Mitch Landrieu: “I appreciate all of Chairman Harkin's efforts in bringing this bill forward and thank him for his continued support of…”

“I appreciate all of Chairman Harkin's efforts in bringing this bill forward and thank him for his continued support of the Nation's public schools, including charter schools, which increase the academic achievement of our Nation's most low-income students. Unfortunately, the committee did not provide enough funding for public charter schools. Charter schools are public schools created by teachers, parents, and other community stakeholders to educate students of all backgrounds and educational abilities. In exchange for greater accountability for student achievement, these schools are free from many local and State regulations. This flexibility and accountability has allowed individuals with nontraditional backgrounds to create cultures that have made charter schools top academic performers often in some of the Nation's largest urban centers. Because of this unique approach to education, demand for these schools has been remarkable over the last decade. In New Orleans, charters schools have been an engine of our school systems rebirth. For the 2006-2007 school year almost 60 percent of New Orleans' public schools students were enrolled in charter schools, the largest market share of any city in the country. Charter schools are not a panacea, but they are a tremendously valuable piece of education reform, and we should be cautiously optimistic about their potential to help close the achievement gap.”