[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6865-6866]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 438--CONGRATULATING THE STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, 
  AND ADMINISTRATORS OF CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES FOR 
THEIR ONGOING CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION, AND SUPPORTING THE IDEALS AND 
GOALS OF THE 15TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK, TO BE HELD MAY 
                         4 THROUGH MAY 10, 2014

  Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. Alexander, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Carper, 
Mr. Durbin, Mr. McCain, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Rubio, 
Mr. Coons, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Burr, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Graham, and Mr. 
Scott) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                              S. Res. 438

       Whereas charter schools are public schools that do not 
     charge tuition and enroll any student who wants to attend a 
     charter school, often through a random lottery when too many 
     students want to attend a single charter school;
       Whereas high-performing charter schools deliver a high-
     quality public education and challenge all students to reach 
     their potential for academic success;
       Whereas charter schools promote innovation and excellence 
     in public education;
       Whereas charter schools throughout the United States 
     provide millions of families with diverse and innovative 
     educational options for their children;
       Whereas high-performing charter schools are dramatically 
     increasing student achievement and college-going rates;
       Whereas charter schools are authorized by a designated 
     public 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, and innovation;
       Whereas in exchange for flexibility and autonomy, charter 
     schools are held accountable by the public authorizers of 
     such charter schools for improving student achievement and 
     for sound financial and operational management;
       Whereas 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;

[[Page 6866]]

       Whereas charter schools often set higher expectations for 
     students, beyond the requirements under the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), to 
     ensure that such charter schools are of high quality and 
     truly accountable to the public;
       Whereas 42 States and the District of Columbia have enacted 
     laws authorizing charter schools;
       Whereas more than 6,400 charter schools serve more than 
     2,500,000 children;
       Whereas in the United States--
       (1) in 135 school districts, more than 10 percent of public 
     school students are enrolled in charter schools;
       (2) in 32 school districts, at least 20 percent of public 
     school students are enrolled in charter schools; and
       (3) in 7 districts, at least 30 percent of public school 
     students are enrolled in charter schools;
       Whereas charter schools improve the achievement of students 
     enrolled in such charter schools and collaborate with 
     traditional public schools to improve public education for 
     all students;
       Whereas charter schools--
       (1) give parents the freedom to choose public schools;
       (2) routinely measure parental satisfaction levels; and
       (3) must prove their ongoing success to parents, 
     policymakers, and the communities served by such charter 
     schools;
       Whereas approximately 920,000 students were on waiting 
     lists to attend charter schools before the beginning of the 
     2012-2013 academic year; and
       Whereas the 15th annual National Charter Schools Week is 
     scheduled to be celebrated the week of May 4 through May 10, 
     2014: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the students, families, teachers, and 
     administrators of charter schools across the United States 
     for--
       (A) their ongoing contributions to education;
       (B) their impressive strides in closing the academic 
     achievement gap in schools in the United States, particularly 
     schools with some of the most disadvantaged students in both 
     rural and urban communities; and
       (C) improving and strengthening the public school system in 
     the United States;
       (2) supports the ideals and goals of the 15th annual 
     National Charter Schools Week, a week-long celebration to be 
     held the week of May 4 through May 10, 2014, 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 
     charter schools.

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