WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has cosponsored bipartisan legislation to provide states with the resources and the flexibility to expand quality public charter schools and provide more choice for students. The Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Act was introduced by Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL).
“As we celebrate National Charter Schools Week, I am proud to join Senator Kirk on his legislation to update the federal charter schools program,” Senator McConnell said. “Public charter schools allow parents to take their child out of a failing school and choose a school that is right for them. They also encourage teachers to be entrepreneurial and innovative in ways to produce positive results.”
There are 6,400 charter schools in 43 states and the District of Columbia, but unfortunately, Kentucky is not one of them.
“Because I believe that public charter schools hold such tremendous promise for children in chronically underperforming schools, I have supported federal incentives for states that permit them, and will continue to do so. I can only hope that Kentucky will move forward to accept these incentives and pass a charter schools law,” Senator McConnell said.
“Every child – regardless of income, race or zip code – should have access to a high-quality public education. We applaud U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell for cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to expand underserved students access to charter schools, and thank him for all his work to improve the education landscape for our nation’s children,” said Mike Feinberg, Co-Founder, KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program).