Rally in the Valley: More Than 2,000 Families Marched in Support of Charter Schools
March Celebrates the Birthplace of the California Charter School Movement and Rallies Support From Local Leaders, Educators, Parents and Community
Sep 17, 2016, 02:00 ET
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 2,000 charter school teachers, students, families, supporters, and local representatives joined together today in Pacoima in the northeast San Fernando Valley for a march and rally to highlight the success and growth of local charter schools. The first annual Rally in the Valley, hosted by California Charter School Association Families, celebrated charters' academic achievements in the birthplace of two of the first charter schools in the country. Today, the area's network of about two dozen charters outperform neighboring traditional schools while serving the same socio-economically disadvantaged community.
The rally also called upon elected representatives in local and state government to support pro-charter policies, including the growth of high quality charters and other high performing public schools, better facilities for charter students, and an end to the politics and rhetoric challenging parents' right to choose the best public school for their children.
"As parents, we want what is best for our kids, and for many of us that means we want charter schools," said Jessica Aguirre, a parent at Youth Policy Institute Charter Schools. "We demand more high quality public schools of all types to choose from, not just here in the San Fernando Valley, but across Los Angeles."
The day began with thousands of charter supporters marching down Herrick Avenue from two campuses – Vaughn Next Century Learning Center and Pacoima Charter Elementary School. The march was followed by a community rally, where speakers honored individuals who made those first charter schools possible, recounted success stories from parent and school leaders, and declared a call to action for elected officials, asking them to continue support for high quality public schools for all students. Speakers included Tony Cardenas, Representative for California's 29th Congressional District, Monica Ratliff, LAUSD Board of Education, and numerous charter school parents, teachers, and graduates.
"This community shows us what is possible when charter schools are given the time and support they need to flourish," said Jed Wallace, President and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association. "Families across Los Angeles need and deserve the same high quality public school choices that exist here in Pacoima."
To learn more about the California Charter School Association and the achievements of local charter schools, visit http://www.ccsa.org.
About the California Charter Schools Association
The California Charter Schools Association's vision is to increase student learning by growing the number of families choosing high quality charter public schools so that no child is denied the right to a great public education. Our mission is to ensure a million students attend charter public schools by 2022, with charter public schools outperforming non-charter public schools on every measure. We do this by serving as the advocacy organization that builds the policy environment needed to grow as quickly as possible the number of students attending high quality charter public schools. For more information, please visit our website at www.ccsa.org.
SOURCE California Charter Schools Association