NEXT WEEK: National School Choice Week Celebrations in Georgia Bring Hope, Support to Families' School Searches

Governor Brian Kemp Issues Proclamation Recognizing Jan. 23-29 as Georgia School Choice Week

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Jan 20, 2022, 07:30 ET

ATLANTA, Jan. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgians support school choice: True or false? At the more than 1,000 celebrations planned for Georgia School Choice Week, families would tick the "True" box.

Georgia schools, organizations, and individuals are planning 1,057 celebrations for the Week, which will feature more than 26,000 activities nationwide. Among the notable events in Georgia will be a virtual expo sharing Savannah charter school choices on Tuesday, Jan. 25 and a parent panel discussing school choice tips for families statewide on Thursday, Jan. 27.

More than two dozen U.S. landmarks and notable buildings will light up in special colors to mark the Week. In Georgia, the King and Queen Building will light up from sunset till sunrise throughout School Choice Week.

The Week's celebrations focus on community building, sharing student and teacher successes, and raising awareness about how to put kids first when it comes to education. The goal? Supporting families and highlighting schools so more kids can find learning fits where they thrive.

"Parents in the Peach State have more public and nonpublic K-12 school choice options for their children than parents in many other states –– and options for Georgia families continue to grow," said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. "In addition to its already-strong school choice offerings, over the past year the state expanded scholarship programs for students with special needs and increased per-pupil funding for charter schools."

Here in Georgia, there are a variety of educational options available to attend including; traditional public schools with some open enrollment, charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online schools, and homeschooling. All public school students in Georgia are eligible for an education expense tax credit. Students with special needs or a 504 plan may be eligible for a state-run scholarship program.

To raise awareness of these options, Gov. Brian Kemp has proclaimed Jan. 23-29 to be Georgia School Choice Week. Across the state, communities are celebrating School Choice Week by formally proclaiming it, including the cities of Acworth, Reynolds, Austell, Springfield, and Dalton, and the counties of Walton, Calhoun, and Putnam.

To download a guide to Georgia school choice, use the school finder tool to search schools in your area, or see celebration photos and proclamation updates, visit schoolchoiceweek.com/georgia.

Local celebrants are available to discuss their plans with reporters upon request. For more information, send us the specifics of your coverage area at [email protected], or preview a sampling of Georgia events at schoolchoiceweek.com/georgia.

National School Choice Week shines a spotlight on effective K-12 education options for children, focusing equally on traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and home education options. Every January, participants plan tens of thousands of celebrations –– such as school fairs and open houses–– to raise awareness about school choice across all 50 states. School Choice Week also develops resources and guides to K-12 education for families. As a not-for-profit effort, the Week is nonpolitical and nonpartisan and does not advocate for legislation. For more information visit schoolchoiceweek.com.

SOURCE National School Choice Week