H. Res. 1149 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
May 5, 2010. 
Whereas charter schools deliver high-quality education and 
challenge our students to reach their potential; 
Whereas charter schools promote innovation and excellence in 
public education; 
Whereas charter schools provide hundreds of 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 pro-
moting 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 39 States, the District of Columbia, and Guam have 
passed laws authorizing charter schools; 
Whereas 4,956 charter schools, an increase of 292 schools 
from last school year, are now serving almost 1,500,000 
children;
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Whereas over the last 16 years, Congress has provided sub-
stantial support to the charter school movement through 
startup grants for planning, implementation, and dis-
semination of charter schools; 
Whereas over 365,000 children are on charter school waiting 
lists nationally; 
Whereas charter schools improve their students’ achievement 
and often 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 addi-
tional individual goals to ensure that they are of high 
quality and truly accountable to the public; 
Whereas charter schools must continually demonstrate their 
ongoing success to parents, policymakers, and their com-
munities, some charter schools routinely measure paren-
tal satisfaction levels, and all give parents new freedom 
to choose their public school; 
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 sup-
port from the Administration, Congress, State Governors 
and legislatures, educators, and parents across the 
United States; and 
Whereas the 11th annual National Charter Schools Week, to 
be held May 2 through May 8, 2010, is an event spon-
sored by charter schools and grassroots charter school or-
ganizations across the United States to recognize the sig-
•HRES 1149 EH 
nificant impacts, achievements, and innovations of char-
ter schools: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of the 11th annual 
National Charter Schools Week; 
(2) acknowledges and commends charter schools 
and their students, parents, teachers, and administrators 
across the United States for their ongoing contributions 
to education and improving and strengthening our public 
school system; and 
(3) calls on the people of the United States to con-
duct appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to 
demonstrate support for charter schools during this 
weeklong celebration in communities throughout the 
United States. 
Attest: 
Clerk.