Washington, D.C. – From May 12 – May 18, 2019, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is celebrating charter schools across the nation with National Charter Schools Week (NCSW). As part of its week-long celebration, we are joining alongside students, families and communities to shine a spotlight on public charter school achievements by honoring the school leaders, teachers, elected officials, advocates and alumni who have made charter schools a high-quality public-school option for students.
This year’s theme draws on the essential pillars of the charter school movement and each day will answer the question, “What are charter schools?”. The week’s celebrations include:
Monday, May 13: Charter schools are public.Join the conversation on social media using #CharterSchoolsWeek as we kick off the week with a celebration of innovative, independently-operated public schools that are tuition-free and open to all students.
Tuesday, May 14: Charter schools are community.For more than a decade, the National Alliance has recognized local, state, and federal leaders who are taking real action to ensure all students have access to a great education. This year, 20 leaders will be recognized as Champions for Charters for their efforts to provide better educational options for the families they represent. Additionally, three leaders of the charter school sector will be inducted into our charter school Hall of Fame.
Wednesday, May 15: Charter schools are getting results.Check out The Charter Blog as our senior director of research and evaluation, Dr. Nathan Barrett, dives into the latest research on charter school student outcomes.
Thursday, May 16: Charter schools are putting kids first.Charter schools are designed to put the needs of students first and school leaders constantly find innovative ways to solve some of the most significant challenges their students face in and out of the classroom. But, one of the most pressing challenges that school leaders face is finding a suitable school building that fits the needs of their students. Check out today’s launch of the National Alliance’s Charter Schools Facilities Center website—a new resource to disseminate best practices to access, fund, and finance charter school facilities.
Friday, May 17: Charter schools are reimagining education. The charter school movement has been reimagining education since the first state law passed more than 25 years ago. At this year’s National Charter Schools Conference in Las Vegas, we will celebrate the sector’s innovation and discuss how we can continue to reimagine what education looks like for our students in the future. Friday is the last day to register for the 2019 National Charter Schools Conference at a discounted rate. The National Alliance President and CEO Nina Rees said in a statement:
“A recent study found that some major charter networks are producing college graduates at a rate two to four times as high as the average for students from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. As education advocates, we must continue to put the needs of students first and fight to provide all students with access to the high-quality public school education option that charter schools provide.”
Now in its 19th year, National Charter Schools Week was first declared by President Clinton. Although the growth of public charter schools began under President Clinton, Presidents Bush, President Obama, and President Trump have all continued this public support of charter schools.
