MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In celebration of National School Choice Week, education reform advocate Tony Colón will be the featured speaker at a free Community Breakfast, 8 a.m., Thursday, January 30, at Hope Academy in Minneapolis. The breakfast will highlight the importance of all parents, regardless of income, having real freedom in choosing the right school for their children.
Hope Academy is located at 2300 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404.
The free breakfast is one of 5,500 independently-planned events taking place across the country this week as part of National School Choice Week 2014 – the nation’s largest-ever celebration of educational opportunity.
Tony Colón is a distinguished educator with over 30 years of experience as a teacher and principal. One of the nation’s most outspoken diversity advocates, he has led the way in bringing school choice to Hispanic communities.
"Too many kids are trapped in schools without receiving a high-quality education, and I believe that's wrong," said Kathy Saltzman, state director for StudentsFirst, "We have a responsibility to ensure every child has the good fortune to attend a school that best meets their needs. School Choice Week provides us the opportunity to focus on this mission and advocate for policies that put Minnesota's students first." Ms. Saltzman is a member of the Minnesota School Choice Planning Committee, which is hosting the free breakfast.
“All families, regardless of income,” likewise said Charlie Weaver, executive director of the Minnesota Business Partnership, “should have the ability to choose the most effective school for their children. Ensuring every family has this choice not only benefits students, but also helps our school systems be more responsive and effective. We need to ensure students can attend the school that will maximize their potential.”
And Mitch Pearlstein, president of Center of the American Experiment and also a member of the planning committee, added: “Once upon a time, Minnesota drove the locomotive that drove the expansion of school choice across the nation. But these days, when it comes to affording families the kind of freedom enjoyed by parents in other parts of the county in choosing the very best schools for their children, be they public or private, Minnesota slumbers along somewhere near the caboose.”
The diverse membership of the Minnesota’s School Choice Week Planning Committee includes the African American Leadership Forum; Center of the American Experiment; Institute for Justice Minnesota Chapter; Minnesota Business Partnership; Minnesota Catholic Conference; Minnesota Independent School Forum; Minority Liberty Alliance; and StudentsFirst MN.
National School Choice Week shines a positive spotlight on effective education options for children – including traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online academies, and homeschooling.