Although all public schools could be eligible for federal funds under Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) programs, concerns have been raised about whether charter schools are receiving an equitable share of these federal funds. This report describes: (1) how federal Title I and IDEA funds are distributed to charter schools, and the opinions of charter-school operators on whether the distribution is equitable; and (2) which factors appear to be facilitating and impeding charter schools in accessing these funds. The report presents the preliminary findings of an ongoing research project involving case studies in seven states and a telephone survey of a representative sample of charter schools in those states. At the time of publication, 30 out of 50 telephone surveys had been completed. The preliminary results suggest that states are allocating federal funds in much the same manner as they allocate funds to traditional public schools. Most charter-school operators believed that they received an equitable share of federal Title I and IDEA funds. Barriers to accessing Title I and IDEA funds include a lack of enrollment and student-eligibility data, the time and cost involved in applying for funding, and the need for training and technical assistance. Appendices contain data on charter schools operating in school year 1996-97 in selected states, and on charter-school states and the number of schools operating in school year 1996-97. Four tables are included. (LMI)