The following is an article by Shelby Doyle:

Next week, parents across America will have their best opportunity all year to learn about school choice for their family.

National School Choice Week begins on January 21, with 32,240 nationwide. For parents, the Week provides an opportunity for people to learn more about educational opportunities for their children.

Education is evolving in our country. There is a greater diversity of different types of schools and educational programs than ever before. From traditional public schools, to public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online academies, and home education, the options keep expanding.

Within different school types are additional school choice programs – things like “open enrollment,” “blended learning,” “course access,” and “opportunity scholarships."

Behind all the jargon are some important factors for parents to consider when selecting a school for their child. For instance, if a family decides they want to send their child to a public school, they still have a wide variety of options including charter schools, magnet schools or programs, full-time online schooling, and enrollment in traditional public schools other than their zoned school. All of these choices fall under the public, tuition-free umbrella.

The goal of National School Choice Week is to help parents become aware of their educational options and navigate them effectively. A great place to more information about school choice and local options is: www.schoolchoiceweek.com/what-is-school-choice/

Regardless of terminology: at the heart of the discussion over school choice is the recognition that every child is unique. Every child learns differently, and all children have different skills, challenges, motivations, and inspirations.

The reason that so many different options, policies, and programs exist – and the reason that school choice supporters want parents to have even more access to different education environments for their children – is because parents want to pair their children with schools and education settings that best meet their children’s needs.

Because every state is different, school choice policies are largely decided at the state – not federal – level. This is key, because students in one state may have different options than students in another.

To get an idea of the specific school choice options available to parents in a particular state, you might consider visiting the state-specific sections on the National School Choice Week website: https://schoolchoiceweek.com/mystate/

With increased demand for school choice, some schools are already enrolling students for next year. For some tips and suggestions on starting this process, visit this page: https://schoolchoiceweek.com/tips-for-choosing-a-school-for-your-child/

This National School Choice Week, take the time to find out about the options near you. Or, if you've already found a perfect fit, thank the teachers and leaders who make it great. With 32,000 events and activities being planned nationwide, there's something worth celebrating in your neighborhood.

Shelby Doyle is the director of communications and external relations for National School Choice Week. Held every January, the Week is the nation’s largest-annual celebration of education reform. As director of communications and external relations, she serves as the lead strategist for media outreach and as national spokesperson.