South Central Reporter

Gubernatorial and lieutenant governor candidates Richard Irvin and Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Litchifield) recently shared their thoughts regarding School Choice Week.

Observed during the last full week of January, School Choice Week has been a topic of conversation for legislators for several years. In Illinois, a variety of schooling options are available to families, including traditional public schools, magnet schools, homeschooling, and a wide variety of others, according to the National School Choice Week website.

"Too many students are trapped in failing schools, and the pandemic has left many falling behind in their studies," Bourne said in a tweet on Jan. 28. "EVERY family should have the opportunity to send their child to a good school, not just the fortunate few.  I will continue (to) prioritize school choice in Springfield."

According to the Center Square, a report found that there are more than 1,500 private schools and hundreds of charter and magnet schools in the state on top of existing public school options.  Illinois also offers “open enrollment,” which allows families to send their children to any public school, including charter schools, regardless of where it is located and what neighborhood they live in.

"Whether our children receive a good education should not be determined by their zip code," Irvin and Bourne said in a tweet. "During #SchoolChoiceWeek, it’s important we empower parents and make sure they have an informed choice in their children’s education."

As part of School Choice Week, over 1,000 events and celebrations were to take place throughout the state over the course of the week, creating new opportunities for Illinois families to find the school that is best suited for their children, according to the Center Square. 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, with 18% successfully making a change due to the pandemic.