III 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 438 

Congratulating the students, parents, teachers, and administrators of charter 

schools across the United States for their ongoing contributions to education, and supporting the ideals and goals of the 15th annual National 

Charter Schools Week, to be held May 4 through May 10, 2014. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 6, 2014 

Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. CARPER, 

Mr. DURBIN, Mr. MCCAIN, Mr. KIRK, Mr. BENNET, Mr. VITTER, Mr. 

RUBIO, Mr. COONS, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. BURR, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. GRAHAM, and Mr. SCOTT) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Congratulating the students, parents, teachers, and administrators of charter schools across the United States for 

their ongoing contributions to education, and supporting 

the ideals and goals of the 15th annual National Charter 

Schools Week, to be held May 4 through May 10, 2014. 

Whereas charter schools are public schools that do not charge 

tuition and enroll any student who wants to attend a 

charter school, often through a random lottery when too 

many students want to attend a single charter school; 

Whereas high-performing charter schools deliver a high-quality public education and challenge all students to reach 

their potential for academic success; 


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•SRES 438 ATS 

Whereas charter schools promote innovation and excellence in 

public education; 

Whereas charter schools throughout the United States provide millions of families with diverse and innovative educational options for their children; 

Whereas high-performing charter schools are dramatically increasing student achievement and college-going rates; 

Whereas charter schools are authorized by a designated public entity and— 

(1) respond to the needs of communities, families, 

and students in the United States; and 

(2) promote the principles of quality, accountability, 

choice, and innovation; 

Whereas in exchange for flexibility and autonomy, charter 

schools are held accountable by the public authorizers of 

such charter schools for improving student achievement 

and for sound financial and operational management; 

Whereas charter schools are required to meet the student 

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

U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) in the same manner as traditional 

public schools; 

Whereas charter schools often set higher expectations for students, beyond the requirements under the Elementary 

and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 

et seq.), to ensure that such charter schools are of high 

quality and truly accountable to the public; 

Whereas 42 States and the District of Columbia have enacted 

laws authorizing charter schools; 

Whereas more than 6,400 charter schools serve more than 

2,500,000 children; 


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•SRES 438 ATS 

Whereas in the United States— 

(1) in 135 school districts, more than 10 percent of 

public school students are enrolled in charter schools; 

(2) in 32 school districts, at least 20 percent of public school students are enrolled in charter schools; and 

(3) in 7 districts, at least 30 percent of public school 

students are enrolled in charter schools; 

Whereas charter schools improve the achievement of students 

enrolled in such charter schools and collaborate with traditional public schools to improve public education for all 

students; 

Whereas charter schools— 

(1) give parents the freedom to choose public 

schools; 

(2) routinely measure parental satisfaction levels; 

and 

(3) must prove their ongoing success to parents, policymakers, and the communities served by such charter 

schools; 

Whereas approximately 920,000 students were on waiting 

lists to attend charter schools before the beginning of the 

2012–2013 academic year; and 

Whereas the 15th annual National Charter Schools Week is 

scheduled to be celebrated the week of May 4 through 

May 10, 2014: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) congratulates the students, families, teach3 ers, and administrators of charter schools across the 

4 United States for— 


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•SRES 438 ATS 

1 (A) their ongoing contributions to edu2 cation; 

3 (B) their impressive strides in closing the 

4 academic achievement gap in schools in the 

5 United States, particularly schools with some of 

6 the most disadvantaged students in both rural 

7 and urban communities; and 

8 (C) improving and strengthening the public 

9 school system in the United States; 

10 (2) supports the ideals and goals of the 15th 

11 annual National Charter Schools Week, a week-long 

12 celebration to be held the week of May 4 through 

13 May 10, 2014, in communities throughout the 

14 United States; and 

15 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

16 to hold appropriate programs, ceremonies, and ac17 tivities during National Charter Schools Week to 

18 demonstrate support for charter schools. 

Æ 


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