[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 80 (Wednesday, May 16, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 514--CONGRATULATING THE STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, 
  AND LEADERS OF CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES FOR MAKING 
ONGOING CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION, AND SUPPORTING THE IDEALS AND GOALS 
  OF THE 19TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK, CELEBRATED MAY 7 
                          THROUGH MAY 11, 2018

  Mr. ALEXANDER (for himself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Wicker, Mr. 
Burr, Mr. Isakson, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Scott, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Johnson, 
Mr. Rubio, Mr. Toomey, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Tillis, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. 
Gardner, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Young, Mr. Perdue, Mr. Carper, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
Lankford, Mr. Coons, Mr. McCain, and Mr. Hatch) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 514

       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 high-performing 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 44 States and the District of Columbia have enacted 
     laws authorizing public charter schools;
       Whereas, as of the 2017-2018 school year, more than 7,000 
     public charter schools served nearly 3,200,000 children;
       Whereas enrollment in public charter schools grew from 
     400,000 students in 2001 to 3,200,000 students in 2018, an 
     eightfold increase in 17 years;
       Whereas in the United States--
       (1) in 208 school districts, more than 10 percent of public 
     school students are enrolled in public charter schools; and
       (2) in 19 school districts, at least 30 percent of public 
     school students are enrolled in public charter schools;
       Whereas high-performing public charter schools improve the 
     academic 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 a 2015 report from the Center for Research on 
     Education Outcomes at Stanford University found significant 
     improvements for students at urban charter schools, and 
     compared to peers of traditional public schools, each year 
     those students completed the equivalent of 28 more days of 
     learning in reading and 40 more days of learning in math;
       Whereas parental demand for high-performing charter schools 
     is high, and there was an estimated 5 percent growth in 
     charter school enrollment between fall 2016 and fall 2017; 
     and
       Whereas the 19th annual National Charter Schools Week is 
     celebrated the week of May 7 through May 11, 2018: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the students, families, teachers, 
     leaders, 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 19th annual 
     National Charter Schools Week, a week-long celebration held 
     May 7 through May 11, 2018, in communities throughout the 
     United States; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to hold 
     appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities for National 
     Charter Schools Week to demonstrate support for public 
     charter schools.

                          ____________________