National School Choice Week highlights growing trend of school choice in Illinois

(Kevin Bessler | The Center Square) – Children learn differently so give them choices. That is the message Illinois families and educators are highlighting during National School Choice Week 2022.

Nearly 1,000 events and celebrations will take place in the state over the course of the week.

National School Choice Week President Andrew Campanella said this is a great chance for Illinois families to find the school that is best for their children.

“Families can look at traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online learning and homeschooling during school choice week to find that perfect fit,” Campanella said.

There are 1,650 private schools and over 200 charter and magnet schools in Illinois. Illinois also offers “open enrollment,” which allows parents to send their children to any public school, including charter schools, regardless of where it is located and what neighborhood they live in.

The school choice movement has picked up steam in recent years and ramped up even more when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

With parents watching as school districts chose to keep students home for remote learning, more and more have pulled their kids out of public schools in favor of alternative options, like private and charter schools.

Campanella said last year, 52% of parents of school-aged kids said they considered finding a new or different school for at least one of the kids in the household, and 18% of those did make a change.

“The reason the pandemic has inspired so many families to look into school choice is because families are frustrated by disruptions and they are concerned about learning loss,” Campanella said.

To preview a sampling of Illinois events, visit schoolchoiceweek.com/illinois.