(INDIANAPOLIS) – Indiana families are rallying, dancing, and celebrating schools, school leaders, and teachers from all types of education options this week as part of Indiana School Choice Week.
Schools, organizations, and individuals are planning 1,352 events and activities, making up some of the 51,300 events planned nationwide to draw attention to K-12 education options. National School Choice Week (Jan. 26-Feb. 1) will be the largest celebration of educational choice in U.S. history, with a record-shattering 13.7 million Americans expected to participate.
One of the biggest events taking place in Indiana will be a legislative breakfast on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at the Conrad Hotel. Around the country, Americans will be celebrating at school open houses, pep rallies, screenings of the movie “Miss Virginia,” sports competitions, school fairs, and more.
For a preview of local events planned in Indiana, explore the events and updates listed at schoolchoiceweek.com/states/indiana.
Governor Eric Holcomb issued an official proclamation recognizing Jan. 26 – Feb. 1 as Indiana School Choice Week. In addition, the city of Treet Haute and town of Veedersburg issued proclamations recognizing School Choice Week in their communities.
In Indiana, there are a variety of educational options available including traditional public schools with open enrollment at the discretion of each district, charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online learning, and homeschooling. Parents in Indiana can take tax deductions for private school or homeschool expenses, and families under a certain income level can qualify for state-run scholarships for private schools.
National School Choice Week is an independent public awareness effort celebrated since 2011. The week is nonpartisan, nonpolitical, and not related to any legislative advocacy campaign.
“Indiana is widely recognized as a national leader in providing families with a diversity of school choice options,” said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. “We encourage students, parents, and teachers to use National School Choice Week to explore these options in advance of the 2020-2021 school year, while bringing positive attention to the many schools and learning environments that are helping students succeed, thrive, and pursue happiness.”
Lindsay Rorick, director of community & family engagement at Martin Luther King Montessori School, recalls how the school celebrated National School Choice Week last year: “Students boarded a bus to learn about Rosa Parks and what she did. We had a woman come to the school and get on the bus to teach our preschool/kindergarteners about [Rosa Parks’] fight. It was a great experience for all of our kids. We use the scarves for this annual event to raise awareness in our community about being able to choose our small Montessori school.”
