[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 43 (Monday, October 26, 1998)]
[Page 2093]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Charter School Expansion Act of 1998

October 22, 1998

    Today I am pleased to sign into law H.R. 2616, the ``Charter School 
Expansion Act of 1998.'' This bill will help foster the development of 
high-quality charter schools, consistent with my goal of having 3,000 
charter schools operating by early in the next century, and will help 
lead to improvements in public education more generally. I am 
particularly gratified by the bipartisan manner in which this bill 
passed the House and Senate.
    I have long championed charter schools--public schools started by 
parents, teachers, and communities, open to all students regardless of 
background or ability, and given great flexibility in exchange for high 
levels of accountability. When I was elected President there was only 
one charter school in the Nation, and now there are more than 1,000 
serving more than 200,000 students. This bill will help strengthen our 
efforts to support charter schools, providing parents and students with 
better schools, more choice, and higher levels of accountability in 
public education.
    As the charter school movement spreads throughout the country, it is 
important that these schools have clear and measurable educational 
performance objectives and are held accountable to the same high 
standards expected of all public schools. To further this goal, H.R. 
2616 requires the Department of Education to give priority in awarding 
grants to States in which the performance of every charter school is 
reviewed at least once every 5 years to ensure the school is fulfilling 
the terms of its charter and students are meeting achievement 
requirements and goals. It also will reward States that have made 
progress in increasing the number of high-quality, accountable charter 
schools. Finally, it makes clear that any charter school receiving 
funding under this program must be measured by the same State 
assessments as other public schools. These important quality-control 
measures will help charter schools fulfill their potential to become 
models of accountability for public education.
    I am also pleased that H.R. 2616 provides new authority for 
successful charter schools to serve as models, not just for other 
charter schools, but for public schools generally. At a relatively low 
cost, such model schools will provide in-depth advice, materials, and 
other information on various aspects of their programs--helping to start 
up new public schools and helping existing schools learn from their 
successes. By drawing on the experience of high-performing charter 
schools throughout our Nation, this legislation will help bring the 
benefits of innovation and creativity to hundreds of thousands of 
additional children.
    I am confident that this legislation will augment the ability of 
parents, teachers, and others to strengthen public education in their 
communities. This bill represents an integral part of our effort to 
improve public schools and help all of our students get the high-quality 
public education they need and deserve.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
October 22, 1998.

Note: H.R. 2616, approved October 22, was assigned Public Law No. 105-
278.