CER Press Alert
National Charter Schools Week: A Decade of Charter Schools
National and Local Activities
(Washington, D.C., 4/25/02) This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the
opening of the nation's first charter school. Charter schools, and their
contribution to education reform, will be celebrated this year during National
Charter Schools Week, April 29-May 3, 2002.
Some basic facts:
- Nearly 2,400 charter schools are open today. This number will be more than
2,500 by the fall.
- 1.6 million parents, teachers, administrators and board members
participate in this movement that is changing the face of American
education.
- Accountability is occurring. To date, roughly 5 percent of charters that
opened have been closed.
EVENTS:
The following events which CER helped to create will be taking place in
Washington, DC and throughout the country.
- Congressional Salute to Charter Schools is being chaired by Rep.
John Boehner (OH), Rep. Tim Roemer (IN) Rep. Johnny Isakson (GA), Sen. Joe
Lieberman (CT) Sen. Tim Hutchinson (AR), Sen. Judd Gregg (NH) Sen. Tom
Carper (DE)
- Capitol Hill Briefing, Tuesday, April 30: 385 Russell Senate Office
Building Co-Sponsored by National Council on Teacher Quality, ELC, American
Academy for Liberal Education, the Heritage Foundation, and the Black
Alliance for Educational Options.
- Bus Tour in Washington, DC: Join CER in a tour of two charter
schools making headlines: Key Academy-KIPP/DC and Southeast Academy.
- Education Secretary to Visit DC Charter: On May 2, U.S. Secretary
of Education Rod Paige will tour and give remarks at Friendship Edison
Collegiate Academy, a charter high school in Washington, D.C.
MAJOR STATE EVENTS:
Senior Department of Education Officials will participate in the following
events:
- Monday April 29, Orlando, FL: Gerald Reynolds, Assistant Secretary
for Civil Rights will participate in a regional event. Contact: Bob Haag,
President of the Florida Consortium of Charter Schools at (954) 522-2997
ext. 14.
- Tuesday, April 30, Boston, MA: Susan Neuman, Assistant Secretary
for Elementary and Secondary Education will visit Roxbury Preparatory
Charter School for city-wide event. Contact: John Park, Development Director
at Roxbury Prep at (617) 566-2361.
- Wednesday, May 1, Buffalo, NY: Under Secretary Eugene Hickok, will
participate in a regional event. Contact: Lisa O'Brien of the New York
Charter School Association at (518) 465-4400.
- Wednesday, May 1, Wilmington, DE: Carol D'Amico, Assistant
Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education at Charter School of Wilmington
for tri-state event. Contact: Ron Russo, Director of the Charter School of
Wilmington at (302) 651-2727.
- Wednesday, May 1, Reno, NV: Secretary's Regional representative
Mary Jane Pearson, will participate in a statewide event. Contact: Ricci
Rodriguez-Elkins of the Center for Charter School Development at (775)
331-1261.
- Thursday, May 2, Salt Lake City, UT: Deputy Secretary Bill Hansen
will participate in a regional event. Contact: Steve Winitzky of the Center
City Charter School at (801) 596-8489
- Thursday, May 2, Los Angeles, CA: Brian Jones, General Counsel will
participate in a Charter School Symposium, sponsored by the California
Network of Educational Charters. Contact Gary Larson of the California
Network of Educational Charters at (650) 654-6003.
- A listing of other state-specific events can be found at http://www.charterfriends.org/csweek-events.html.
OTHER RESOURCES
# # #
Contact Mary Kayne Heinze, Media Relations Director for more information
at (202) 822-9000. The Center for Education Reform is a
national, independent, non-profit advocacy organization providing support and
guidance to individuals, community and civic groups, policymakers and others who
are working to bring fundamental reforms to their schools. For
further information,
please call (202) 822-9000.
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