Last week, the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing, Reimagining Education: How Charter Schools are Closing Gaps and Opening Doors. The hearing featured testimony from four witnesses: Mr. David Griffith (Associated Director of Research, Thomas B. Fordham Institute), Ms. Eva Moskowitz (CEO and President, Success Academy Charter Schools), Dr. Genevieve Siegel-Hawley (Professor of Educational Leadership, Virginia Commonwealth University), and Mr. Darryl Cobb (President, Charter School Growth Fund). Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) and other proponents praised charter schools as engines for innovation that improve academic and civic outcomes for both charter students and those in traditional public schools. Moskowitz outlined dire consequences for students attending low-quality schools and offered that charter schools can be the solution. In contrast, several Committee Members voiced concerns that charter schools may exacerbate segregation – particularly among students of color and students with disabilities – and often lack sufficient accountability for academic results and civil rights compliance. In her testimony, Dr. Siegel-Hawley noted that charter schools are less likely than traditional public schools to enroll students with disabilities, and when they do, those students often have less severe disabilities. She emphasized the need for accountability mechanisms to ensure that charter schools serve a diverse student population and deliver high-quality services, especially for students with disabilities.