U.S. Senate Votes Unanimously to Recognize January 25-31 as National School Choice Week
11,082 Events Planned Next Week to Celebrate Opportunity in Education
FIND EVENTS IN HAWAII >>> http://schoolchoiceweek.com/search
WASHINGTON (January 20, 2015) – The U.S. Senate today voted unanimously to recognize January 25-31, 2015 as National School Choice Week. The resolution, which marks the first time that the Senate has officially recognized the Week, calls on all Americans to "raise public awareness about the benefits of opportunity in education."
The bipartisan resolution to officially recognize National School Choice Week comes as more than 11,000 events are planned to commemorate the Week across the country.
The goal of the Week, which will be the largest celebration of opportunity in education in U.S. history, is to shine 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 resolution was sponsored by Senator Tim Scott and cosponsored by: Senators Lamar Alexander, John Boozman, John Cornyn, Mike Crapo, Ted Cruz, Michael Enzi, Dianne Feinstein, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and David Vitter.
"National School Choice Week provides parents across America with an opportunity to learn more about the education options available for their children, and for all Americans to start tens of thousands of individual conversations with their families, friends, and neighbors about the importance of opportunity in education," said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. "We are grateful to the entire U.S. Senate, and in particular Senator Scott and the cosponsors, for their work in raising awareness about educational choice."
In addition to the resolution by the U.S. Senate, more than 100 U.S. governors, mayors and county leaders are expected to issue proclamations recognizing National School Choice Week in their states and localities.
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There are 65 National School Choice Week events and counting in Hawaii.
School Choice Options in Hawaii:
Mandatory Inter-District Public School Choice: allowing parents to send their children to different public schools, regardless of their ZIP code or school district? -- NO
Public Charter Schools: free public schools that are empowered to innovate and are held accountable for results? -- YES
Public Magnet Schools: free public schools that are focused around a specific theme, such as math and science or the arts? -- YES
Online Learning: a full-time, online, and free public school that students can attend instead of a traditional bricks-and-mortar school? -- NO
Private School Choice: state programs that provide scholarships, tax credits, tax deductions, or school vouchers empowering parents to use a portion of the tax funds set aside for their children’s education to send their children to private schools? -- NO
Homeschooling Freedom: allowing parents the ability to educate children in the home? -- YES