Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the manager's amendment which makes important changes to the bill to support the growth of high-performing charter schools. Charter schools epitomize choice and flexibility in education. Reform-minded States and school districts all across the country have embraced this innovative educational model to transform underperforming traditional public schools. The manager's amendment improves the existing charter school program and the underlying bill by clarifying the grant award language, ensuring charter school funding is used for the intended purposes. Additionally, the manager's amendment adds quality authorizing provisions, to include looking at school attrition rates, and asks States to assist schools in developing fair discipline practices that will help promote student retention. Mr. Chairman, the act is an important piece of legislation that will streamline and modernize the charter school program to support the startup, replication, and expansion of high-quality charter schools. The manager's amendment includes commonsense changes to improve the underlying legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the manager's amendment and the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act. I reserve the balance of my time.”