IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 781 
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 26, 2006 
Mr. PORTER (for himself, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. GREEN of Wis-
consin, Mr. KIND, and Mr. CASE) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
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 chil-
dren; 
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; 
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•HRES 781 IH 
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 over 3,600 charter schools are now operating in 40 
States and the District of Columbia serving more than 1 
million students; 
Whereas over the last 12 years, Congress has provided nearly 
$1,775,000,000 in support to the charter school move-
ment 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 addi-
tional 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 satisfac-
tion levels, and must prove their ongoing success to par-
ents, policymakers, and their 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 average- 
sized charter schools; 
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•HRES 781 IH 
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 seventh annual National Charter Schools Week, 
to be held May 1 through 6, 2006, is an event sponsored 
by charter schools and grassroots charter school organi-
zations across the United States to recognize the signifi-
cant impacts, achievements, and innovations of charter 
schools: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That— 
(1) the House of Representatives acknowledges 
and commends charter schools and their students, 
parents, teachers, and administrators across the 
United States for their ongoing contributions to edu-
cation and improving and strengthening our public 
school system; 
(2) the House of Representatives supports the 
seventh annual National Charter Schools Week; and 
(3) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that the President should issue a proclamation 
calling on the people of the United States to conduct 
appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to 
demonstrate support for charter schools during this 
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