[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 13, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      SUCCESS AND OPPORTUNITY THROUGH QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOLS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. YVETTE D. CLARKE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 2014

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 10) to amend 
     the Charter School Program under the Elementary and Secondary 
     Education Act of 1965:

  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Chair, today, I rise to oppose H.R. 10 
the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, which 
reauthorizes the charter school program in the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act.
  While I recognize that there are public charter schools that are 
providing students quality public education, I reject the notion that 
we have to accept inequity between public charter schools and the rest 
of the public school system. While H.R. 10 does begin to address some 
of the inequities, it does not go far enough in leveling the playing 
field between public charter schools and the public non-charter 
schools--where the overwhelming majority of our children are educated.
  Charter accountability, transparency and financial oversight are not 
sufficiently addressed in H.R. 10, yet they are the cornerstones of 
inequity between public charter and public non-charter schools. 
However, through the amendments process, I tried to strengthen the 
bill.
  One of my amendments would have increased financial oversight by 
limiting the compensation of charter school administrators. Under this 
amendment, charter school administrators' could not be compensated at a 
rate higher than the highest paid education official in the state. For 
New York, that would mean that public charter school administrators 
could be paid no more than John King, the New York State Commissioner 
of Education, whose salary is $212,500 per year. This amendment was 
inspired by a 2013 New York Daily News article which noted that many of 
the city's charter schools' administrators earned significantly more 
than the Chancellor of New York City schools. I believe that public 
charter school resources should be focused on classroom instruction, 
not exuberant salaries. Unfortunately, this amendment was rejected by 
the Republicans.
  I also tried to increase charter accountability by submitting an 
amendment requiring charter schools to disclose their student retention 
rates. In Brooklyn, where families have many charter school choices, it 
can sometimes be difficult to differentiate between the schools. 
Parents who are trying to decide where their children should attend 
school need to have comprehensive information on the performance of 
public charter schools in their area. Knowing the student retention 
rate for public charter schools would enable parents and government 
officials to reach informed decisions about the performance of public 
charter schools.
  Ironically, even the fact that we are reauthorizing charter schools 
today is yet another example of the inequity between public charter and 
public non-charter schools. This bill will likely move forward in the 
Senate, whereas the Elementary and Secondary School Act, which 
reauthorizes public non-charter schools, languishes in the Senate.
  Though my student retention rate amendment was incorporated into the 
bill, I remain in strong opposition to this bill because it does not go 
far enough in achieving parity between public charter schools and 
public non-charter schools.
  There are over 49.5 million public school students in America. Public 
non-charter schools continue to educate the vast majority of students 
in America. Therefore, we must improve and strengthen public education, 
so that our children will be able to successfully compete and thrive in 
a 21st century global economy. To accomplish this both public non-
charter and public charter schools must peacefully, co-exist on 
equitable grounds. No equity will exist until public charter and public 
non-charter schools have the same accountability, transparency and 
financial oversight requirements. Otherwise, our children and 
ultimately our society will continue to suffer the cost of doing 
nothing.
  As the debate regarding the challenges between public charter and 
public non-charter schools rages on, I hope that policy makers will 
devote significant time, energy and resources to address issues of 
inequity.

                          ____________________