Thousands to Rally at the Texas Capitol for School Choice

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Jan 16, 2019, 08:00 ET

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of Texans are expected to gather to celebrate school choice at a rally at the State Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 23. The family-friendly event, which will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m., will give parents, educators, and students the opportunity to voice their support for educational opportunity in the state.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, Assistant U.S. Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Frank Brogan, and Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush are slated to speak. Additionally attendees will hear from educators, parents, and students.

Attendees will begin at the East Lawn of the Capitol, then march to the South Steps of the Capitol building for the rally program. A diverse array of schools will be represented at the rally, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, private schools, virtual schools, and homeschool families. Student musical and artistic performances will make up the event's program.

This event is planned to coincide with the history-making celebration of National School Choice Week 2019, which will feature more than 40,000 school choice events across all 50 states.

"As families from across the state of Texas make their way to Austin for the 2019 School Choice Rally, one thing is clear: parents want education options," said Randan Steinhauser, event organizer and founder of the Texas School Choice Coalition. "We are excited to celebrate the diverse landscape of existing choice options while also recognizing that far too many families in Texas do not have access to an educational environment that works for their family."

The rally is being organized by more than a dozen organizations and school networks throughout the state including EdChoice Texas, the Texas Private Schools Association, the Texas Charter Schools Association, the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the Texas Homeschool Coalition, Americans for Prosperity, ACE Scholarships, and the Texas Business Leadership Council.

As a nonpartisan, nonpolitical public awareness effort, National School Choice Week shines a positive spotlight on effective education options for students, families, and communities around the country. From January 20 through 26, 2019, more than 40,000 independently-planned events will be held in celebration of the Week. For more information, visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com.

SOURCE National School Choice Week