BATON ROUGE, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National School Choice Week begins today in Louisiana and across the country. There are 355 events planned in the Pelican State to raise awareness about K-12 school choice, and 21,392 events nationwide.
The events in Louisiana, 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 community breakfast and school tour January 26 at 8 a.m. at the Lakefront Airport in New Orleans.
The counties of Franklin and LaSalle and cities of Arnaudville, Clinton, Cottonport, Delcambre, Delhi, Golden Meadow, Homer, Kinder, Lecompte, Leesville, Pearl River, Shreveport, St. Francisville, Thibodaux, Town of Krotz, and Westwood have issued official proclamations recognizing January 22-28, 2017 as “School Choice Week.”
National School Choice Week provides families in Louisiana 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.
“I always look forward to joining with our families to celebrate National School Choice Week. School choice has helped level the playing field for Louisiana families who otherwise would have no other option but to send their children to underperforming public schools,” said Ann Duplessis, president of Louisiana Federation for Children. “School choice is giving hope to thousands of low-income and minority families, making it possible for all parents to choose the education that best fits their children’s individual needs – a choice more affluent parents take for granted.”
"Educational opportunity is an issue that crosses party lines and impacts every single family in Louisiana," said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. "We are grateful that National School Choice Week
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 LOUISIANA FAMILIES
- According to National School Choice Week’s organizers, families in Louisiana can use the Week to look for K-12 schools for the 2017-2018 school year. Parents in the Pelican 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 programs allowing qualifying children, in some cases, to receive scholarships or tax credits 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.
