THIS WEEK: 444 Celebrations of School Choice Week Organized by Schools, Organizations, and Individuals Underway in Iowa

Hawkeye State Parents to Explore Education Options for Upcoming School Year

News provided by

Jan 24, 2020, 06:00 ET

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- This School Choice Week, Iowa is hosting an unprecedented number of events in celebration of all the increasing awareness of and access to K-12 education options in the state.

Schools, organizations, and individuals are planning 444 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 US history, with a record-shattering 13.7 million Americans expected to participate.

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 Iowa, explore the events and updates listed at schoolchoiceweek.com/states/iowa.

The cities of Marshallowtown, Pleasantville, Dike and Grimes issued proclamations recognizing Jan. 26 - Feb. 1 as School Choice Week in their communities.

In Iowa, there are a variety of educational options including: traditional public schools, charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online learning, and homeschooling. Iowa families can take tax deductions for nonpublic school expenses, and families under a certain income level can qualify for state-run scholarship opportunities.

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.

"Finding the right school or learning environment can transform a child's life for the better," said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. "We hope Iowa families use National School Choice Week to explore the many school options in their state, discover what learning environment is best for their family, and celebrate schools that are helping kids succeed and thrive."

How do schools across the state celebrate the week? In countless ways. During National School Choice Week, "junior-high math students at Sully Christian School [show] off their new scarves and [display] their thankfulness to their parents for choosing to send them to a Christian school," said Angela Veenstra, lead teacher of 5th–8th grade math and physical education at Sully Christian School.

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

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