Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a Democrat who represents Long Island and parts of Queens , stepped up for quality public schools last week by signing on as a co-sponsor of the Charter Schools Program Enhancement Act of 2007.
According to the folks at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools , the act officially kicks off the discussion of charters in the NCLB reauthorization process.
Highlights include:
- Continuing support for charter start-up
- Providing greater support for the expansion and replication of successful charter models.
- Strengthening the Education Secretary's ability to use grant selection criteria to encourage improvements in state charter laws.
- Allowing charter school authorizers to serve as grant administrators in addition to state education agencies
- Allowing the Secretary of Education to allocate funds between the Charter Schools Program and State Facilities Incentive Grants Program.
- Creating a national dissemination program to encourage the sharing of charter schools’ best practices among public schools across the nation.
If you are a Democrat and you support the creation (and continued support) of high-performing public schools through charter school laws in your state, please call Rep. McCarthy (202-225-5516) and let her know you appreciate her sponsorship of this important act.