[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 10 (Thursday, January 18, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H197-H198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1100
                    SCHOOL CHOICE EMPOWERS FAMILIES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Steel). The Chair recognizes the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, Monday marks the beginning of National 
School Choice Week, a time to celebrate and explore the various 
education options available to students and parents.
  Education is the cornerstone of opportunity in America, and we must 
spare no effort in laying the foundation for our students to prosper. 
Educational freedom is essential in these efforts and begets success 
for America's children while offering parents the resources to support 
their child's future.
  No two students are the same, but that is the strength of school 
choice: empowering students and their families to select the 
environment that best supports their individual goals and specific 
needs.

[[Page H198]]

  Rather than assigning students to schools based solely on their ZIP 
Code, school choice places students and parents back where they belong, 
at the helm of decisionmaking concerning education.
  Options like innovative charter schools, magnet schools, 
homeschooling, and scholarship programs personalize education and have 
revived new hope and opportunities for countless American families.
  I would like to take a moment to commend and reflect on the progress 
achieved by the school choice movement in the last year. 2023 was a 
monumental year for expanding school choice across the country. A 
record 20 States implemented programs or legislation to make education 
alternatives available for millions of students.
  Through these initiatives, these States have reasserted the rights of 
American parents to play a central role in selecting and pursuing the 
education model they believe suits their child.
  I am proud to highlight that my home State of North Carolina was 
among these pioneer States and became the ninth State to pass universal 
school choice legislation. North Carolina and the 19 other States that 
passed legislation are amazing examples of putting students first.
  However, too many of our Nation's students are kept from realizing 
their full potential because they do not have access to a high-quality 
education. The uncomfortable truth is that the one-size-fits-all 
approach to education is harming our students.
  America invests over $800 billion into education, yet the most recent 
National Assessment of Educational Progress found that reading scores 
declined to their lowest level since 1992, and math scores saw their 
largest decline since the initial 1990 assessment.
  On the other hand, education choice has been proven to improve 
student achievement, attainment, and even character development.
  We must fund students, not systems.
  School choice puts education funding directly into the hands of 
parents. By allowing parents the discretion to use the funds already 
allocated for their child's education as they see fit, school choice 
ensures that students and schools are well matched and taxpayer dollars 
are used responsibly for programs and institutions that produce the 
best outcomes for students.
  We were sent to Congress to represent the will of the American 
people, and 71 percent of Americans support school choice, according to 
recent polling.
  I am proud of the advancements made for the parents who now have the 
rightful say in their child's education and for the students who can 
now unlock their full capabilities regardless of their financial 
situation, home address, or learning needs.
  The next challenge we face is extending the promise of school choice 
to all 50 States. As Chairwoman of the Education and the Workforce 
Committee, I am committed to promoting high-quality education for all 
Americans.
  Madam Speaker, I wish everyone a happy National School Choice Week, 
and I look forward to celebrating more progress and milestones in 2024.

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