Talented musicians, amazing dance moves, rallies, and impactful stories—you can see all that and more as Americans celebrate National School Choice Week (NSCW). And after it was moved online last year, people are really excited to celebrate in person again.
One of the most memorable NSCW events I’ve attended was at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School near Pittsburgh in January 2020. As you can guess by the name, the students had loads of talent. The jazz band and an amazing vocalist had nearly everyone in the auditorium dancing in their seats. Shortly after that rousing performance, you could hear a pin drop as a student shared the emotional story of how school choice helped her escape a school that was failing her. All in all, it was quite a day.
This National School Choice Week will be extra special because 2021 was the “year of school choice”—with 18 states enacting or expanding programs to fund students instead of systems.
And the number of states with education savings accounts, the most flexible form of choice, jumped from five to 10.
This legislative activity reflects the strong public support for school choice. Polling from EdChoice regularly shows more than two-thirds of adults support various choice options. Among parents, support is even higher.
But parents aren’t just expressing support—they’re increasingly looking for alternatives for their children, according to a National School Choice Week survey earlier this month. “Looking into education options is no longer the exception to the rule; it is the new normal,” says Shelby Doyle, NCSW’s Vice President of Public Awareness. “Fifty-two percent of parents are looking for or have considered finding a new or different school for their child in the last year.”
Fortunately for parents, National School Choice Week also provides comprehensive school choice resources. According to Shelby, “It’s a crucial time for educators, parents, and organizations to get accurate, easy-to-use information in the hands of moms and dads. We’re excited to see that happen with families accessing our comprehensive roadmaps at schoolchoiceweek.com and through the events that bring school choice to parents’ doorsteps, at large school fairs, homeschool information nights, and open houses at local schools. It’s a time for all of us to put kids first and empower parents to choose the school that will best fit their sons and daughters.”
Your best bet for staying in the loop on this year’s National School Choice Week celebrations is to register online and follow along on social media. #SchoolChoiceWeek #SchoolChoice
