School choice pioneer Virginia Walden Ford - best known as the mother who fought to gain Congressional approval of a groundbreaking Opportunity Scholarship Program for children in Washington, DC - will rally for school choice with students, parents, teachers and community leaders in Jackson on Friday, January 24, organizers announced today.

In addition to her work in Washington, DC, Ms. Walden Ford made history as one of the first black students to desegregate the high schools of Little Rock, Arkansas.

The indoor rally is one of 14 events along the National School Choice Week whistle-stop train and motor coach tour. The celebration will be held at 6:00 p.m. at Alamo Theater, and is free to attend. (RSVP at www.schoolchoicetrain.com).

Additional speakers also include Kimberly Russ, State Director for the Black Alliance for Educational Options, as well as students and parents. In addition to remarks by Walden-Ford and Russ, parents who attend the event will receive information about the education options available for their children in Mississippi.

National School Choice Week -- which will feature more than 5,500 independently-planned events across the country -- will be the nation's largest-ever celebration of educational opportunity. The Week shines a positive spotlight on effective education options for children, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online learning and homeschooling.

"The fight for school choice has been long, and we are seeing the fruits of our labor," said Virginia Walden Ford. "National School Choice Week is a time to reflect on the progress we've made, to inform and empower parents, and to expand freedom for parents to choose the best education for their children."

The event is hosted by National School Choice Week in partnership with Mississippi BAEO, the Foundation for Excellence in Education, Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, GreatSchools.org, Mississippi Center for Public Policy, and National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

National School Choice Week (Jan. 26 - Feb. 1, 2014) is an independent public awareness campaign designed to shine a spotlight on effective education options for children. For more information, visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com or follow NSCW on Twitter at www.twitter.com/schoolchoicewk.

National School Choice Week
Allison Schneider, 800-640-2671 ext. 104
allison@schoolchoiceweek.com