THIS WEEK: 413 Celebrations of School Choice Week Organized by Schools, Organizations, and Individuals Underway in Kansas

Sunflower State Parents to Explore Education Options for Upcoming School Year

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Jan 24, 2020, 06:00 ET

TOPEKA, Kan., Jan. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kansas families are gathering to celebrate and raise awareness about all types of K-12 education as School Choice Week 2020 kicks off nationwide.

Schools, organizations, and individuals are planning 413 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 Kansas will be a Capitol Rally on Thursday, Jan. 30 at the Kansas Statehouse. 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 Kansas, explore the events and updates listed at schoolchoiceweek.com/states/kansas.

The county of Sedgwick and cities of Shawnee, Paola, and Caney issued proclamations recognizing Jan. 26 - Feb. 1 as School Choice Week in their communities.

In Kansas, 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. Kansas students in underperforming schools meeting certain income guidelines can qualify for state-run scholarship programs.

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.

"National School Choice Week provides an opportunity for Kansas families to discover schools and learning environments that best meet the individual needs of their children, in advance of the upcoming school year," said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. "It is also a time for everyone across the state to celebrate schools that are making a positive difference for kids, families, and communities."

How do schools across the state celebrate the week? In countless ways. "Our civics day event during National School Choice Week allowed students to share why school choice matters to them and how their school and community are impacted by it," said Katrina Yoshida, policy engagement manager at ACE Scholarships. "At the same time, Kansas lawmakers get to see school choice in action, meet the kids that are personally benefiting from school choice, and see how private schools—like all good schools— increase opportunities for children."

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

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