National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Applauds Introduction of All-STAR Act in the U.S. Senate
The Most Comprehensive Support of Charter Schools Ever Introduced in Congress; Will Expand High-Performing Charter Schools
WASHINGTON, May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is proud to voice its support for the All Students Achieving through Reform (All-STAR) Act, which was introduced today by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Judd Gregg (R-N.H.). This bill is a companion to H.R. 4330, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year by Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.).
"This bill is aptly named, because it has been introduced by a bi-partisan team of all-stars in both the House and Senate," said Nelson Smith, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. "As the Majority Whip, Senator Durbin has shown true leadership on the issue of education reform and the expansion of high-quality charter schools. Likewise, Senator Gregg is a champion for high-quality education; having served as the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and also as a lead author of the last Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization. The charter community greatly appreciates the strong statement of support from these Senate leaders.
The All-STAR Act would expand the current federal Charter Schools Program at the Department of Education to enable the expansion and replication of successful charter school models, while also taking several steps to strengthen public charter school accountability, transparency and governance.
"The Alliance has worked very closely with Senators Durbin and Gregg on this bill," said Smith. "It has been tremendously exciting to see this grow from an idea to a bill that began in the House, is now moving through the Senate, and will, we hope, become part of a reauthorized ESEA. All-STAR is one of the Alliance's top federal legislative priorities, and we gratefully acknowledge the leadership of Senators Durbin and Gregg, who understand the potential of high-performing charter schools to change students' lives."
"We must ensure that each and every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive no matter where they live and public charter schools have increasingly become an important part of that effort," said Durbin. "Already educating 1.6 million students in 40 states across America, many charter schools have shown that with creative thinking and innovative solutions we can achieve tremendous success with some of the most disadvantaged students. The All-STAR Act will expand educational opportunities for students while only allowing this assistance to flow to those schools with proven records of success."
Senator Gregg stated, "Charter schools hold traditional public schools accountable by providing better education opportunities for students throughout the country. The success of these schools has brought parents back into the discussion on how to best educate their children and has also illustrated which schools are most effective in meeting student needs. The All-STAR Act builds upon these examples of achievement by providing charter school leaders with an opportunity to replicate this good work and give students more options to excel in the classroom."
About the All Students Achieving Through Reform Act: The All Students Achieving through Reform (All-STAR) Act authorizes new competitive grants within the Department of Education's Charter Schools Program to replicate and expand the most successful public charter schools across the country, and raises the authorized level of funding of the federal Charter School Programs to $700 million. The five-year grants can be used to add additional grades in an existing charter school or to create a new school based on an existing, successful charter model.
The grants can be awarded to local education agencies, state education agencies, authorized public chartering agencies and nonprofit organizations which then award sub-grants to individual charter schools. Priority is given to the top-performing charters schools in each state that: have significantly closed achievement gaps; rank in at least the top 25th percentile in the State in achievement; meet benchmarks on an exam selected by the Secretary of Education; serve a high-need student population; have made Adequate Yearly Progress the last two consecutive years; and exceed the state graduation rate.
About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools: The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (Alliance) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
SOURCE National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
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