JANUARY 28, 2015
Governor Doug Ducey to join school choice supporters at Capitol Rally Jan. 29
PHOENIX –Arizona provides families with more school choices than any other state in the nation, education reform supporters say – and they’re planning a major celebration in January to recognize The Grand Canyon State’s status as a school choice pioneer.
The event will be held on the Senate Lawn of the Arizona Capitol at 3 p.m. on Thursday, January 29. Governor Doug Ducey and four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Lisa Leslie will join nearly 1,000 students, parents, teachers, community leaders, and elected officials at the event.
The celebration, which is timed to coincide with National School Choice Week (January 25-31, 2015), will focus on all types of educational opportunities available to Arizona families, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online learning, and homeschooling.
The celebration is being planned by A for Arizona, the Arizona School Choice Trust, the American Federation for Children, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona Charter Schools Association, the Goldwater Institute, the Institute for Better Education, LaBella Q Dance Studio, and Americans for Prosperity-Arizona.
"At A for Arizona, we are dedicated to expanding excellent public school options for low-income families, and we are proud to celebrate our school leaders,” said Lisa Graham Keegan, Executive Director, A for Arizona. “We are also grateful that Arizona offers so many great school options, and are proud to celebrate with the leaders of Arizona's other excellent school choices during our National School Choice Week party at the capitol!"
"School choice means opportunity for all children, regardless of where they live or their circumstances,” said Liz Dreckman, President of Arizona School Choice Trust and Choose A School. “It means allowing parents the power to walk with their child's 'backpack' of funding to the school that best meets their child's needs."
“National School Choice Week highlights families’ options on one of the most important decisions they will make for their children – education,” said Eileen Sigmund, President of the Arizona Charter Schools Association. “In Arizona, families have a myriad of options, and National School Choice Week provides the opportunity to showcase the various education paths for families.”
Celebrated every year in January, National School Choice Week shines a positive spotlight on all types of effective education options for children, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online learning, and homeschooling. The celebration is nonpartisan and nonpolitical. National School Choice Week 2015 will feature a history-making 11,000 independently planned and independently funded events across all 50 states.