National Charter Schools Week, 2012

Proclamation 8815 of May 7, 2012

National Charter Schools Week, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

As a Nation, we share a responsibility to provide our
children with a world-class education. By keeping our
young people engaged in learning, we help them develop
the skills and values that will not only guide them in
life, but also prepare them to thrive in the global
economy. For years, charter schools have brought new
ideas to the work of educating our sons and daughters,
and during National Charter Schools Week, we recognize
their role in strengthening American education.

Whether created by parents and teachers or community
and civic leaders, charter schools serve as incubators
of innovation in neighborhoods across our country.
These institutions give educators the freedom to
cultivate new teaching models and develop creative
methods to meet students' needs. This unique
flexibility is matched by strong accountability and
high standards, so underperforming charter schools can
be closed, while those that consistently help students
succeed can serve as models of reform for other public
schools.

In an economy where knowledge is our most valuable
asset, a good education is no longer just a pathway to
opportunity--it is an imperative. Our children only get
one chance at an education, and charter schools
demonstrate what is possible when States, communities,
teachers, parents, and students work together. This
week, let us recommit to ensuring all our children
receive a high-quality education that expands their
horizons, inspires them to develop their talents, and
instills in them a sense of possibility for their
futures.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim May 6 through May 12,
2012, as National Charter Schools Week. I commend our
Nation's charter schools, teachers, and administrators,
and I call on States and communities to support charter
schools and the students they serve.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.