Thank you so much for that kind introduction, Congressman Ryan. Thank you for your hard work for Wisconsin's children and for supporting the President's vision to leave no child behind.

I'm so glad to be here today to dedicate this wonderful school.

I would like to thank Milt Thompson for opening your school to us today. I know that--with you--these children are in good hands.

There are a few other people here today that I have to thank, because we wouldn't be here without their hard work. Dr. Fisk Johnson, Chairman, SC Johnson, Jack Keating, Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Dr. Carole Johnson, President, 21st Century Prep School's Board of Directors, thank you for leading the Johnson Foundation's efforts in education reform.

This school is going to expand on Wisconsin's great success with the charter movement. It will empower parents here in Racine to pursue other options if their schools are not teaching and their children are not learning.

This school is the first charter outside of Milwaukee to operate independently of a school district. I hope this is the first of many more like it throughout the state.

Charters challenge our public schools to strive for excellence. They have expanded the menu of educational opportunity in America by saying to parents, "If you are unhappy with the status quo, then competitive options are available."

A 2001 study by the Department of Education showed that charter schools don't just improve the prospects for their own students--the competition they provide causes local school districts to improve their own services.

In America today, parents have greater school choice than ever. And they know that if their child is trapped in a school that needs improvement, they can turn to a charter school that believes no child is too poor, too troubled, too hard to teach, or too disadvantaged to get a good education.

We know from research and experience that one of the biggest obstacles to starting a charter school is finding and affording a decent facility. You see, unlike regular school districts, charter schools can't levy property taxes and usually can't issue bonds. So they end up spending a lot of money that should go to teachers, books and instruction on rent and high interest.

That is why the President supports a program called Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities. This program makes it easier for charter schools to afford loans for rent or mortgages. And it would leverage billions of dollars in private funds for this cause.

Unfortunately this program has been stalled in the Senate for over a year. We call on Congress to fund the president's request for $100 million for this program when Congress passes our education budget. This program will help hundreds of charter schools find the facilities they need, so they can continue to work miracles with kids.

We have made room for innovation and creativity in our education system through charter schools--because we have seen--in charters all over the country and especially here in Wisconsin--that if you give people the freedom and flexibility to succeed, and hold them accountable for results, they will rise to the challenge.

Thank you. And God bless you all.

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