THIS WEEK: Mississippi Families Rally for School Choice at 133 Events

National School Choice Week begins today in Mississippi and across the country. There are 133 events planned in the Magnolia State to raise awareness about K-12 school choice, and 21,392 events nationwide.

The events in Mississippi, which are independently planned and independently funded, include everything from information sessions and open houses at schools to rallies, policy discussions, and movie screenings organized by community groups. Highlighted events include a large rally January 24 at 9:30 a.m. at the state capitol rotunda.

The county of Quitman; cities of Gautier, Long Beach, Pass Christian, and Purvis; and Governor Bryant have issued official proclamations recognizing January 22-28, 2017 as “School Choice Week.”

National School Choice Week provides families in Mississippi with the opportunity to research and evaluate the K-12 school choices available for their children in advance of the 2017-2018 school year. The Week also raises awareness of the importance of providing every child with effective education options.

“Every child in Mississippi deserves access to a high quality education,” Grant Callen, president of Empower Mississippi said. “Unfortunately, many Mississippi parents know their children are not in the best educational setting, but because they can't afford to move or to pay for private school tuition they feel trapped. During National School Choice Week, we will celebrate the school choice options available in Mississippi and draw attention to the critical need for even more opportunities for Mississippi families.”

“Over the last 10 years, educational opportunities for children and families in Mississippi have grown significantly,” said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. “This is something to celebrate, and National School Choice Week will provide an unprecedented opportunity to celebrate the hard work and cooperation that made these choices a reality.”

With a goal of raising public awareness of effective education options for children, National School Choice Week will be the largest celebration of education options in US history.

SCHOOL CHOICE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR MISSISSIPPI FAMILIES

• According to National School Choice Week’s organizers, families in Mississippi can use the Week to look for K-12 schools for the 2017-2018 school year. Parents in the Magnolia State can choose from the following education options for their children: traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, online academies, private schools, and homeschooling. In some parts of the state, open enrollment policies allow parents to select the best traditional public school, regardless of where the school is located. The state also has a program allowing qualifying children, in some cases, to receive scholarships to attend private schools.

ABOUT NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK

• National School Choice Week is an independent public awareness effort spotlighting effective education options for children, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online learning, and homeschooling. The Week runs from January 22-28, 2017. For more information, visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com.

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