[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 6, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2692-S2693]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 171--CONGRATULATING THE STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, 
  AND ADMINISTRATORS OF CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES FOR 
 MAKING ONGOING CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION, AND SUPPORTING THE IDEALS 
AND GOALS OF THE 16TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK, TO BE HELD 
                       MAY 3 THROUGH MAY 9, 2015

  Mr. ALEXANDER (for himself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Booker, Mr. Burr, Mr. 
Carper, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Coons, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Mr. Graham, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Lankford, 
Mr. McCain, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Perdue, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Scott, Mr. 
Tillis, and Mr. Vitter) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 171

       Whereas charter schools are public schools that do not 
     charge tuition and enroll any student who wants to attend, 
     often through a random lottery when the demand for enrollment 
     is outmatched by the supply of available charter school 
     seats;
       Whereas high-performing public charter schools deliver a 
     high-quality public education and challenge all students to 
     reach the students' potential for academic success;
       Whereas public charter schools promote innovation and 
     excellence in public education;
       Whereas public charter schools throughout the United States 
     provide millions of families with diverse and innovative 
     educational options for children of the families;
       Whereas high-performing public charter schools and charter 
     management organizations are increasing student achievement 
     and attendance rates at institutions of higher education;
       Whereas public charter schools are authorized by a 
     designated 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, high-performance, and innovation;
       Whereas, in exchange for flexibility and autonomy, public 
     charter schools are held accountable by the authorizers of 
     the charter schools for improving student achievement and for 
     sound financial and operational management;
       Whereas public 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 public charter schools often set higher 
     expectations for students, beyond the requirements of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6301 et seq.), to ensure that the charter schools are of high 
     quality and truly accountable to the public;
       Whereas 43 States and the District of Columbia have enacted 
     laws authorizing public charter schools;
       Whereas, as of the 2014-2015 school year, more than 6,700 
     public charter schools served more than 2,900,000 children;
       Whereas in the United States--
       (1) in 150 school districts, more than 10 percent of public 
     school students are enrolled in public charter schools; and
       (2) in 12 school districts, at least 30 percent of public 
     school students are enrolled in public charter schools;

[[Page S2693]]

       Whereas public charter schools improve the achievement of 
     students enrolled in the charter schools and collaborate with 
     traditional public schools to improve public education for 
     all students;
       Whereas public charter schools--
       (1) give parents the freedom to choose public schools;
       (2) routinely measure parental satisfaction levels; and
       (3) must prove the ongoing success of the charter schools 
     to parents, policymakers, and the communities served by the 
     charter schools or risk closure;
       Whereas, between 2010 and 2015, research studies have found 
     that students attending public charter schools perform better 
     academically than their peers;
       Whereas at least 500,000 students are on waiting lists to 
     attend public charter schools across the country before the 
     start of the 2014-2015 school year; and
       Whereas the 16th annual National Charter Schools Week is 
     scheduled to be celebrated the week of May 3 through May 9, 
     2015: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the students, families, teachers, 
     administrators, and staff of public charter schools across 
     the United States for--
       (A) making ongoing contributions to public education;
       (B) making impressive strides in closing the academic 
     achievement gap in schools in the United States, particularly 
     in schools with some of the most disadvantaged students in 
     both rural and urban communities; and
       (C) improving and strengthening the public school system 
     throughout the United States;
       (2) supports the ideals and goals of the 16th annual 
     National Charter Schools Week, a week-long celebration to be 
     held May 3 through May 9, 2015, 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 
     public charter schools.

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