THIS WEEK: Mississippi Families Rally for School Choice at 133 Events

The Magnolia State plays key role in National School Choice Week,
Gov. Bryant issues proclamation.

JACKSON, Miss.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–National School Choice Week begins today in Mississippi and across the
country. There are 133 events planned in the Magnolia State to raise
awareness about K-12 school choice, and 21,392 events nationwide.

The events in Mississippi, 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 24 at 9:30 a.m. at the state capitol rotunda.

The county of Quitman; cities of Gautier, Long Beach, Pass Christian,
and Purvis; and Governor Bryant have issued official proclamations
recognizing January 22-28, 2017 as “School Choice Week.”

National School Choice Week provides families in Mississippi 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.

“Every child in Mississippi deserves access to a high quality
education,” Grant Callen, president of Empower Mississippi said.
“Unfortunately, many Mississippi parents know their children are not in
the best educational setting, but because they can’t afford to move or
to pay for private school tuition they feel trapped. During National
School Choice Week, we will celebrate the school choice options
available in Mississippi and draw attention to the critical need for
even more opportunities for Mississippi families.”

“Over the last 10 years, educational opportunities for children and
families in Mississippi have grown significantly,” said Andrew
Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. “This is something
to celebrate, and National School Choice Week will provide an
unprecedented opportunity to celebrate the hard work and cooperation
that made these choices a reality.”

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 MISSISSIPPI FAMILIES

• According to National School Choice Week’s organizers, families in
  Mississippi can use the Week to look for K-12 schools for the
  2017-2018 school year. Parents in the Magnolia 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
For more information, contact:
Shelby
Doyle, 202-480-2927 ext. 820
Director of Communications and
External Relations
shelby@schoolchoiceweek.com