THIS WEEK: 640 Celebrations of School Choice Week Organized by Schools, Organizations, and Individuals Underway in Mississippi

Magnolia State Parents to Explore Education Options for Upcoming School Year

Governor Phil Bryant Issued an Official Proclamation Recognizing Jan. 26-Feb. 1 as Mississippi School Choice Week

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Jan 24, 2020, 06:00 ET

JACKSON, Miss., Jan. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the 10th annual School Choice Week kicks off nationwide, Mississippi families are raising awareness together about the importance of options in education to help students thrive.

Schools, organizations, and individuals are planning 640 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 Mississippi will be a Capitol Rally on Tuesday, Jan. 28 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 Mississippi, explore the events and updates listed at schoolchoiceweek.com/states/mississippi.

Governor Phil Bryant issued an official proclamation recognizing Jan. 26 - Feb. 1 as Mississippi School Choice Week. In addition, the cities of Crystal Springs and North Carrollton issued proclamations recognizing School Choice Week in their communities.

In Mississippi, there are a variety of educational options available including: traditional public school with open enrollment in some districts, charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Mississippi offers several state-run scholarship programs for students with special needs.

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.

"The goal of National School Choice Week is to encourage and inspire parents, students, and all community members to know their education options and choose the best one for them," said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. "We hope Mississippi moms and dads feel empowered to do just that."

"We're excited to welcome parents, students, educators, and advocates from across the state to our State Capitol to celebrate Mississippi's education options," said Grant Callen, President and Founder of Empower Mississippi. "An overwhelming 77 percent of Mississippians support parents' ability to direct education dollars to the setting that works best for their child, but less than two percent of students have this benefit today. It is our hope that all students will one day be able to choose their school because it creates a brighter future for every child in our state. I can think of no better way to celebrate Mississippi's students than at the National School Choice Week rally. Won't you join us?"

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

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