Senate Passes Alexander, Bennet Resolution Celebrating 18th Annual National Charter Schools Week

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 1 – Today, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) celebrating the 18^th annual National Charter Schools Week, which runs from May 1 through May 5 and congratulates the students, parents, teachers, and leaders of our nation’s 6,950 charter schools.

Senate education committee Chairman Alexander said: “Since their creation in the 1990’s by the Minnesota Democratic Farmer Labor Party, charter schools have had strong bipartisan support – including support from the last five presidents and last six education secretaries. Congress has four times, by bipartisan majorities, supported charter schools. Charter schools are on the forefront of helping to create new opportunities for the more than three million public school children who attend a charter school by giving teachers more freedom and parents more choices. I look forward to continuing to work on ways to give more students the chance to attend a high-quality charter school.”

Sen. Bennet said: “All children should have access to a great school that prepares them for the 21st century economy. In Colorado, many charter schools have helped boost student learning and success. During National Charter Schools Week, we recognize the accomplishments of our teachers, school leaders, parents, and students who help create successful charter schools.”

The resolution is cosponsored by 23 senators, including Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R- Texas), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Roger Wicker (R –Miss.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

Alexander and Bennet are members of the Senate education committee, which passed bipartisan legislation to fix No Child Left Behind in 2015 that helps states expand and replicate high-quality charter schools.

The full text of the resolution is available here.

###