[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 20 (Thursday, January 30, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK

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                          HON. J. FRENCH HILL

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 30, 2020

  Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize School 
Choice Week.
   As a father of two, I am well-versed with the parental drive to give 
your child the best opportunities possible in life. Each student 
deserves a rich, challenging curriculum to prepare them for success, 
and I believe parents have the right to select the best school that 
will provide them with the best education.
   Millions of American students are trapped in schools that do not 
meet their aptitudes and needs, and as a nation, we face a tragically 
high dropout rate. In Arkansas, one in every twenty high school 
students will drop out before graduation, and this statistic mirrors 
the national rate. School choice most benefits students from low-income 
families, whose parents cannot buy a new home in a zip code with a 
better-performing public school.
   I support school vouchers and other innovative educational options, 
such as magnet and charter schools, because they give parents the 
flexibility to place their child in the school that best meets their 
educational needs. As lawmakers, we owe families the right to access a 
high-quality education, unrestricted by zip code or income.

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