Herzog Foundation Highlights State Success Stories During National School Choice Week

The Herzog Foundation is highlighting school choice victories across the nation to celebrate the thirteenth annual National School Choice Week (NSCW) from Jan. 22-28. NSCW was officially formed as a nonprofit entity in 2011 with the objective to host “the world’s largest celebration of opportunity in education.” This year’s celebration holds special significance as more states across the country implement school choice programs, including the Herzog Foundation’s home state of Missouri.

“We must start funding Missouri students, not schools, if we want better academic outcomes. Missouri has already started doing this by launching its first family-led school choice program in 2022,” said Herzog Foundation Chairman Todd Graves in an opinion piece for the Kansas City Star. “The Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program, or MoScholars, allows qualifying Missouri students in specific geographic areas to apply for scholarships up to $6,375 each school year. Students can then use these scholarships to leave their locally zoned public school that may not be meeting their needs.”

The Herzog Foundation is one of six organizations designated to administer Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) for Missouri students and families. Since Missouri’s ESA program launched in June 2022, the Herzog Foundation has awarded over 600 scholarships worth over $3 million.

In addition to highlighting Missouri’s new ESA program, the Herzog Foundation hosted a School Choice Expansion Panel in Phoenix, Arizona to highlight the nation’s first universal school choice program. The panelists discussed best practices in ESA implementation and strategies for protecting school choice programs from emerging threats.

“Threats to school choice are not a new thing,” said AFC Director of School Partnerships Bruce Hermie at the Foundation’s School Choice Expansion Panel. “But the consistent and common thing that allows school choice to continue to grow and thrive is that those who want school choice – parents and the schools that serve them – consistently show up, talk to legislators and advocate on behalf of the kids who need these opportunities.”

Watch the Arizona School Choice Expansion Panel in its entirety here. Stay up to date with the Herzog Foundation’s National School Choice Week coverage on ReadLion.com.

About the Stanley M. Herzog Charitable Foundation 

The Stanley M. Herzog Charitable Foundation is a charitable foundation dedicated to catalyzing and accelerating the development of quality Christ-centered K-12 education so that families and culture flourish.  

Learn more at HerzogFoundation.com 

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