Two Beaufort titles were named finalists in the 2020 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards
On March 12th, 2021, Foreword Reviews released the list of finalists for their 2020 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards. The School Choice Roadmap by Andrew Campanella was nominated in the Nonfiction/Education category, and A Small Earnest Question is one of 13 finalists in the General Fiction category.
More than 2,000 entries spread across 55 genres were submitted for consideration, and we’re thrilled that both of these wonderful titles were recognized. The finalists were determined by Foreword’s editorial team. The winners will be announced on June 17, 2021.
To view the complete list of finalists, click here.
To learn more about The School Choice Roadmap, click here.
To learn more about A Small Earnest Question, click here.
Kirkus Review: A resource for parents who feel overwhelmed by the prospect of school choice.
Campanella is the president of the annual public-awareness effort National School Choice Week, and his debut book offers a clear road map for choosing the best schools for one’s children. Its initial chapters lay down fundamental concepts—that parents are the experts on their own children, that what works for one child may not work for another, and that geographic location is a key factor in choosing a school. He then introduces six education options: traditional public schools, public charter schools, online public schools, public magnet schools, private schools, and home schooling. He provides basic descriptions of each choice, complete with quick summaries of management styles, how teachers are certified, and other factors. He also offers tables regarding each choice’s geographic availability, although these lack some specificity. “My Takes” summarize the author’s thoughts on each education option, such as “Private Schools can be unique, diverse, and more affordable than you might think.” The author walks readers through his seven-step process (starting with “Think Back to Your Own Time in School” and “Identify Your Goals for Your Child”), providing questions for readers to ask themselves as they do their own research. Worksheets help to focus the discussion with a structured, methodical approach. The questions feel repetitious at times, but they effectively highlight important items. The final chapter asks readers to share their experiences with others, which sweetly concludes the main text. Readers may have questions that the seven-step plan doesn’t directly address, but Campanella’s lengthy “Frequently Asked Questions” section will likely help them. Overall, the author succeeds in his stated desire to remove politics from the school-choice discussion. However, more critical commentary would have been useful, as some descriptions feel overly idealistic. Throughout, Campanella includes supportive, inspiring quotations from parents and school administrators as well as examples of successful schools around the country; several regions are noticeably underrepresented, however.
A straightforward and often useful companion for those on a school-choice journey.
Clarion Reviews evaluates The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child
Clarion Rating: 4 out of 5
With a convincing platform that’s based on helping children thrive, The School Choice Roadmap is a fair-minded resource.
A reassuring guide for parents, Andrew Campanella’s The School Choice Roadmap is all about navigating the sometimes overwhelming decisions around K-12 enrollment.
Its outlook positive, the book emphasizes the idea that school choice is personal, not political. It sidesteps the public versus private school debate, suggesting that parents research the options that are available where they live. What matters, it asserts, is what’s best for each individual student; it argues that parents are the experts when it comes to knowing their kids.
Presented in two parts, the book first forwards an objective overview of six types of schools: traditional public, public charter, public magnet, online public, private, and home. It argues the potential benefits of each, discussing the facts in a friendly way that’s appreciative of how busy parents are. This section will be helpful for cutting through school mission statements and numerical ratings to evaluate the key features which are relevant to a family’s circumstances. Its information sticks to standard definitions. In its second portion, the book outlines seven steps toward choosing a school.
ANDREW CAMPANELLA FEATURED ON PARENTING OUR FUTURE PODCAST
We all want our kids to get a good education and be successful in school. BUT not every school fits your child’s unique needs and abilities. Is your child gifted? Does your child have learning disabilities? Is the school your child in just not a good fit? Do you know you have a choice and the right to choose a school that fits your child? Are you aware of the many options that are available? This may seem like an exciting concept but also daunting because where do you start?
In this episode, Andrew Campanella, the President of National School Choice week in The United States talks about how and when parents can look for alternatives for their kids based on their needs.
New Op-Ed from Andrew Campanella: New Data Shows Kids Are Struggling with Reading—How You Can Help
If your child is having a hard time learning to read or you’re worried she might fall behind, the Nation’s Report Card scores released yesterday aren’t great news. An alarming percentage of students in fourth and eighth grades are indeed struggling, according to the 2019 scores.
Nationwide, 35 percent of fourth graders and 34 percent of eighth graders are not proficient in reading, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Equally as disturbing: overall student proficiency in reading has actually declined over the last several years.
In New York City, the proficiency rates are even lower: 24 percent of fourth graders and 26 percent of eighth graders are proficient—both a full percentage point below what they were in 2017.
The response to this worrisome news is predictable. Policy wonks and elected officials are engaging in spirited discussions about how they can change education policy to improve children’s chances at succeeding. There will, almost certainly, be a lot of finger pointing too, identifying what caused these surprising declines and what could have been done to prevent them. These discussions—the ones about how to fix things moving forward, at least—are important.
