Former Florida Jeb Bush Joins A+ Arkansas for Education Rally and Summit

Education reform pioneer joined by bipartisan group of lawmakers, educators, business leaders and parents

Little Rock, AR – A+ Arkansas announced today it will host an Education Rally and Summit in conjunction with National School Choice Week, on Tuesday, January 29, 2013, in Little Rock. The Rally will begin at 9:15 a.m. at the Arkansas State Capitol Rotunda and will feature keynote speaker Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida from 1999-2007 and chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, as well as Mr. Jim Walton, Chairman and CEO of Arvest Bank Group Inc.

Immediately following the Rally at 11:30 a.m., A+ Arkansas will host an Education Summit at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Little Rock. This event includes a free lunch for those who RSVP at info@aplusarkansas.org and panel discussions by teachers, administrators, business leaders, educational experts and policymakers.

Dr. Patrick J. Wolf is professor and 21st Century Endowed Chair in School Choice in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions. Wolf will join parents, educators, business leaders and policymakers to discuss the education crisis facing Arkansas. Attendees will also have the opportunity to play an active role in the discussion during Q&A sessions throughout the summit.

"The research record is strong: parental school choice improves outcomes for students, parents, and the broader community,” Wolf stated.

Previously, Wolf taught at Georgetown and Columbia University. As principal investigator of the School Choice Demonstration Project, he is leading the impact evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program through a contract with the U.S. Department of Education (subcontract with Westat) and is overseeing a national research team conducting an independent longitudinal multi-method evaluation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program.

Other Speakers include:
Walter Hussman- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of WEHCO Media, Inc.

Bill Dillard- CEO Dillards
John Bacon- Chief Executive Officer, eStem Public Charter Schools
Michele Linch- Executive Director Arkansas State Teachers Association
Jim Cooper- Chairman of the State Board of Education
Leslie Hiner- Vice President of Programs & State Relations at Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice

Arkansas State Representative Mark Biviano (R)
Arkansas State Representative James McLean (D)
Arkansas State Senator Johnny Key (R)
Georgia State Representative Alisha Morgan (D)
T. Willard Fair- Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Greater Miami, Inc.
Angela F. Shirey- Teach For America Director of Development
Virginia Walden Ford- Executive Director of Arkansas Parent Network
Luke Gordy – Executive Director of the Arkansans for Education Reform Foundation
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A+ Arkansas is a coalition of concerned parents, educators and community leaders. We fight for reforms that will increase accountability in schools and improve opportunities for Arkansas’ youth. For more information about our campaign, please visit AplusArkansas.org. Supporters can also follow the campaign on Facebook at AplusArkansas or Twitter handle @AplusArkansas.

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