Senate Passes Landrieu and Alexander Resolution Recognizing 14th Annual National Charter Schools Week
Twelve senators mark annual event, commend the more than 6,000 charter schools across the nation
Washington, D.C., May 10 – U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, along with 10 cosponsors, this week introduced a resolution congratulating the students, parents, teachers, and administrators of charter schools across the nation, expressing strong support for public charter schools and marking the 14th annual National Charter Schools Week, which lasts from May 5 to May 11 this year. The U.S. Senate passed the resolution by unanimous consent last night.
Landrieu said: “I am proud to celebrate the mission and success of charter schools in Louisiana and across the country this week. Charter schools are at the forefront of the national discussion on the future of our educational system, and play a critical role in preparing our students for the future. I am also thankful for our local community leaders—without their partnership and support, these schools would not be possible.”
Alexander said: “Charter schools are the formula to helping our children learn what they need to know and be able to do so they can succeed in life. Charter schools give principals the freedom to lead, teachers the freedom to exercise their own good judgment and parents the freedom to choose the school that is best for their child.”
The resolution is cosponsored by 10 senators, including Senators Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
Senator Alexander and Senator Landrieu are also co-chairs of the Senate Public Charter Schools Caucus, a bipartisan Senate caucus formed to bring attention to charter school issues.
As senator, governor of Tennessee, and U.S. Secretary of Education, Alexander has supported elementary and secondary education policies that increase charter school options for parents and teachers. In his last action as U.S. Education Secretary in 1992, Alexander sent a letter to all the nation’s school superintendents urging them to consider replicating the early successes of charter schools in Minnesota.
The complete resolution is attached.
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