Almost since the first charter school opened in 1992, charter schools have received their due recognition from policymakers who recognize charters' roll in improving the opportunities, accountability and quality in American public education.
Annually the President of the United States, from Bill Clinton to George Bush, has recognized that:
Charter schools are educational alternatives that empower families with additional choices for their children. By providing flexibility to educators while insisting on results, charter schools are helping foster a culture of educational innovation, accountability, and excellence. Charter schools also encourage parental involvement and help contribute to the national effort to close the achievement gap.
- President George W. Bush, May 2, 2008
and
Providing our children the high-quality education they need to succeed is one of the greatest challenges we face as a Nation, and helping communities establish public charter schools is one of the best ways we can meet that challenge.... charter schools across our Nation are helping to raise standards, expectations, and accountability in all of America's public schools. By investing in charter schools, we are investing in our Nation's future.
- President Bill Clinton, May 2, 2000
Charter schools also receive strong bipartisan support from both chambers of the United States Congress. Recognizing that "charter schools deliver high-quality education and challenge students to reach their potential" the House of Representatives and Senate every year pass resolutions "supporting the goals and ideals of National Charter Schools Week."
In doing so, members of Congress recognize that charter schools:
- deliver high-quality education and challenge our students to reach their potential;
- provide thousands of families with diverse and innovative educational options for their children,
- responding to the needs of our communities, families, and students and promoting the principles of quality, choice, and innovation;
- are held accountable by their sponsors for improving student achievement and for their financial and other operations;
- improve their students' achievement and stimulate improvement in traditional public 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;
- serve a higher percentage of low-income and minority students than the traditional public system;
- have enjoyed broad bipartisan support from the Administration, Congress, State Governors and legislatures, educators, and parents across the United States
- U.S. House of Representatives, May 1, 2007.
Link to other National Charter Schools Week Presidential Proclamations:
See also:
CER Leads Charter Delegation to Meet With the President: President Bush Signs National Charter Week Proclamation, CER Press Release, 2002
Link here for more on National Charter Schools Week.
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CER drives the creation of better educational opportunities for all children by leading parents, policymakers and the media in boldly advocating for school choice, advancing the charter school movement, and challenging the education establishment.
