The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is partnering with three national education organizations in an event on Monday, January 25, to highlight the importance of ensuring high-quality charter schools are available to students across the country.

The event, “National School Choice Week Kickoff: The Importance of High-Quality Charter Schools,” will feature two panels of education experts and a reception at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington on January 25 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. The Seventy Four will live webcast the event on its website. The event is timed to coincide with National School Choice Week (January 24-30, 2016), which will be the largest series of education-related events in U.S. history.

“The U.S. Chamber remains committed to expanding educational choice for families because parents and students deserve access to quality schools, no matter their ZIP code,” said Cheryl Oldham, vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Center for Education and Workforce. “High-quality public charter schools play a critical role in preparing young people for life beyond high school. National School Choice Week provides us an excellent opportunity to celebrate the success stories while advocating for greater access for the thousands of families that don’t have educational options for their children.”

The panelists represent a who’s who of Washington leaders in education policy and will cover topics such as charter schools’ impact on their community, equity in public education, and the state of charter school enrollment.

Panelists include:

  • Chad Aldis, vice president, Ohio Policy and Advocacy, The Thomas B. Fordham Institute
  • Shavar Jeffries, president, Democrats for Education Reform
  • Marc Porter Magee, CEO and founder, 50CAN
  • Cheryl Oldham, vice president, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Center for Education and Workforce
  • Nina Rees, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
  • Tracy Weinstein, national director, Policy, StudentsFirst

The event is co-hosted by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, and the Foundation for Excellence in Education.

For more information, contact Mark D’Alessio at mdalessio@uschamber.com.

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.

For more information, visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com or www.facebook.com/schoolchoiceweek.