[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 65 (Thursday, May 9, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S3344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 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

  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:

                              S. Res. 138

       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.

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