Heidi Alexander: “I am here to support the introduction of a bill I am cosponsoring, the Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter…”

“I am here to support the introduction of a bill I am cosponsoring, the Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Act. Charter schools are about freedom for teachers, choices for parents, and more and better opportunities for students. I gave the weekly address for the Republican Party on Easter weekend, and I said that, instead of mandating tasks for you to do, government should enable you to create a happier, safer, more prosperous life. This bill is just the kind of proposal that enables people. It enables parents to help their children get a real opportunity by choosing better schools for them to attend. It enables students to learn and succeed. It enables teachers to succeed by giving them the freedom to use their firsthand knowledge. And it enables administrators to succeed by freeing them from bureaucratic mandates and giving them the chance to use their good judgment. The bill would continue the Federal charter schools program, which since 1994 has given grants to states to start new charter schools. It would make improvements to that program to ensure that those funds are used as effectively as possible to increase the number of high-quality charter schools. Specifically, this bill would invest more Federal funds in the replication and expansion of high-quality charter schools with a proven record of success, while still giving States the flexibility to invest in innovative new models.…”