On March 31, Hawaii’s public charter schools were front page and center of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

One article was entirely positive and celebratory, but the other certainly looked to have a negative undertow. Both showed how the charter school system is working in tangible ways.

The article titled "Students create hand for robotics contest" featured West Hawaii Explorations Academy Public Charter School’s (WHEA) robotics team. The students had designed and built a prosthetic hand for a toddler on Oahu and won an entrepreneurship award at a robotics tournament.

What the article did not mention is that the whole educational mission of WHEA is to engage students through self-selected STEM projects and create a self-directed learning environment. The purchase of a 3-D printer was entirely the idea of students, as was using it to make needed prosthetics.

WHEA’s 20,000-gallon live shark tank sitting on its new campus was also a student-driven idea, as are the 30 to 40 other student projects that vary from year to year.

That day’s second article, "School gets interim funds," demonstrated the humanity of a system that is acutely aware of impacts to children, families and public employees, yet still holds schools accountable for taxpayer dollars.

The charter school bargain theoretically allows increased flexibility for increased accountability. In this case, there are two distinct Halau Lokahi groups: an insular group of relatives and insiders said to have mismanaged funds who are now entirely out of the picture, and succeeding them, a new group of concerned parents, students, teachers and community members who worked valiantly to the fix problems of the past. It is also notable that Halau Lokahi’s charter contract will end by May 31 unless it exercises its right to appeal to the state Board of Education.

During the revocation hearing, students and parents testified about the amazing educational transformations that have taken place at the school. And, although a majority of the teachers were not licensed, all teachers seemed to have changed the future for these students.

As Kaohu, a sophomore, so eloquently stated, "I was able to make the change; (they) turn(ed) a future criminal into a math teacher; that’s the magic of the Halau Lokahi ohana."

Kaohu barely attended his previous school with a GPA of 1.25; his GPA is now 3.38 and he chooses to attend Halau Lokahi every day.

The State Public Charter School Commission voted for May 31 closure, allowing students like Kaohu to finish the school year at Halau Lokahi. This decision focuses on the welfare of students and is potentially the hardest thing that commissioners will have to experience as the accountability arm of Hawaii’s charter school system.

Both of these articles were evidence that the charter school system is working. In WHEA’s case, it is evident: Students are focused and taking charge of their learning. The teachers and staff are using intrinsic motivation to help mold lifelong 21st-century learners and future contributors to the world. In the case of Halau Lokahi’s revocation, the success lies in a firm understanding of charter school accountability.

The charter school bargain is being implemented to significant effect. Flexibility gives educators, communities and students a chance to stretch their limits to discover and implement innovative and effective models of education — an opportunity not widely available in public education.

With a strong yet reasonable accountability system, charter schools can be given more freedom to succeed. If they do not, they may meet the unfortunate circumstance of school closure. No other state entity has such skin in the game, but perhaps they should.