Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Group sets events throughout state to highlight school options.

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The Reform Alliance, a nonprofit organizati­on, is hosting a community meeting, a threeday school-options tour and a culminatin­g rally at the state Capitol to highlight kindergart­en-through-12th-grade school options that are available to Arkansas families.

“Our mission is to prevent the next generation of Arkansas youths from becoming a statistic,” said Laurie Lee, chief executive officer and chairman of The Reform Alliance. “We will do this by making sure families know about the many quality educationa­l options available to them.”

The events begin Monday with the Partner With Me community meeting from 6-8 p.m. at Friendship Aspire Academy, 3615 W. 25th St. in Little Rock. Speakers that night will be Sidney Moncrief, Howard Fuller, Patrick Wolf and Takisha Moncrief.

Sidney Moncrief is a retired National Basketball Associatio­n player, former University of Arkansas Razorback basketball player and businessma­n.

Fuller is distinguis­hed professor of education and director of the Institute for the Transforma­tion of Learning at Marquette University in Wisconsin and is a former superinten­dent of Milwaukee Public Schools.

Wolf is distinguis­hed professor of education policy and 21st Century Endowed Chair in School Choice at the University of Arkansas, Fayettevil­le.

Takisha Moncrief is a former teacher and literacy coach who is now a partner in Moncrief One Team, a personal-developmen­t company.

The Reform Alliance team will travel the state on a National School Choice Week Bus Tour from Tuesday through Thursday.

The times and locations for each stop on the tour are:

Tuesday ■ Star City Police Department, 9-9:45 a.m.

■ Pine Bluff, Friendship Aspire charter school, 10:30-11:30 a.m. ■ Sherwood, Abundant Life, noon-1 p.m.

■ Cabot Police Department, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Wednesday

■ Eureka Springs, Academy of Excellence, 8-8:30 a.m.

■ Springdale, Shiloh Christian, 11:30 a.m.-noon

■ Fayettevil­le, Prism Education Center, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

■ Fort Smith, Immaculate Conception, 2:30-3:10 p.m.

Thursday

■ Morrilton, Sacred Heart, 9-9:30 a.m.

■ Conway, Compass Academy, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

■ North Little Rock, Immaculate Conception, noon-1 p.m. ■ Alexander, Avilla Christian Academy, 1:30-2 p.m.

■ Bryant, Arkansas Christian Academy, 2:30-3:30 p.m.

The concluding rally will be from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday in the rotunda of the state Capitol in Little Rock. The rally will feature learning stations and family-friendly activities.

More informatio­n is available from Lee at (501) 244-9028 or laurie@thereforma­lliance. org.

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