[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S5434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 183.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the 
resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 183) supporting the goals and ideals 
     of National Charter Schools Week, April 30, 2007, through May 
     4, 2007.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, today I wish to honor National Charter 
School Week. The role of charter schools has become increasingly 
important as these institutions have become one of the fastest growing 
innovative forces in education policy. The District of Columbia and 40 
States have laws that allow charter schools. There are over 4,000 
public charter schools serving more than 1.1 million students and there 
are many more students on waiting lists who want to attend.
  As many of you know, I have been a part of that charter school 
growth, both here in Washington, DC, and in my home, Louisiana. Today, 
more than 30 percent of all DC public school students attend charter 
schools and are largely successful. These charter school projects are 
largely successful. These charter schools not only help to better 
educate students, but are also helping to build a better, stronger, 
more prosperous city.
  In addition to having an impact in Washington, DC, charter schools 
are also helping to rebuild the school system in New Orleans. 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita did not just wash away our levees--they 
also washed away our homes and schools. We must seize upon this 
opportunity and build a better, stronger school system for New Orleans 
and throughout Louisiana.
  Charter schools are key players in this process by not only 
rebuilding our school system, but reinventing it. Every step in this 
process is based on what is best for our students, with the goal of 
delivering learning and achievement for all students. The new school 
system effectively eliminates the previous system of have and have-
nots, allowing parents to choose from any school in the network, making 
quality school options available to all students and raising the bar 
for educators throughout the system.
  The new Educational Network Model will organize schools, the majority 
of them charters, into small groups to provide support, foster 
collaboration and ensure accountability. This will shift the majority 
of money and decisionmaking to the school level, where it can be 
managed based on the needs of the students in each school. It will also 
create a lean district office focused on academic standards and 
performance monitoring, allowing more dollars to go to schools. 
Finally, it will migrate toward a single, aligned and highly-effective 
governing board that provides a stable leadership team with skills to 
oversee successful implementation of the plan.
  Today, over 50 percent of our schools in New Orleans have reopened as 
charter schools. They have provided us with an expedient means to 
restart public education in New Orleans. It is my hope that we can 
continue this trend by utilizing the Educational Network Model for 
these schools and others nationwide by engaging community involvement 
and support through a shared services model.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution be 
printed in the Record, with no intervening action or debate.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 183) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 183

       Whereas charter schools deliver high-quality education and 
     challenge students to reach their potential;
       Whereas charter schools provide thousands of families with 
     diverse and innovative educational options for their 
     children;
       Whereas charter schools are public schools authorized by 
     designated public entities to respond to the needs of 
     communities, families, and students, and to promote the 
     principles of quality, choice, and innovation;
       Whereas, in exchange for the flexibility and autonomy given 
     to charter schools, charter schools are held accountable by 
     their sponsors for improving student achievement and for 
     their finances and other operations;
       Whereas 40 States and the District of Columbia have passed 
     laws authorizing charter schools;
       Whereas more than 4,000 charter schools operating across 
     the United States serve more than 1,140,000 students;
       Whereas, over the last 13 years, Congress has provided more 
     than $2,026,225,000 in support to the charter school movement 
     by providing facilities, financing assistance, and grants for 
     planning, startup, implementation, and dissemination of 
     information;
       Whereas many charter schools improve the achievement of 
     students and stimulate improvement in traditional public 
     schools;
       Whereas charter schools must meet the student achievement 
     accountability requirements under section 1111 of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6311) in the same manner as traditional public schools, and 
     often set higher and additional individual goals to ensure 
     that charter schools are of high quality and truly 
     accountable to the public;
       Whereas charter schools give parents new freedom to choose 
     public schools, routinely measure parental satisfaction 
     levels, and must prove their ongoing success to parents, 
     policymakers, and communities;
       Whereas nearly 56 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 1,100 average-sized 
     charter schools;
       Whereas charter schools nationwide serve a higher 
     percentage of low-income and minority students than the 
     traditional public school system;
       Whereas charter schools have enjoyed broad bipartisan 
     support from the President, Congress, State governors and 
     legislatures, educators, and parents across the United 
     States; and
       Whereas the eighth annual National Charter Schools Week, to 
     be held April 30 through May 4, 2007, 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 the Senate--
       (1) acknowledges and commends charter schools and students, 
     parents, teachers, and administrators of charter schools 
     across the United States for their ongoing contributions to 
     education and improving and strengthening the public school 
     system;
       (2) supports the goals and ideals of the eighth annual 
     National Charter Schools Week; and
       (3) encourages 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.

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