In keeping with the news of the week from Washington, we asked readers what they thought of charter schools. The short report: There's no groundswell of opinion -- in any direction. Click hereto see the results.

About 30 percent of poll respondents support more charter development, while 23 percent each felt that charters threaten traditional publics or that charters were both good and bad (much like traditional schools). Notably, about one in four people said they just didn't know enough about charters to offer an informed opinion; for those with questions, check out this basic guide, DOE's charter info, and the state's Charter School Institute, for lots of detailed information on established and new charter schools. (And rest assured, we'll be covering charters going forward, and will gladly respond to reader questions and comments.)

This week marked high season for standardized testing; whether your child is in elementary or middle school, or a high-school student facing the Regents, we're curious about their experience getting ready for the tests. We'd also love to hear from teachers and administrators about their school's test-prep practices -- please, weigh in on the poll, and share your thoughts in the comments string, too.