What is Public Schools Week?
Public Schools Week is an annual week-long celebration dedicated to honoring the invaluable contributions and achievements of educators and education advocates in our public schools and the communities they serve. Led by the Learning First Alliance (LFA), a coalition of 13 national education groups with a collective membership exceeding 10 million, Public Schools Week invites the education community, parents, lawmakers and others to join us in spotlighting our nation’s public schools and the dedicated individuals behind them. While Public Schools Week 2024 took place Feb. 26 - Mar. 1. we invite you to join us in celebrating and supporting our public schools all year long.
Why celebrate Public Schools Week?
Research consistently demonstrates that parents and community members are largely supportive of their local public schools, recognizing the vital role educators play in preparing children for success in an evolving world.Public Schools Week aims to showcase the dynamic things happening in public schools, how we are responding to current and post-pandemic challenges, and the invaluable lessons learned, ultimately contributing to the ongoing improvement of K-12 education.
How can you participate in Public Schools Week?
Help spread the word on social media about the outstanding work happening in public schools and by educators and education professions. Explore the social media resources in the #PSW24 toolkit and customize them to amplify the positive stories from your perspective.
Op-Ed *
Strengthening Public Education: A Unified Call to Action
Authored by:
Susan Moore, 2023 CoSN CTO of the Year
Rodney Walker, Maryland’s 2023 National Distinguished Elementary School Principal of the Year
Diana Virgil, 2024 School Counselor of the Year
Milan Aranda, National Student President, Educators Rising
Ashley Aldridge Wilson, 2023 National Blue Ribbon Elementary School Principal
In Case you Missed our #PSW24 Webinars
Webinar #1
Current Challenges: How Schools are Responding
Moderated by Jill Cook, executive director of the American School Counselor Assocation
Panelists include Kathryn Benheim, National Student Support Accelerator; Paul Fleming, Chief Learning Officer, Learning Forward; Yvonne Johnson, president of the National PTA; Dr. Weade James, vice president, organizational advancement, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE); Diane Doersch, Chair, CoSN, April Knight, NAESP VP & Principal, Avondale Elementary School, Ohio; and Cindy Bourget, 2024 School Counselor of the Year Finalist.
Webinar #2
Portrait of a Learner: How Schools are Preparing Students for Success
Moderated by Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers
Panelists include James Lane, CEO, PDK International; Julia Burgos, VP at Large for Engagement, NSPRA & Chief of School & Community Relations, Alexandria City Public Schools, Va; Milan Aranda, National Student President, Educators Rising; Joe Gothard, 2024 National Superintendent of the Year; Kristi Swett, President NSBA & School Board Member, Salt Lake City School District
#PSW24 Podcast Series
Demonstrate your support for public education!
Join parents, families, education professionals and organizations in signing-on to our statement. #PSW24 may have passed but it’s never too late to demonstrate your support for public education!
Leaders from national education groups celebrate
Public Schools Week, Feb. 26-Mar. 1, 2024
Public Schools Week
Info
Check out our one-pager for more information about Public Schools Week.
#PSW24 Toolkit
Check out our #PSW24 toolkit for social media graphics, sample posts and other materials to help celebrate your local public schools. While most of the materials were crafted for #PSW24, we invite you to adapt them to use all year long.