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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 556 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 556

 Congratulating charter schools and their students, parents, teachers, 
     and administrators across the United States for their ongoing 
          contributions to education, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 8, 2008

Ms. Landrieu (for herself, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Burr, Mr. 
Vitter, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Sununu, Mr. Allard, Mr. Isakson, and Mr. Carper) 
 submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Congratulating charter schools and their students, parents, teachers, 
     and administrators across the United States for their ongoing 
          contributions to education, and for other purposes.

Whereas charter schools deliver high-quality education and challenge all 
        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 a designated public 
        entity that are responding to the needs of our communities, families, 
        and students and promoting the principles of quality, choice, and 
        innovation;
Whereas, in exchange for the flexibility and autonomy given to charter schools, 
        they are held accountable by their sponsors for improving student 
        achievement and for their financial and other operations;
Whereas 40 States and the District of Columbia have passed laws authorizing 
        charter schools;
Whereas more than 4,300 charter schools are now operating in 40 States and the 
        District of Columbia, serving more than 1,200,000 students;
Whereas, over the last 14 years, Congress has provided over $2,237,256,000 in 
        support to the charter school movement through facilities financing 
        assistance and grants for planning, startup, implementation, and 
        dissemination;
Whereas many charter schools improve their students' achievement and stimulate 
        improvement in traditional public schools;
Whereas charter schools must meet the student achievement accountability 
        requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 in 
        the same manner as traditional public schools, and often set higher and 
        additional individual goals to ensure that they are of high quality and 
        truly accountable to the public;
Whereas charter schools give parents new freedom to choose their public schools, 
        routinely measure parental satisfaction levels, and must prove their 
        ongoing success to parents, policymakers, and their communities;
Whereas over 50 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 average-sized charter schools;
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 9th annual National Charter Schools Week, to be held May 5 through 
        May 9, 2008, 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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) acknowledges and commends charter schools and their 
        students, parents, teachers, and administrators across the 
        United States for their ongoing contributions to education, 
        especially their impressive results closing America's 
        persistent achievement gap, and improving and strengthening our 
        public school system;
            (2) supports the ideas and goals of the 9th annual National 
        Charter Schools Week; and
            (3) encourages the people of the United States to conduct 
        appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to demonstrate 
        support for charter schools during this week long celebration 
        in communities throughout the United States.
                                 <all>
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