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Fact Sheets

H.R. 2218, The Empowering Parents Through Quality Charter Schools Act

Based on original bill text as considered by the House Committe on Education and the Workforce

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 16, 2011
 
THE PROBLEM:
 
Charter schools empower parents to play a more active role in their child’s education, open doors for teachers to pioneer fresh teaching methods, encourage state and local innovation, and help students escape underperforming schools. Despite high demand and an estimated 420,000 students on charter school wait lists, significant barriers to quality charter school growth exist.
  • Charter schools are public schools created through a contract with state agencies or local school districts. The federal government supports public charter schools through competitive grants issued by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act’s Charter Schools Program.

  • The current Charter School Program does not support funding for the replication or expansion of high-quality charter schools. Many charter schools also have difficulty securing financing to build or rehabilitate facilities.

  • Additionally, few guidelines exist to monitor charter school quality and assist the replication of successful charter schools.
THE SOLUTION:

As we work to improve the nation’s education system and raise student achievement levels, much can be gained from expanding access to high quality charter schools. That’s why Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) has introduced the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act (H.R. 2218) to modernize the federal Charter School Program.

H.R. 2218 - THE EMPOWERING PARENTS THROUGH QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOLS ACT
  •  Incentivizes states to support the development and expansion of charter schools.
  • Streamlines federal Charter School Program funding to reduce administrative burdens and improves funding opportunities for the replication of successful charter models as well as facilities assistance.

  • Supports an evaluation to measure charter school quality and activities, thereby ensuring taxpayer dollars are being used effectively to support innovation and improved student achievement.


The Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act will facilitate the establishment of high-quality charter schools and further encourage choice, innovation and excellence in education. To read a bill summary, click here. To read full bill text as approved by the committee, click here. 

 

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