National School Choice Week begins today in Arkansas and across the country. There are 236 events planned in the Natural State to raise awareness about K-12 school choice, and 21,392 events nationwide.

The events in Arkansas, 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 25 at 10 a.m. at the state capitol steps.

The counties of Barnstable, Crawford, Arkansas, and Logan; cities of Brookland, Harrison, Jonesboro, Ashdown, Bono, Cedar Ridge, Elkins, Flippin, Helena-West Helena, Lowell, Pine Bluff, Sheridan, Tontitown, and Waldron; and Governor Hutchinson have issued official proclamations recognizing January 22-28, 2017 as “School Choice Week.”

National School Choice Week provides families in Arkansas 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.

“Our event during National School Choice Week will bring all forms of school choice into the spotlight, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, online learning, private schools, and homeschooling,” said Katie Clifford of The Reform Alliance. “There’s no better time of year to show off all the great ways families in our state exercise school choice.”

“The past several years have seen an increase in education options available to Arkansas families, and that is something for people to celebrate,” said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. “We are grateful that Arkansans will use National School Choice Week to raise such unprecedented awareness of opportunity in education.”

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 ARKANSAS FAMILIES

  • According to National School Choice Week’s organizers, families in Arkansas can use the Week to look for K-12 schools for the 2017-2018 school year. Parents in the Natural 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.