THIS WEEK: 1,381 Celebrations of School Choice Week Organized by Schools, Organizations, and Individuals Underway in Tennessee

Volunteer State Parents to Explore Education Options for Upcoming School Year

Governor Bill Lee Issued Proclamation Recognizing Jan. 26-Feb.1 as Tennessee School Choice Week

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Jan 24, 2020, 08:00 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tennessee students, parents, and educators will hold hundreds of community events and activities to celebrate the importance of educational options during Tennessee School Choice Week.

Schools, organizations, and individuals are planning 1,381 events and activities, making up some of the 51,300 events planned nationwide to draw attention to K-12 education options. National School Choice Week (Jan. 26-Feb. 1) will be the largest celebration of educational choice in U.S. history, with a record-shattering 13.7 million Americans expected to participate.

One of the biggest events taking place in Tennessee will be a civics day and press conference on Monday, Jan. 27 at the State Capitol. Around the country, Americans will be celebrating at school open houses, pep rallies, screenings of the movie "Miss Virginia," sports competitions, school fairs, and more. For a preview of local events planned in Tennessee, explore the events and updates listed at schoolchoiceweek.com/states/tennessee.

Governor Bill Lee issued an official proclamation recognizing Jan. 26 - Feb. 1 as Tennessee School Choice Week. In addition, the county of Grundy and cities of Mt. Juliet, Kingston, Lenoir, and White House issued proclamations recognizing School Choice Week in their communities.

In Tennessee, there are a variety of educational options to attend including: traditional public schools with open enrollment at the discretion of each district, charter schools, magnet schools, online academies, private schools, and homeschooling. Several private school scholarship programs exist, including a new pilot program passed in 2019.

National School Choice Week is an independent public awareness effort celebrated since 2011. The week is nonpartisan, nonpolitical, and not related to any legislative advocacy campaign.

"We hope National School Choice Week brings support and encouragement to Tennessee families as they seek out the best learning environments for their children," said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week.

"Parents from across the Volunteer State share one thing in common – we want what's best for our kids, especially when it comes to their education," said Shaka Mitchell, Tennessee state director of American Federation for Children. "That means we need a range of options that can meet the unique needs of individual students. This week we celebrate our state and local leaders who respect the right of parents to choose the best education for their children."

To download a guide to school choice in Tennessee, see celebration photos and proclamation updates, or learn more about featured events, visit schoolchoiceweek.com/states/tennessee.

National School Choice Week is an independent public awareness effort designed to shine a spotlight on effective education options for children. National School Choice Week celebrates all types of school choice options, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online academies, and homeschooling. Learn more at www.schoolchoiceweek.com or explore the conversation about school choice on social media using hashtag #schoolchoice.

SOURCE National School Choice Week