National Charter Schools Week May 3-9 Celebrates Innovation and Excellence in Public Charter Schools

WASHINGTON, April 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Promoting Innovation and Excellence" will serve as the theme for National Charter Schools Week, May 3 - 9, 2009. Supporters of public charter schools around the nation will celebrate the remarkable rise of charter schools which have grown from a single school 17 years ago to now serve 1.4 million students at 4,600 schools in 40 states. It will also be an opportunity to inform policymakers and public officials that charter schools need their support.

"Across the nation, public charter schools are continuing to show that innovation and accountability are powerful tools that are successfully raising student achievement," said Nelson Smith, President & CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. "National Charter Schools Week is the time to recognize the tremendous teachers, students, and families working together in these innovative and successful schools. It is also the time to remind policymakers that there are not enough charter schools to serve an estimated 365,000 students on waiting lists. Charter school supporters will be urging policymakers and public officials to take action on a range of initiatives, from lifting state limits on charters to increasing the funding for federal programs that support charters."

The Alliance will announce the annual 2009 Champions for Charters award winners in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, May 5th. Additionally on that day, state charter schools leaders and advocates will travel to Washington to meet with Members of Congress, where they will advocate on behalf of public charter

schools, including voicing support for the President's budget which increases funding for the federal charter school programs.

The Alliance has prepared a toolkit for supporters that provides ideas for celebrating National Charter Schools Week in their local communities. The toolkit is now available for download at www.publiccharters.org/NCSW2009.

Charter schools are independent public schools that are free to be more innovative and are held accountable for improved student achievement. They foster a partnership between parents, teachers and students to create an environment in which parents can be more involved, teachers are given freedom to innovate and students are provided the structure they need to learn.

Fast Facts:

• There are more than 4,600 public charter schools serving 1.4 million students in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
• In the 2008-2009 school year a record 426 new public charter schools opened.
• The largest concentration of charter schools is in New Orleans, where 56% of public school students attend a charter school.
• The number of charter schools is restricted in 26 states, including 10 where active efforts are underway to lifts these caps. President Barack Obama has called on states to lift these caps.
• An estimated 365,000 students are on waiting lists for charter schools.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (www.publiccharters.org) 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.