***MEDIA ALERT***
Washington, D.C.- Next week, May 4 10, is the 15th annual National Charter Schools Week. Every year students, teachers, parents, school leaders, and advocates from across the country hold events to raise awareness about the growth and success of high-quality public charter schools and the need for improvement in state and federal policies that impact charter schools.
In addition to state and local events, several key national events will take place during the week:
Monday, May 5th: The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools will release an estimate of the number of students and families waiting to attend charter schools across the country. At 1:00 p.m. ET, President and CEO Nina Rees will host a press call to reveal the number and answer questions.
Tuesday, May 6th: Federal, state, and local elected officials will be honored at the 2014 Champions for Charters reception at the U.S. Capitol. The reception begins at 5:00 p.m. and will be held at HVC-200. Honorees Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), Congressman George Miller (D-CA), Mayor of Sacramento Kevin Johnson, State Senator Jill Tokuda (D-HI), and State Representative Phil Owens (R-SC) are expected to attend. More information, including a full list of this years honorees can be found here.
During National Charter Schools Week, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to consider H.R. 10, the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, a bill that will strengthen and improve the federal Charter Schools Program. For more information about the bill, click here.
The National Alliance is also expecting a proclamation from President Barack Obama declaring the week National Charter Schools Week as well as a similar resolution from the U.S. Senate.
In addition to these national activities, charter schools and community organizations across the country will host events to highlight charter schools in their communities.
For more information about National Charter Schools Week, please visit publiccharters.org/charterschoolsweek.
