Eyes of Nation on Topeka as City Hosts Key Stop on Education Reform Train Tour

TOPEKA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Topeka, a city recognized around the country for its historic role in promoting educational equality, will be a key stop on the nation's first whistle-stop train tour in support of education reform: the National School Choice Week ‘Special.’ The tour will arrive in Kansas on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013.

“We are looking forward to bringing the National School Choice Week Special to the original birthplace of education reform in America, and to shining a spotlight on the urgent need for Kansas — and America — to expand access to quality schools for all children.”

More than 100 students, parents, teachers, elected officials and community members from across the state will gather to raise awareness for the need for expanded school choice at a luncheon at Great Overland Station at 11:30 a.m. The event will feature a discussion of how Kansas can implement school choice programs that have increased student achievement and graduation rates in other states.

“A half century ago, the actions of a parent in Topeka paved the way for educational equality in our nation,” said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week, referring to the landmark Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board Of Education. “We are looking forward to bringing the National School Choice Week Special to the original birthplace of education reform in America, and to shining a spotlight on the urgent need for Kansas — and America — to expand access to quality schools for all children.”

Aside from Campanella, speakers will also include Lisa Snell, Reason Foundation Director of Education and Child Welfare, and Lisa Graham Keegan, a nationally recognized education reform pioneer who served as Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. The event will also feature remarks from parents and students positively benefiting from school choice programs.

National School Choice Week is planning the event in cooperation with Americans For Prosperity, FreedomWorks, The Friedman Foundation For Educational Choice, K-12 Schools, the Kansas Catholic Conference and Kansas Policy Institute.

This is the third annual National School Choice Week. Planned by a diverse, bipartisan coalition of citizens and organizations, National School Choice Week 2013, runs from Jan. 27 through Feb. 2 and will feature more than 3,500 events spanning all 50 states.

Supporters of National School Choice Week believe that states must do more to expand access to challenging and motivating educational options, from high-performing public schools to public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, digital and online learning and homeschooling.

The National School Choice Week ‘Special’ is scheduled to travel through the following cities, each of which will host whistle-stop-themed events with parents, students and dynamic speakers:

Los Angeles, CA (Friday, Jan. 25)
Albuquerque, NM (Saturday, Jan. 26)
Topeka, KS (Monday, Jan. 28)
Kansas City, MO (Monday, Jan. 28)
Chicago, IL (Tuesday, Jan. 29)
Milwaukee, WI (Wednesday, Jan. 30)
South Bend, IN (Wednesday, Jan. 30)
Toledo, OH (Thursday, Jan. 31)
Cleveland, OH (Thursday, Jan. 31)
Erie, PA (Thursday, Jan. 31)
Buffalo, NY (Friday, Feb. 1)
Rochester, NY (Friday, Feb. 1)
Albany, NY (Friday, Feb. 1)
New York, NY (Saturday, Feb. 2)

Track the tour’s progress, and check out exclusive photos and videos, online at www.schoolchoiceweek.com/train. Follow the tour on Twitter at @SCWSpecial, and Tweet about the tour with the hashtags #SCW and #whistlestop.

www.nationalschoolchoiceweek.com
@schoolchoiceweek
will@schoolchoiceweek.com