March 2013 Edition

WELCOME!
An Action Packed Calendar Were You There?
We congratulate the organizers of National School Choice Week for a hallmark national celebration of school choice. We also congratulate each and every one of you who took advantage of this opportunity to help others understand why educational options matter so much to todays students and parents. Whether it was the Jonas Bothers, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie or a student attending a rally in Wisconsin, the week showed the breadth and diversity behind the fight for new and expanded options. But our work isnt limited to just one week! This newsletter captures only a limited snapshot of the voices and faces who were part of NSCW and those who have been carrying the message forward since then.

Table of Contents
A Student Report From Campus Coalitions Take Center Stage Supporters Shout Out Partners and Allies Activity On Our Reading List Upcoming Events

A Student Report from Campus

Sandeep Thomas, chair of the PublicSchoolOptions.org Student Ambassadors, authored a guest post for Getting Smart where he provides a firsthand account of how online leaning prepared him for life on campus.

In The Spotlight
Partners and Allies Activity The Center for Schools Options issued a revealing report A Closer Look at Critics of Online Public Schools.

Americans For Prosperity joined in the National School Choice Week discussion by issuing a list of Five Myths About School Choice to correct and clarify the volumes of misinformation in circulation. Read More

On Our Reading List Tillie Elvrum, PublicSchoolOptions.org member and parent of a Colorado Connections Academy recognizes National School Choice Week in column here.

Coalitions Take Center Stage

Cheers to coalition members in Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho for a successful series of Capitol Days to kick off 2013. Check out our Facebook page for more updates and photos, and be sure to follow all of our upcoming Capitol Days on our blog.

In recognition of National School Choice Week, Governor Jeb Bush, Chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, tells the story of how one Nevada family.

Read More

Supporters Shout Out

Real change takes hard work, so we must always take time to thank our elected officials for their support and work on behalf of students and families. Thanks to State Representative

Marcus Brandon, seen below, and the many others who joined our efforts this month.

Upcoming Events
Oregon Capitol Day March 5 California Capitol Day March 6 Oklahoma Chapters PublicSchoolOptions.org legislative reception March 6 Indiana Capitol Day March 11 Tennessee Capitol Day March 12 Iowa Capitol Day March 12 Massachusetts Chapters PublicSchoolOptions.org meet and greet March 18-22 Oklahoma Capitol Day March 25

For more information about these and any other upcoming events possibly coming to a city near you, please email us.