III 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 127 

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 

APRIL 27, 2005 

Mr. GREGG (for himself, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. FRIST, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. 

SUNUNU, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. DEMINT, Mrs. DOLE, Mr. VITTER, Mr. 

BURR, and Mr. ALLARD) 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 our 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; 
2 

•SRES 127 ATS

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 41 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico have passed laws authorizing 

charter schools; 

Whereas nearly 3,300 charter schools are now operating in 

40 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and serving approximately 900,000 

students; 

Whereas over the last 10 years, Congress has provided more 

than $1,500,000,000 in support to the charter school 

movement through facilities financing assistance and 

grants for planning, startup, implementation, and dissemination; 

Whereas 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 school, routinely measure parental satisfaction levels, and must prove their ongoing success to parents, policymakers, and their communities; 

Whereas nearly 40 percent of charter schools report having 

a waiting list, and the total number of students on all 
3 

•SRES 127 ATS

such waiting lists is enough to fill over 1,000 averagesized charter schools; 

Whereas charter schools nationwide serve a higher percentage 

of low-income and minority students than the traditional 

public system; 

Whereas charter schools have enjoyed broad bipartisan support from the Administration, Congress, State Governors 

and legislatures, educators, and parents across the 

United States; and 

Whereas the sixth annual National Charter Schools Week, to 

be held May 1 through 7, 2005, 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— 

2 (1) the Senate acknowledges and commends 

3 charter schools and their students, parents, teachers, 

4 and administrators across the United States for 

5 their ongoing contributions to education and improv6 ing and strengthening our public school system; 

7 (2) the Senate supports the sixth annual Na8 tional Charter Schools Week; and 

9 (3) it is the sense of the Senate that the Presi10 dent should issue a proclamation calling on the peo11 ple of the United States to conduct appropriate pro12 grams, ceremonies, and activities to demonstrate 

13 support for charter schools during this weeklong 
4 

•SRES 127 ATS

1 celebration in communities throughout the United 

2 States. 

Æ