NEXT WEEK: Kansas Families Seek to Boost Awareness of K-12 Options During School Choice Week

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Jan 16, 2023, 05:00 ET

Kansas celebrates educational options and quality schools during annual School Choice Week

TOPEKA, Kan., Jan. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kansas schools, organizations, and individuals are planning 237 celebrations of educational opportunity this month as traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, online learning options, private schools, and home educators highlight their unique choices.

During the last two years, families and educators in Kansas have faced the academic consequences of the pandemic, which translates into a learning loss. That's why more than ever parents are exploring and considering new options for their child's education. During School Choice Week 2023, parents can learn about school choice and attend local events as they consider their K-12 options for the next school year.

The Nation's Report Card (NAEP) released in 2022 underlined the need to invest in quality education options. Kansas students experienced greater learning losses than the national average.

The Week will bring helpful and handy information that parents need in order to support their kids. The Week is the best time of the year for families to consider their education options for the next school year.

Across the country, parents can choose between traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, online learning, private schools, homeschooling, and newer options like learning pods or microschooling.

But education policies vary from state to state. In Kansas, some school districts allow open enrollment, enabling parents to choose a traditional school other than the one to which they are assigned. There are also public charter, public magnet, and public online schools available to students in the state. Kansas students receiving free or reduced-price lunches at any K-8 school are eligible for the state-run scholarship program launched in 2015.

Across the state, events that are positive, supportive of a wide variety of school options, and family-friendly are planned, from in-school activities to large celebrations. Among the notable celebrations in Kansas will be a capitol rally in Topeka organized by Kansas Policy Institute on January 25 and a microschool celebration in Wichita organized by AIM Educational Collaborative and WISE on January 26.

To download a guide to Kansas school choice, use the school finder tool to search schools in your area or see celebration photos visit schoolchoiceweek.com/kansas.

Local celebrants are available to discuss their plans with reporters upon request.

National School Choice Week (NSCW) informs, inspires, and empowers parents to discover the K-12 education options available for their children, including traditional public, public charter, public magnet, online, private, and homeschooling. Every January, tens of thousands of schools, organizations, and individuals plan unique events and activities to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options in their communities. The Week is a project of the nonpartisan, nonpolitical National School Choice Awareness Foundation.

SOURCE National School Choice Week