[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 30, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3555-S3556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL WEEK

 Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, last Thursday I joined my 
colleagues, Senators Lieberman, Hutchinson, Carper and Bayh, in 
introducing S. Res. 254, a resolution to designate the week of April 
29th through May 2, 2002 as National Charter Schools Week. This year 
marks the 10th Anniversary of the opening of the nation's first charter 
school in Minnesota. In the last ten years, we have come a long way 
since that auspicious moment when one teacher collaborating with 
parents started a school specifically designed to meet the needs of the 
students in the community.
  Today, we have well over 2,000 charter schools serving approximately 
579,000 students. Charter schools are immensely popular: two-thirds of 
them report having waiting lists, and there are currently enough 
students on waiting lists to fill another 1,000 charter schools.
  Charter schools are popular for a variety of reasons. They are 
generally free from the burdensome regulations and policies that govern 
traditional public schools. They are founded by principals, teachers 
and parents who share a common vision on education. Perhaps most 
importantly, charter schools are held accountable for student 
performance.
  Since each charter school represents the unique vision of its 
founders, these schools vary greatly.
  For example, in South Central Los Angeles, two former union teachers 
founded the Accelerated School, a charter school designed to serve 
students from the community. Students attending the school outperform 
students from neighboring schools. In fact, student performance at the 
Accelerated School exceeds district-wide average performance levels. 
Originally a K-8th grade school, the founders are now planning on 
adding a high school.
  In Petoskey, Michigan, the Concord Academy provides an arts-focused 
curriculum that infuses the arts into the overall curriculum. The 
school has a 100 percent graduation rate which exceeds the graduation 
rate for the suburbs. The Concord Academy also spends an average of 
$2,500 less per student than traditional public schools. Like many 
charter schools, they are getting greater results using less money.
  These are but a handful of the success stories in the charter school 
movement.
  I expect that we will see the popularity of charter schools continue 
to grow. Last year, the President signed into law the No Child Left 
Behind Act, which gives parents in low-performing schools the option to 
transfer to another public school. The Act also provides school 
districts with the option of converting low-performing schools into 
charter schools. I believe these provisions will strengthen the charter 
school movement by creating more opportunities for charter school 
development. And, as parents exercise their right to school choice, the 
call for charters schools will grow.
  I commend all those involved in the charter school movement. They 
have led the charge in education reform and have started a revolution. 
A recent study found that charter schools have had a positive impact on 
school districts. Districts with a large number of charter schools 
reported becoming more customer service oriented, creating new 
education programs, many of

[[Page S3556]]

which are similar to those offered by charter schools, and increasing 
contact with parents.
  I encourage my colleagues to visit a charter school this week to 
witness firsthand the ways in which these innovative schools are making 
a difference, both in the lives of the students they serve as well as 
in the community in which they reside.
 Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I rise in support of Senate 
Resolution 254, which designates April 29 through May 3, 2002, as 
``National Charter Schools Week,'' and was passed by unanimous consent 
on April 25, 2002. I am an original cosponsor of this resolution with 
Senators Lieberman, Gregg, and Carper, and I am proud to support our 
Nation's charter schools and highlight their impact on effective school 
reform across the country.
  Charter schools are laboratories of reform and excellence. By 
allowing increased flexibility and autonomy, charter schools are able 
to implement new ideas, while still being held to high standards. 
Charter schools are also public schools, and must serve disadvantaged 
students and students with disabilities, often doing so with increased 
success. Studies have shown a link between increased student 
achievement and enrollment in charter schools. Most importantly, 
parents and communities are satisfied with charter schools, evidenced 
by two-thirds of charter schools having waiting lists.
  The charter school movement continues to move forward as more and 
more states have passed laws authorizing charter schools. My home state 
of Arkansas is in the early stages of implementation, with six charter 
schools open at the beginning of the 2001 school year.
  With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act earlier this year 
and our continued support for charter schools across the country, we 
are saying to our parents, teachers, and students that our efforts are 
focused on increased academic achievement for all children. I hope that 
the charter school movement continues to grow and spurs innovation and 
reform to strengthen our nation's public school system.

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