    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 17 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
    [Pages 801-802]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Proclamation 8007--National Charter Schools Week, 2006

    April 26, 2006

    By the President of the United States

    of America

    A Proclamation

        Education is the gateway to a brighter future for our children and
    our Nation. During National Charter Schools Week, we celebrate charter
    schools' commitment to academic achievement, accountability, and
    innovation. We recognize the vital role charter schools play in
    fostering an America where children have the knowledge and skills they
    need to grow, succeed, and achieve their dreams.
        As a publicly funded alternative to traditional public schools,
    charter schools have expanded our understanding of public education by
    embracing the spirit of discovery and providing innovative avenues for
    success. Almost 15 years after the founding of the first charter school,
    more than 3,600 charter schools in 40 states and the District of
    Columbia are teaching more than one million students. These institutions
    reflect our belief in the promise of America's youth and help fulfill
    our moral obligation to make sure that every child has a quality
    education.
        This year marks the fourth anniversary of the signing of the No
    Child Left Behind Act, which is helping schools close the achievement
    gap among America's youth. Using the same principles that guide No Child
    Left Behind, we are achieving educational excellence through charter
    schools by providing greater flexibility with Federal dollars and
    curriculum control at the local level. We are also providing parents
    with more information about school performance and school options and
    insisting on results through assessment and accountability.
        In the aftermath of the devastating hurricanes that struck our
    Nation's Gulf Coast last

    [[Page 802]]

    year, charter schools are playing a major role in welcoming back school
    children affected by the storms. Because of their unique flexibility,
    many Gulf Coast charter schools were able to reopen quickly, and many of
    the public schools that have reopened in New Orleans now operate as
    charter schools. By enabling these children to continue their education,
    charter schools are helping families and demonstrating a deep compassion
    for America's students.
        We must give every child the best opportunity to learn and succeed
    in life. Charter schools help prepare our next generation of leaders and
    help ensure that America continues to succeed in the world.
        Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 30 through May 6,
    2006, as National Charter Schools Week. I appreciate our Nation's
    charter schools, teachers, and administrators, and I call on parents of
    charter school students to share their successes and help all Americans
    understand more about the important work of charter schools.
        In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth
    day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
    thirtieth.
                                                    George W. Bush

    [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 9:05 a.m., April 28,
    2006]

    Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on May 1.