But most parents, understandably, are not thinking about this from a detached perspective. They are thinking about their own children. Some moms and dads will see the NAEP data and ask themselves if their own children are truly proficient in reading, or if they are quietly falling behind. For some parents who know their children are having a difficult time, the national NAEP scores will only reinforce their concerns.
FEATURE: ANDREW CAMPANELLA FEATURED ON EPISODE 76 OF REALITY CHECK PODCAST TO TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL CHOICE ROADMAP
Andrew Campanella (@andrewrcamp)is the president of National School Choice Week, which has grown under his leadership from 150 events in 2011 to more than 40,000 in 2019. He is the author of the forthcoming book, ‘The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child, a guidebook that helps parents identify education environments that meet their children’s needs. (Beaufort Books, January 2020). Andrew joins Jeanne on this Episode 76 of Reality Check to talk about his journey to the choice movement, how his interactions with hundreds of parents have shaped and sharpened his understanding of how choice plays out in parental decision-making surrounding their children’s education, and why he is optimistic about the future of education in America.
FEATURE: ANDREW CAMPANELLA FEATURED ON “SCHOOL DAZED” PODCAST – “THE ONE ABOUT SCHOOL CHOICE”
School systems used to be one-size-fits-all. This didn’t always work for all students. These days parents have an array of options available to them and they’re able to make choices that work for their children. BUT, which choice is the right one?
In this episode we welcome the president of National School Choice Week, Andrew Campanella. The National School Choice Week is the largest public awareness effort in the U.S. focusing on opportunity in K-12 education. Andrew shared with us information about all of the available options and tools to make great choices for your family.
FEATURE: ANDREW CAMPANELLA INTERVIEWED ABOUT NEW BOOK BY LENNIE JARRATT FOR THE HEARTLAND INSTITUTE PODCAST
Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week, discusses his new book, “The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child”.
Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week, discusses his new book, “The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child”. Andrew discusses he wrote the book after many discussions with parents and school leaders. He explains how parents are the real experts in how their children learn and should be educated. He removed the education jargon to lay out a step by step guide for parents to empower them to make an informed decision on the best school for their child.
FEATURE: THE LEARNING CURVE PODCAST, S1 EP8: “ANDREW CAMPANELLA, PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK”
Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week and author of the new book, The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child, is the Newsmaker Interview guest this week on The Learning Curve. Bob talks with Andrew about the many school choice options available to parents, and the steps they can take to find the right educational environment for their children.
Stories of the Week: 300,000 students in Chicago have been out of school for five days as a result of the city’s teacher union strike – teachers deserve to be well compensated, but does striking serve children’s best interests? In Election 2020, a new education proposal from presidential candidate and Senator Elizabeth Warren further politicizes school choice, while quadrupling Title I and IDEA funding for traditional public schools. In Mississippi, the new teacher exam de-emphasizes more rigorous math questions.
Hi readers! Mia ThermoBEAUlis here. We’ve had a busy fall here at Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press as we prepare to go to press for five separate titles.
Out of these titles, two have been making some major headlines as of late. The first title, School Choice: A Legacy to Keep, is the new memoir from Virginia Walden Ford, a courageous trailblazer who paved the way for a complete overhaul of the education system in her local community. What began as a grassroots movement has since turned into a national organization. The Opportunity Scholarship Program now provides “scholarships for low-income children to attend private schools, while boosting federal funding for traditional public schools and public charter schools.”
Virginia didn’t always have the influence she maintains now, however. Her movement began as an act of desperation, as she worked three jobs so she could afford a private education for her son who was failing out of a deteriorating public school in the suburbs of Washington D.C. School Choice: A Legacy to Keep is Virginia’s retelling of the years she spent fighting corrupt politicians in Congress and how she and other dedicated parents changed the face of the American education system forever.
We were thrilled when we found out the Moving Picture Institute was planning to produce a film based on Virginia’s story. “Miss Virginia,” starring Uzo Aduba and Matthew Modine, is an inspiring drama that retells the true story of Virginia’s fight for educational rights. The film hits theaters this Friday, October 18th, but we were honored to be invited to attend the world premiere for the movie here in New York City.
Director R.J. Daniel Hanna, Virginia Walden Ford, and actor Matthew Modine before the premiere.
Several members of our team were present at the premiere and had the opportunity to hear from Virginia herself, as well as Modine, director R.J. Daniel Hanna, and other panelists related to the school choice cause. Nick Reid, executive producer and senior vice president of the Moving Picture Institute, moderated the panel and lead the discussion about the making of the film and the impact the school choice movement has had on families around the country.
Virginia Walden Ford, Matthew Modine, and other panelists join Nick Reid for a Q&A after the premiere.
