Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) today led their colleagues in introducing a resolution celebrating the 19th annual National Charter Schools Week, which runs from May 7 through May 11, 2018 and commends the students, parents, teachers, and leaders of our nation’s more than 6,900 charter schools across 44 states and the District of Columbia.
“All children should have the opportunity to attend a great school that equips them with skills for the 21st century economy,” Bennet said. “For many students in Colorado, charter schools provide the flexibility and innovative teaching they need to succeed. During National Charter Schools Week, we celebrate the teachers, school leaders, and parents who are committed to improving student learning around the country.”
“The 2017-2018 school year was the first year that states and charter schools started to receive grants created under the 2015 law fixing No Child Left Behind, with the Department of Education awarding 34 new grant awards to open new, and replicate and expand high-quality, charter schools across the country,” Alexander said. “The new law, and the annual celebration of National Charter Schools Week, show continued bipartisan support for charter schools, which give teachers more freedom and parents more choice—and give students a real opportunity to attend a good school that’s right for them.”
Bennet, former Superintendent of Denver Public Schools, and Alexander, former U.S. Secretary of Education, are members of the Senate Education Committee, which passed the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act to fix No Child Left Behind in 2015 that helps states open, expand, and replicate high-quality charter schools.
The full text of the resolution is available HERE.