III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 183 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Charter Schools Week, April 

30, 2007, through May 4, 2007. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 1, 2007 

Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. CARPER, 

Mr. BURR, Mr. DEMINT, Mr. VITTER, Mrs. DOLE, and Mr. GREGG) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Charter Schools 

Week, April 30, 2007, through May 4, 2007. 

Whereas charter schools deliver high-quality education and 

challenge students to reach their potential; 

Whereas charter schools provide thousands of families with 

diverse and innovative educational options for their children; 

Whereas charter schools are public schools authorized by designated public entities to respond to the needs of communities, families, and students, and to promote the principles of quality, choice, and innovation; 

Whereas, in exchange for the flexibility and autonomy given 

to charter schools, charter schools are held accountable 


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•SRES 183 ATS 

by their sponsors for improving student achievement and 

for their finances and other operations; 

Whereas 40 States and the District of Columbia have passed 

laws authorizing charter schools; 

Whereas more than 4,000 charter schools operating across 

the United States serve more than 1,140,000 students; 

Whereas, over the last 13 years, Congress has provided more 

than $2,026,225,000 in support to the charter school 

movement by providing facilities, financing assistance, 

and grants for planning, startup, implementation, and 

dissemination of information; 

Whereas many charter schools improve the achievement of 

students and stimulate improvement in traditional public 

schools; 

Whereas charter schools must meet the student achievement 

accountability requirements under section 1111 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 

U.S.C. 6311) in the same manner as traditional public 

schools, and often set higher and additional individual 

goals to ensure that charter schools are of high quality 

and truly accountable to the public; 

Whereas charter schools give parents new freedom to choose 

public schools, routinely measure parental satisfaction 

levels, and must prove their ongoing success to parents, 

policymakers, and communities; 

Whereas nearly 56 percent of charter schools report having 

a waiting list, and the total number of students on all 

such waiting lists is enough to fill over 1,100 averagesized charter schools; 


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•SRES 183 ATS 

Whereas charter schools nationwide serve a higher percentage 

of low-income and minority students than the traditional 

public school system; 

Whereas charter schools have enjoyed broad bipartisan support from the President, Congress, State governors and 

legislatures, educators, and parents across the United 

States; and 

Whereas the eighth annual National Charter Schools Week, 

to be held April 30 through May 4, 2007, is an event 

sponsored by charter schools and grassroots charter 

school organizations across the United States to recognize the significant impacts, achievements, and innovations of charter schools: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) acknowledges and commends charter schools 

3 and students, parents, teachers, and administrators 

4 of charter schools across the United States for their 

5 ongoing contributions to education and improving 

6 and strengthening the public school system; 

7 (2) supports the goals and ideals of the eighth 

8 annual National Charter Schools Week; and 

9 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

10 to conduct appropriate programs, ceremonies, and 

11 activities to demonstrate support for charter schools 

12 during this week-long celebration in communities 

13 throughout the United States. 

Æ 


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