Alexander Urges Senate Action on Charter Schools Bill to "Help States Give Teachers More Freedom and Children More Choices of Schools

Press Release

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate education committee, today praised the House of Representatives' passage, by a vote of 360 to 45, of legislation to encourage the replication and expansion of charter schools, and urged Senate action on a similar bill he cosponsored this week.

"The House action on charter schools helps states give teachers more freedom and children more choices of schools," Alexander said. "Eighteen senators from both parties are co-sponsors of similar legislation. With such strong, bipartisan support there is no reason not to enact a law this year that will help millions of children."

On Wednesday, Alexander and a bipartisan group of senators, including Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), introduced a similar bill in the Senate, the "Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Act."

Both House and Senate bills would give grants to states to start new charter schools, and to replicate or expand their best existing charter schools, by helping them find suitable facilities, hire more teachers, or provide transportation. Alexander said about the bills, "Charter schools enable teachers to use their firsthand knowledge, administrators to use their good judgment, and parents to choose better schools for their children."

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