On May 3, the House approved, by voice vote, a resolution (H. Res. 218) supporting the sixth annual National Charter Schools Week, which occurs the week of May 1-7, 2005. A similar resolution (S. Res. 127) was passed in the Senate on April 27 (see The Source, 4/29/05).
Sponsored by Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV), H. Res. 218 “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 the public school system of the United States.” The resolution also notes 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 week-long celebration in communities throughout the United States.” According to the resolution, roughly 900,000 students in 40 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico attend charter schools.
Rep. Porter stated, “The Nation’s charter schools deliver high-quality education and challenge students to reach their potential…At charter schools nationwide, almost half of the students are considered at-risk or are former drop-outs. Charter schools serve a significant number of minority students, students with disabilities, and students from lower income families. These schools give opportunity and freedom to students and parents who otherwise might not have had the change to receive a quality education.”
Describing charter schools as “the only alternative we ought to fund,” Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) declared, “With No Child Left Behind we have a problem we are seeing all over the country. You have got to find yourself a better school. Well, guess what. Those schools are so full so there is no place to transfer right now. Everybody ought to wish for charter schools because there is a publicly accountable school with a public dollar that perhaps one can transfer to. They are opening fast, but not fast enough for us here.”
