South Carolinians Plan State's Largest-Ever School Choice Rally and March

Gov. Nikki Haley to join nearly 1,000 students, parents, teachers, and community leaders on the South Grounds of the Capitol to commemorate National School Choice Week

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National School Choice Week

Jan 21, 2015, 07:00 ET

COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The largest school choice rally in South Carolina history will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2015, organizers announced today. The event will raise awareness of the importance of protecting and expanding educational choice in the Palmetto State.

Led by a marching band, students, parents, teachers, and community leaders will march from the Hilton Downtown Columbia to the South Grounds of the South Carolina Capitol, where attendees will hear from school choice champions, including students, parents, and elected officials, including Governor Nikki Haley. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m.

The event will raise awareness of the state's public charter schools, online learning options, and special needs scholarship program, and is timed to coincide with National School Choice Week (January 25-31, 2015).

"It's energizing to see parents, teachers, students, and legislators all over South Carolina show their support for growing education options by participating in our 'My SC Education Rally' to celebrate National School Choice Week," said Ellen Weaver of the Palmetto Policy Forum. "The Palmetto Policy Forum team works hard every day to promote policies that will empower every South Carolina student with a high-quality, customized education, so we're excited that the Palmetto State will be in the National School Choice Week spotlight in 2015."

"With over 26,000 students enrolled in South Carolina's 66 public charter schools, the Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina recognizes the amazing opportunities provided to our students through school choice," said Mary Carmichael, executive director of the Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina. "Our students are excited to participate in National School Choice Week 2015."

"A child's ZIP code should not determine their destiny. Now is the time to give parents more choices so their kids have a chance to achieve the American Dream," said Dave Schwartz, State Director of Americans for Prosperity - South Carolina.

The following organizations are working together to organize the rally and march: the Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina, the Palmetto Policy Forum, Americans for Prosperity - South Carolina, Connections Academy, StudentsFirst South Carolina and Public School Options.

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.

For more information, contact:
Ellen E. Weaver, Palmetto Policy Forum
[email protected] or (803) 708-0673

SOURCE National School Choice Week