Charter schools are an important tool in education reform. We need charter schools in Tennessee so parents have access to the best educational opportunities for their children.

After years of stalemate and an extended and very emotional debate, Tennessee recently passed charter school legislation. This is an important step in education reform for our state. But without adequate funding, the charter school movement in Tennessee could fail before it has begun. That is why I joined the other members of the Tennessee delegation in writing to Education Secretary Paige in support of federal funding for start-up charter schools in Tennessee.

Charter schools will be one of the keys to the success of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. They give fresh hope to parents and provide new incentives to failing public schools. Just as parents should know if a school is performing well, they should also have the option to move their child from a failing school to an alternative charter school. We need to make sure funding is available to plan, design, and start these schools in Tennessee.

Public education is one of our country's most important priorities and I will continue to fight to get more of the needed education dollars out of Washington and down to the state and local level.