Open Letter to President Obama
As you have probably heard recently, DC’s Opportunity Scholarship Program is at serious risk of being defunded. The US Senate’s appropriations bill now being considered would end the program after this year. This move would be devastating to the approximately 1,700 students benefitting from the program, and force these students out of the best schools they have ever attended.
No one can explain better the positive impact this program has than the students who are directly benefitting from scholarships. We have shared with you before videos from D.C. Parents for School Choice, at www.VoicesOfSchoolChoice.org, and their latest video, a Letter to President Obama, is a moving testament to the impact this program is having every day for students in our nation’s Capital. I hope you will take a moment to watch.
For more information or what you can do to help take action, please visit www.AllianceForSchoolChoice.org or www.VoicesofSchoolChoice.org.
Making Headlines
As Congress debates whether to continue the very successful DC Opportunity Scholarship program that is offering nearly 2,000 students in the District the chance at a better education (and has a waiting list of another 7,000 students), others are considering the impact that will have for other school choice programs around the country, including our efforts here in Virginia.
DC Examiner reporter Leah Fabel takes a look at this issue in today’s article, Voucher advocates hope national effort isn’t stymied:
Advocates for private school vouchers outside Washington hope that the likely demise of D.C.’s program won’t kill efforts nationwide.
“My first hope is the program doesn’t end in D.C.,” said Howard Fuller, the former superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools who helped craft the district’s nearly 20-year-old voucher program. “My second hope is if it does, it won’t impact programs in other parts of the country.”
Across the nation, proponents are closely watching measures in Congress that require reauthorization of D.C.’s federally funded vouchers used by 1,700 mostly low-income students. The likely requirement signals a death knell to the program, as a Democratic Congress is unlikely to support the traditionally Republican idea.
Read the rest of the article here.
We hope Congressional leaders will do the right thing, and continue to fund the Opportunity Scholarship program so that students in our nation’s Capital will be able to have access to the educational opportunities that they desperately need.
Patrick Henry Elementary School of Science and Arts Community Update Meeting
We told you about the Patrick Henry Charter School in Richmond a few months ago. For more information, we encourage you to attend the latest update meeting to be held tomorrow, Thursday, March 5th.
Patrick Henry Elementary School of Science and Arts
Community Update Meeting
THURSDAY, MARCH 5th 8:00 p.m.
3411 Semmes Ave.
Richmond, VA 23225
When are you opening?
How do I apply?
Are we really a “year round school?”
What is an “outdoor classroom?”
How can I support the school?
Find out the answers to all of your burning questions! Refreshments will be provided.
Please RSVP to:
Antione Green, Vice-President antionegreen3@hotmail.com or
Jessica Hoffa, Secretary jesshoffa@cavtel.net
The Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts
New Meeting Times!
Every Thursday at 8:00 p.m.
The Patrick Henry Building
3411 Semmes Ave.
Richmond, VA 23225
