[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 138 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 138

 Congratulating the students, parents, teachers, and administrators of 
      charter schools across the United States for their ongoing 
contributions to education, and supporting the ideals and goals of the 
14th annual National Charter Schools Week, to be celebrated the week of 
                      May 5 through May 11, 2013.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 9, 2013

  Ms. Landrieu (for herself, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Burr, Mr. Carper, Mr. 
 Kirk, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Cruz, Mrs. 
Feinstein, and Mr. McConnell) submitted the following resolution; which 
                      was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Congratulating the students, parents, teachers, and administrators of 
      charter schools across the United States for their ongoing 
contributions to education, and supporting the ideals and goals of the 
14th annual National Charter Schools Week, to be celebrated the week of 
                      May 5 through May 11, 2013.

Whereas charter schools are public schools that do not charge tuition and that 
        enroll any student who wants to attend, often through a random lottery 
        when too many students want to attend a single charter school;
Whereas charter schools deliver high-quality public education and challenge all 
        students to reach their potential;
Whereas charter schools promote innovation and excellence in public education;
Whereas charter schools provide thousands of families with diverse and 
        innovative educational options for their children;
Whereas charter schools are authorized by a designated public entity and--

    (1) respond to the needs of communities, families, and students in the 
United States; and

    (2) promote the principles of quality, accountability, choice, and 
innovation;

Whereas, in exchange for flexibility and autonomy, charter schools are held 
        accountable by their sponsors for improving student achievement and for 
        the financial and other operations of the charter schools;
Whereas charter schools are required to meet the student achievement 
        accountability requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) in the same manner as traditional 
        public schools;
Whereas charter schools often set higher expectations for students in addition 
        to the requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) to ensure that charter schools are of high 
        quality and are truly accountable to the public;
Whereas 42 States and the District of Columbia have enacted laws authorizing 
        charter schools;
Whereas more than 6,000 charter schools are serving more than 2,300,000 
        children;
Whereas, in the United States--

    (1) in 110 school districts, more than 10 percent of public school 
students are enrolled in charter schools;

    (2) in 25 school districts, more than 20 percent of public school 
students are enrolled in charter schools; and

    (3) in 7 districts, at least 30 percent of public school students are 
enrolled in charter schools;

Whereas charter schools improve the achievement of students they enroll and 
        stimulate improvement in traditional public schools;
Whereas charter schools--

    (1) give parents the freedom to choose public schools;

    (2) routinely measure parental satisfaction levels; and

    (3) must prove their ongoing success to parents, policymakers, and the 
communities they serve;

Whereas an estimated 610,000 students were on waiting lists to attend charter 
        schools before the beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year; and
Whereas the 14th annual National Charter Schools Week is scheduled to be 
        celebrated the week of May 5 through May 11, 2013: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) congratulates the students, parents, teachers, and 
        administrators of charter schools across the United States 
        for--
                    (A) their ongoing contributions to education;
                    (B) impressive strides made in closing the academic 
                achievement gap in schools in the United States; and
                    (C) improving and strengthening the public school 
                system in the United States;
            (2) supports the ideals and goals of the 14th annual 
        National Charter Schools Week, a weeklong celebration to be 
        held the week of May 5 through May 11, 2013, in communities 
        throughout the United States; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to hold 
        appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities during 
        National Charter Schools Week to demonstrate support for 
        charter schools.
                                 <all>