The Synergy Charter Academy, one of three charter schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), used to occupy a cramped church space in south LA. Despite the facilities challenges, its more than 300 K students have generally scored in the top 10% on statewide tests in reading and math over the past seven years. When the district announced it would open up a new school, Synergy saw the opportunity to collaborate. In the 15 years since charter schools first opened in the United States, fears that they would compete for public funds and drain away top students have kept attendance-area schools and districts from wanting to cooperate. Janet Begin of Hill View Montessori Charter Public School in Massachusetts said that an aversion to collaboration comes from misinformation that charters are out to "take all the money" from district schools. Alex Medler vice president of research and evaluation for the National Association of Charter School Authorizers mentioned that district leaders' suspicions that charters are out to show up regular schools and prove they are better are giving way to a desire for mutual learning. He added that the relationship between charter schools and districts has been evolving over time with a greater acceptance of charter schools within the districts.