THIS WEEK: 236 Events in Arkansas to Raise Awareness About School Choice

The Natural State plays key role in National School Choice Week,
the largest celebration of educational opportunity in US history.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–National School Choice Week begins today in Arkansas and across the
country. There are 236 events planned in the Natural State to raise
awareness about K-12 school choice, and 21,392 events nationwide.

The events in Arkansas, which are independently planned and
independently funded, include everything from information sessions and
open houses at schools to rallies, policy discussions, and movie
screenings organized by community groups. Highlighted events include a
large rally January 25 at 10 a.m. at the state capitol steps.

The counties of Barnstable, Crawford, Arkansas, and Logan; cities of
Brookland, Harrison, Jonesboro, Ashdown, Bono, Cedar Ridge, Elkins,
Flippin, Helena-West Helena, Lowell, Pine Bluff, Sheridan, Tontitown,
and Waldron; and Governor Hutchinson have issued official proclamations
recognizing January 22-28, 2017 as “School Choice Week.”

National School Choice Week provides families in Arkansas with the
opportunity to research and evaluate the K-12 school choices available
for their children in advance of the 2017-2018 school year. The Week
also raises awareness of the importance of providing every child with
effective education options.

“Our event during National School Choice Week will bring all forms of
school choice into the spotlight, including traditional public schools,
public charter schools, magnet schools, online learning, private
schools, and homeschooling,” said Katie Clifford of The Reform Alliance.
“There’s no better time of year to show off all the great ways families
in our state exercise school choice.”

“The past several years have seen an increase in education options
available to Arkansas families, and that is something for people to
celebrate,” said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice
Week. “We are grateful that Arkansans will use National School Choice
Week to raise such unprecedented awareness of opportunity in education.”

With a goal of raising public awareness of effective education options
for children, National School Choice Week will be the largest
celebration of education options in US history.

SCHOOL CHOICE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR ARKANSAS FAMILIES

• According to National School Choice Week’s organizers, families in
  Arkansas can use the Week to look for K-12 schools for the 2017-2018
  school year. Parents in the Natural State can choose from the
  following education options for their children: traditional public
  schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, online academies,
  private schools, and homeschooling. In some parts of the state, open
  enrollment policies allow parents to select the best traditional
  public school, regardless of where the school is located. The state
  also has a program allowing qualifying children, in some cases, to
  receive scholarships to attend private schools.

ABOUT NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK

• National School Choice Week is an independent public awareness effort
  spotlighting effective education options for children, including
  traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools,
  private schools, online learning, and homeschooling. The Week runs
  from January 22-28, 2017. For more information, visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com.

Contacts

National School Choice Week
Shelby Doyle, 202-480-2927 ext. 820
Director
of Communications and External Relations
shelby@schoolchoiceweek.com