National School Choice Week begins today in California and across the country. There are 1,511 events planned in the Golden State to raise awareness about K-12 school choice, and 16,140 events nationwide.

The events in California, 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. On Monday, January 25, hundreds of supporters will rally for school choice at the capitol.

The mayors of Costa Mesa, El Cajon, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Hesperia, Indio, Laguna Niguel, Manteca, Milpitas, Mission Viejo, Moreno Valley, Oceanside, Redondo Beach, Roseville, Sacramento, San Ramon, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, Temecula, Thousand Oaks, Tracy, Upland, Vacaville, Vallejo, and Victorville, along with county leaders from Amador, Los Angeles, Modoc, Placer, Rockland, Sacramento, Sonoma, and Stanislaus counties have issued official proclamations recognizing January 24-30, 2016 as “School Choice Week.”

“California parents have a variety of K-12 educational choices for their children,” said Andrew R. Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. “National School Choice Week will shine a positive spotlight on these options so that more parents can learn about the opportunities available to their kids, while also giving Californians a platform to raise awareness of the need for even greater education options for children.”

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 CALIFORNIA FAMILIES

  • According to National School Choice Week’s organizers, families in California can use the Week to look for K-12 schools for the 2016-2017 school year. Parents in the Golden 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.

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 24-30, 2016. For more information, visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com.