Congress Rejects Successful DC Schools Program

Senate Appropriations Committee Terminates Opportunity Scholarship Program

WASHINGTON, July 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Led by Senior Illinois Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the full Appropriations Committee today moved to full Senate consideration a bill terminating the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program after the 2009-10 school year and reducing funds for those currently in the program.

"While this Congress and the Obama Administration took control in January promising they would restore sanity to Washington and reject business as usual, their actions on this program speak louder than their words," said Jeanne Allen, president of the Center for Education Reform.

Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) offered facts and data to support the DC choice program while Subcommittee Chair Durbin stated inaccurately that the program does not work. Sen. Durbin also misquoted stats on DC's community of more than 90 highly impactful charter schools, calling for one fourth to close when, in fact, those charters are actually educating successfully children lagging behind when they come in.

"Sen. Durbin and others have one interest -- serving the national unions who are threatened by reform," remarked Ms. Allen.

The Center for Education Reform drives the creation of better educational opportunities for all children. CER changes laws, minds and cultures to allow good schools to flourish.

SOURCE Center for Education Reform