Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez and Secretary of Education Hanna Skandera will join hundreds of students, parents, teachers, and community leaders to kick off School Choice Week in New Mexico at a rally in the capitol rotunda.

The program of student performances and remarks from political and community leaders will begin at noon on Monday, January 23 in the rotunda of the New Mexico State Capitol.

The celebration is timed to coincide with National School Choice Week (January 22-28, 2017), which will feature more than 21,000 events across the country.

“We look forward to gathering together with a diverse coalition from across the state to highlight the difference that a great education can make in a student’s life,” said Greta Roskom of the New Mexico Coalition for Charter Schools. “We look forward to the National School Choice Week annually as a platform to share our success stories.”

“Given that school choice has been shown to markedly improve educational outcomes for low-income and disadvantaged Hispanic students, it’s no wonder Hispanic parents overwhelmingly support it. With expanded school choice every child, regardless of ethnicity, financial resources, or zip code can have access to quality education,” said Edith Jorge of the LIBRE Institute.

Event planners include New Mexico Coalition for Charter Schools, LIBRE, Rio Grande Foundation, and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

Held every January, National School Choice Week is an independent public awareness effort designed to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options for every child. Through more than 21,000 independently planned events across the country, National School Choice Week raises public awareness of all types of educational choices available to children. These options include traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, online learning, private schools, and homeschooling.