[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 326]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE PENCE

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 25, 2012

  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize January 22-28, 
2012, as National School Choice Week. Our children are the future of 
this great Nation, and they should be able to attend the highest-
quality schools possible. Improving the quality of education and 
expanding access to highly effective schools is an important step 
toward ensuring that all of our children receive the best possible 
education in America.
  This week, more than 400 events will be held in all 50 states to 
advance and support school choice. Tens of thousands of Americans will 
be taking part in these events including parents, teachers, and 
guardians responsible for taking care of our Nation's children. America 
is blessed to have a multitude of high-quality public schools, public 
charter schools, and nonpublic schools, as well as many high-quality 
teaching professionals who are committed to educating our children.
  This past year, my home State of Indiana enacted meaningful and 
comprehensive education reform that provides parents with the freedom 
to make sure their child gets the best education possible. And last 
year I was proud to support Speaker Boehner's Scholarships for 
Opportunity and Results Act (H.R. 471) when it passed the House of 
Representatives. The SOAR Act allows for education scholarships to be 
provided to children in the District of Columbia so that they can 
receive a high quality education regardless of their race or income 
status in society. Research demonstrates conclusively and consistently 
that providing children with multiple schooling options improves 
academic performance and parental satisfaction.
  And so I rise today in strong support of National School Choice Week 
because I support empowering parents with school choice. Every child 
must have the opportunity to pursue the American dream, and I firmly 
believe parents are in the best position to determine which schools 
their children should attend. As a parent myself, I am proud to 
celebrate National School Choice Week, and I look forward to continuing 
to advocate for local control of education and for further 
opportunities to provide parents with the ability to give their 
children the best education possible.

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