BATH TOWNSHIP — The Bath Township Board of Trustees approved a resolution during the Dec. 6 township meeting officially proclaiming the week of Jan. 21, 2018 as School Choice Week in Bath Township.
According to Bath Township Trustee President Steve Ross, National School Choice Week (NSCW) spotlights the effective education options for students throughout the country. This special week of organized events, which is observed the last week of January each year, provides families with an opportunity to research and evaluate the K-12 school choices available in their communities, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online academies and homeschooling.
As an organization, it does not promote one form of educational choice over another, but rather contends that parents should have and make choices in the best interest of their children.
Ross said the request to issue the proclamation came from Andrew Campanella, President of NSCW. Currently, school districts across Greene County vary in their approach to open enrollment. Fairborn and Beavercreek City School Districts implement a close enrollment policy. Sugarcreek Local and Xenia Community School Districts will accept applications from parents of those students residing in adjacent school districts.
Cedar Cliff Local, Greenview Local and Yellow Springs Exempted Village School Districts allow all students residing in any Ohio school district to attend tuition-free. He also pointed out that all Clark County school districts have open enrollment programs as well. Every spring, each school district in Ohio may choose whether or not to accept students through open enrollment for the next school year.
Ross also noted that the state pays every school district in the state approximately $7,000 for each student registered. The contribution from the Federal Government for students related to the military is relatively small.
NSCW is nonpolitical and nonpartisan and does not advocate for or against any legislation, according to the movement’s website. First established in 2011, NSCW is currently the world’s largest annual celebration of opportunity in education with more than 58,000 NSCW events planned across the country in 2018.
Ross noted that recognizing National School Choice Week 2018 locally is just one way for the township trustees to call this observance to the attention of all of the citizens in the township and to recognize the important role an effective education plays in preparing all students to be successful adults.
“We passed a similar resolution last year during our Dec. 30 meeting,” Ross said. “The stated goal is to raise awareness.”
