[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 600 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                 In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

                                                           May 4, 2004.
Whereas charter schools deliver high-quality education and challenge our 
        students to reach their potential;
Whereas charter schools provide thousands of our families with diverse and 
        innovative educational options for their children;
Whereas charter schools are public schools authorized by a designated public 
        entity and are responding to the needs of our communities, families, and 
        students and promote the principles of quality, choice, and innovation;
Whereas in exchange for the flexibility and autonomy given to charter schools, 
        they are held accountable by their sponsors for improving student 
        achievement and for their financial and other operations;
Whereas 41 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
        have passed laws authorizing charter schools;
Whereas nearly 3,000 charter schools are now operating in 37 States, the 
        District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and serving 
        750,000 students;
Whereas over the last 10 years, Congress has provided more than $1,000,000,000 
        in support to the charter school movement through facilities financing 
        assistance and grants for planning, startup, implementation, and 
        dissemination;
Whereas charter schools improve their students' achievement and stimulate 
        improvement in traditional public schools;
Whereas charter schools must meet the student achievement accountability 
        requirements included by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and 
        contained in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, in the 
        same manner as traditional public schools, and often set higher and 
        additional individual goals, to ensure that they are of high quality and 
        truly accountable to the public;
Whereas charter schools give parents new freedom to choose their public school, 
        charter schools routinely measure parental satisfaction levels, and 
        charter schools must prove their ongoing success to parents, 
        policymakers, and their communities;
Whereas nearly 40 percent of charter schools report having a waiting list, and 
        the total number of students on all such waiting lists is enough to fill 
        over 1,000 average-sized charter schools;
Whereas charter schools nationwide serve a higher percentage of low-income and 
        minority students than the traditional public system;
Whereas charter schools have enjoyed broad bipartisan support from the 
        Administration, the Congress, State Governors and legislatures, 
        educators, and parents across the United States; and
Whereas the fifth annual National Charter Schools Week, to be held May 3 to 7, 
        2004, is an event sponsored by charter schools and grassroots charter 
        school organizations across the United States to recognize the 
        significant impacts, achievements, and innovations of charter schools: 
        Now, therefore, be it--
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the House of Representatives acknowledges and commends charter 
        schools and their students, parents, teachers, and administrators across 
        the United States for their ongoing contributions to education and 
        improving and strengthening our public school system;
            (2) the House of Representatives supports the fifth annual National 
        Charter Schools Week; and
            (3) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
        President should issue a proclamation calling on the people of the 
        United States to conduct appropriate programs, ceremonies, and 
        activities to demonstrate support for charter schools during this week 
        long celebration in communities throughout the United States.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.