In the early 1990's, charter schools were a new concept being implemented by a few states and communities across the country. Today there are over 3,000 charter schools operating in 40 states and the District of Columbia. The growth of charter schools has compelled that we understand what charter schools are and how they impact responsibilities for special education at the state, local school system and the charter school level. Even though charter schools may be waived from some state and local regulations, the federal government has not permitted any waivers from federal special education requirements for charter schools. In the area of special education, research has documented that charter schools struggle on two fronts: (1) understanding their roles and responsibilities related to special education; and (2) amassing the capacity required to provide special education and related services to students with disabilities (Ahearn et. al., 2001). One lesson that has been learned in the past decade of charter school implementation is the importance of providing clear guidance regarding special education for charter school operators, authorizers, local education agencies (LEAs) and state education agencies (SEAs). Without policy guidance, personnel can be unduly burdened to create answers to each individual situation, resulting in ambiguity or inconsistency among charter schools. This primer has been developed to provide guidance to Maryland's local school systems (charter school authorizers) and charter school developers (operators) as they confront the unique challenges in developing and implementing effective practices to ensure the access and success of students with disabilities in charter schools. Appended are: (1) Charter School Resources; (2) Glossary (Acronyms and Definitions); and (3) Special Education Talking Points: New and Renewal Contracts for Charter Schools. An index of frequently asked questions and an index of key words are included.