[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6256]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL WEEK

  (Mr. PAULSEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize National Charter 
Schools Week and the 25th anniversary of the opening of the very first 
charter school.
  With nearly 3 million students attending public charter schools 
across the country, 43 States, and the District of Columbia, it is the 
fastest growing choice option in public education. Minnesota is a 
leader in developing new innovative ways to educate our students and 
was the very first State to allow charter schools. Today, Minnesota has 
164 charter schools that serve about 57,000 students in kindergarten 
through the 12th grade. Our State usually ranks among the top in having 
charter school friendly laws and developing high quality and 
independent charter school options.
  As co-chair of the Charter School Caucus, I believe it is important 
that we do continue to create and develop this educational option. 
America will continue to lead the world in innovation and ideas if our 
students receive the best education possible from early childhood all 
the way through graduate school, and that means ensuring a child's ZIP 
Code does not determine the outcome of their education and the quality 
of their education.

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