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Alliance hopes school-choice petition drive will net 100,000 signatures, legislation

(Bowling Green, Kentucky) – Organizers of a new school-choice petition drive say parents, not zip codes, should determine where Kentucky’s children attend public and nonpublic schools. And when parents choose a new school, state funding should follow the child to the school of the parents’ choosing.

Kentucky Alliance for School Choice, a coalition of parents, civic organizations and business groups, is working to secure the signatures of 100,000 parents across the state by Oct. 1.

The petition, which can be found at www.kentuckyalliance.org, appeals to Frankfort’s policymakers to adopt legislation that guarantees school choice for all Kentucky parents. Those wishing to sign the petition can do so electronically or by printing it out and mailing it to the Bluegrass Institute.

“Parents deserve a choice so kids can have a chance,” said Chris Derry, president of the Bluegrass Institute, Kentucky’s free market think tank, and a founding member of the Kentucky Alliance for School Choice. “All Kentucky parents – regardless of race, color, economic status or place of residence – should be empowered to make choices that will result in a better education for their children.”

According to the Heritage Foundation, Kentucky is one of only six states without school-choice legislation. (For more on school-choice options in various states, go to www.heritage.org/Research/Education/SchoolChoice/schoolchoice.cfm)

“Defenders of the status quo will likely oppose school choice in Kentucky,” Derry said. “But we are confident that Kentucky’s political leaders will not be able to ignore the wishes of 100,000 parents.”

For interview information, contact Jim Waters, Director of Policy and Communications for the Bluegrass Institute. He can be reached at (270) 782-2140 or jwaters@bipps.org.

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