WASHINGTON, April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Alliance for School Choice -- along with its affiliated advocacy organization, Advocates for School Choice -- today called for parents across the country to contact their elected officials and encourage meaningful education reform, including school choice.
The Alliance and Advocates also called upon parents this week to publicly thank--through calls, letters to the editor, and blog entries--the committed lawmakers who have steadfastly supported school choice programs, despite significant obstacles. These lawmakers include many Democrats who have championed school choice legislation despite the heavy lobbying of entrenched special interests.
The Alliance and Advocates' call comes as the country commemorates the twenty-fifth anniversary of "A Nation at Risk," the landmark report that served as a stinging indictment of a system that failed to adequately educate America's children. The report was issued 25 years ago this week.
As the Alliance summarizes in its brief report, In a Nation Still at Risk, Families Deserve Private School Choice, per-pupil funding has increased by 63 percent (in inflation-adjusted dollars) since 1983, while graduation rates and reading scores have remained largely stagnant. In short, we remain a nation at risk, the report concludes. The report is downloadable at http://www.allianceforschoolchoice.org/.
"The anniversary of 'A Nation at Risk' renews the call for increased educational options for all of America's children," said Charles Hokanson, president of the Alliance and Advocates.
School choice programs--16 of which exist in nine states and the District of Columbia--have been shown to increase graduation rates, dramatically improve parental satisfaction with schools, revitalize communities, and boost student academic achievement. More than 150,000 children participate in school choice programs, an 86 percent increase over just five years ago.
"School choice programs have come about because of the hard work and perseverance of parents and courageous lawmakers," Hokanson said. "As we recognize the twenty-fifth anniversary of 'A Nation at Risk,' the Alliance and Advocates honors the many parents and committed legislators and governors who fought, and continue to fight, for equal opportunities for all children. They are the true heroes in education over the past quarter century."
The Alliance and Advocates will announce their Legislator of the Year, State Executive of the Year, and Advocate of the Year awards in early May. These awards--the groups' top honors--will recognize courageous lawmakers and activists who, in 2007, advanced the cause of educational freedom through their support of increased parental options.
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Andrew Campanella
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Advocates for School Choice
