center city, charter schools offered no advantages over public schools.