2014 National School Choice Week

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Directors Photo courtesy of photosbynaz.com

This week is National School Choice Week. It is a time to celebrate all the different choices parents in America can make for their child’s education. There are so many options to educate students such as traditional school, homeschool, magnet school, charter, language immersion, virtual school, and private school. The best thing about National School Choice Week (NSCW) is that every choice is recognized and celebrated.

Photo courtesy of Photosbynaz.com

This week-long event also raises awareness of the crisis in education in America where students in every zip code are failing. Options in education are clearly needed when American high school students are compared globally in the Program for International Student Assessment world-wide test scores of 15 year olds and America remained stagnant once again with the following scores: 17th in Reading; 26th in Math; and 21st in Science.

Awareness is being raised across America this week during the annual Whistle-Stop Tour. The NSCW team travels by train from the east coast to the west coast stopping at different stations with rallies that celebrate choice in education. The Whistle-Stop in LA is January 30th 10 a.m. at the historical Union Station where hundreds of parents, students, and policy makers will be on hand to let freedom in education ring. I am honored to be one of the guest speakers at this event speaking on behalf of parents.

You can get loud and voice your support of choice in education by visiting schoolchoiceweek.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #SCW. Don’t forget to share your thoughts with OC Mom Blog!
Happy National School Choice Week! Take time to celebrate your choice in education this week.

Julie Collier is a parent, California credentialed teacher, and Orange County resident.  In 2007, she created Parents Advocate League, a grassroots, parent-empowerment organization dedicated to student-focused education policy. Parents Advocate League has members throughout California who participate in local and state education reform movements. You can join Parents Advocate League by visiting www.parentsadvocateleague.org

(Sources used: http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/PISA-2012-results-US.pdf)