The promise of a high-quality education with Senator Rand Paul

Many of Illinois' public schools are struggling to provide their students with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful later in life. At the average Illinois elementary school, 41 percent of students of at least one grade level behind in reading and math. At the average Illinois high school, 47 percent of students are in the same situation. Students who lack basic math and reading skills are more likely to drop out of high school, are incarcerated at higher rates, are more likely to enroll in public assistance programs and will make significantly less money than peers who received a quality education. Thankfully, Illinois can look to its neighbors to the north and east -- Wisconsin and Indiana -- for the way forward. These states have embraced education reforms that empower families and generate results. Illinois families want a choice about their child's education. A recent We Ask America poll showed as much, with a majority of parents in the state's lowest-performing school districts saying they would rather use the money being spent on their child in public school to pay tuition a school of their choice. We hope that this event will show the impact school choice has already had on Illinois families, and begin the discussion about how to create an education system that is focused on quality and less concerned about whether a child is attending a public, charter, virtual or private school We'll have a discussion about the impact and future of school choice in Illinois with special guest Senator Rand Paul.