Also present at the premiere was another Beaufort author, Andrew Campanella. As the president of National School Choice Week, Andrew has worked closely with Virginia through the years to empower parents and educate them about the different types of education available. Andrew’s new book,The School Choice Roadmap, is another upcoming Beaufort title. It serves as a guide for parents looking to find the best learning environment for their children.
Both School Choice: A Legacy to Keep and The School Choice Roadmap are available for pre-order now. School Choice: A Legacy to Keep will hit shelves on November 21st of this year, while The School Choice Roadmap will be available on January 21st, 2020.
We’re so excited to be publishing both titles. If you’d like to support these incredible authors and changemakers, you can pre-order a copy of both books from Indiebound or Barnes & Noble.
WINNER OF THE 2020 FOREWORD INDIES GOLD AWARD IN EDUCATION
WINNER OF THE SILVER IPPY AWARD FOR BEST EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
You want your children to benefit from a great education. But every student is unique. One type of school might be a great fit for your neighbor’s child, but it might not work for your son or daughter.
Across the country, many parents today have more choices for their children’s education than ever before. If you are starting the process of finding your child’s first school—or if you want to choose a new learning environment—The School Choice Roadmap is for you. This first-of-its-kind book offers a practical, jargon-free overview of school choice policies, from public school open enrollment to private school scholarships and more. It breaks down the similarities and differences between traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, online public schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Most importantly, The School Choice Roadmap offers a seven-step process that will help you harness the power of your own intuition—and your own expertise about your child’s uniqueness—to help you find a school that reflects your family’s goals, values, and priorities.
Filled with sage advice from dozens of other parents who have pursued the school search process, and interviews with school leaders and teachers, The School Choice Roadmap is an optimistic, empowering book that cuts through the confusion in K-12 education—so that you can give your children every opportunity to succeed in school and in life.
FEATURE: HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT SCHOOL FOR YOUR CHILD? NEW BOOK OFFERS PRACTICAL SCHOOL CHOICE ADVICE FOR PARENTS
NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2019 — Are you searching for a new school for your child—or do you know someone who is looking to find the right educational fit for their daughter or son? A new book by Andrew Campanella, The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child, will likely provide jargon-free answers to many of your questions. (www.schoolchoiceroadmap.com)
Published by Beaufort Books and scheduled for release on January 20, 2020, The School Choice Roadmap is a practical guide to helping parents understand the different types of K-12 education options available in their states. The book provides seven steps that parents can use to find schools where their children will learn, succeed, and be happy—along with worksheets, exercises, and evaluations that parents can take to help guide their search process.
“What might be a perfect school for one student might not be a good fit for a child who lives right next door,” Campanella said. “Actively choosing a school or learning environment for your child allows you to select an education setting that best meets your child’s unique interests, and this book is here to help you through the process.”
According to Campanella, more parents in the United States today are actively choosing schools or learning environments for their children than at any other time in history. Approximately one third of parents now decide between traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, online public schools, private schools, and homeschooling. The School Choice Roadmap provides an objective look at all of these options and does not encourage parents to choose one type of school over another.
Endorsements are in for Andrew Campanella’s debut book, The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child.
“At a time when school choice is viewed through the lens of politics, Andrew Campanella offers a practical guide —underscoring the reality that for families, school choice is personal, not political. And with more school options than ever, this book should help parents navigate a complex landscape.”
Ingrid Jacques, Columnist, The Detroit News
“An excellent book that will teach experts and parents something new. If enough people read it, the education system will be a little better for all.”
Jason Russell, The Washington Examiner
“Andrew Campanella is one of the most passionate and knowledgeable voices in the school choice movement. The School Choice Roadmap is an essential guide for parents who want to find a learning environment where their children will succeed.”
Virginia Walden Ford, Founder, D.C. Parents For School Choice
“Finally, a tool that truly puts parents in the driver’s seat when determining the best education for their child. Thank you, Andrew Campanella, for putting children and families first with a clear, easy to understand roadmap with no hidden agendas or bias.”
Wendy Howard, Founder, Celebrate Youth
As a parent, this is the book I wish I had years ago as my family began our school choice journey. The School Choice Roadmap is a practical guide that will support parents as they navigate all their educational options and empower them to make informed education decisions.”
Tillie Elvrum, Past President, National Coalition For Public School Options
“Andrew Campanella is one of the rare people who can talk about education policy and school choice in a way that is understandable, empowering, and practical. The School Choice Roadmap is a valuable resource that will benefit countless families.”
Lisa Graham Keegan, Former Arizona Superintendent Of Public Instruction
“Parents are always looking for trustworthy educational resources to help them with their children. This book provides parents the educational, navigational tools needed to make informed decisions regarding their child’s education.”
Cecilia Iglesias, President And Founder, The Parent Union
“The School Choice Roadmap empowers parents to choose the best school for their child and equips them with resources to take an active role throughout their child’s education. In writing this book, Andrew Campanella has made a significant contribution to the educational freedom movement in our nation.”
