More than a paper diploma

More than a paper diploma "There are a great many reasons to support education choice," then-Cato analyst Jason Bedrick wrote in 2016. "One reason is simply this: it works." This week is National School Choice Week, made official by President Donald J. Trump in a proclamation issued Monday. Just three decades ago, charter schools didn't exist. Today, more than 3 million students are enrolled in such programs. Two principles guide the Administration's vision for school choice: opportunity and results. "Communities that provide academic options — traditional public, public charter, private, magnet, parochial, virtual, and homeschooling — empower parents and guardians to select the best educational fit for their children," the President wrote. In aggregate, those opportunities turn into a global competitive edge for America. Read more: "Our students deserve more than just a paper diploma." Vice President Pence returns to Washington Vice President Mike Pence returned from a four-day trip to the Middle East last night, during which he met with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt, His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin of Israel. Here are a few highlights of the Vice President's trip, in his own words: "I can't help but marvel at the strength of the relationship that President Trump and [Egyptian] President Al Sisi have forged, after years where our two countries were drifting apart." To U.S. troops of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing: "You've answered the call to confront, and defeat, the embodiment of evil in our time — the barbarians known as ISIS." To the Knesset in Israel: "In the weeks ahead, our administration will advance its plan to open the United States Embassy in Jerusalem, and that United States Embassy will open before the end of next year." Read Vice President Pence's full remarks to Israel's national legislature. President Trump's op-ed: 'A year of real change' Congressional Democrats greeted President Trump's first-year anniversary in office with a shutdown of the federal government. Despite their attempt to grab headlines, President Trump is confident his Administration's record to date speaks for itself. One excerpt from the piece: "Estimates predict the U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of more than 3 percent in the fourth quarter of last year – just like it did in the two quarters before that. The economy has created more than two million new jobs, and the unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest rate in 17 years: 4.1 percent." The President closes with a nod to the "forgotten man" theme of his campaign: "After one year, I am proud to report to the American people that we truly are making America great again – for all Americans!" Read the President's op-ed here. Photo of the Day Vice President Mike Pence praying at the Western Wall | January 23, 2018 (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen) POTUS TODAY This morning, President Trump will hold a credentialing ceremony for newly appointed Ambassadors to Washington, D.C. Later the President will have lunch with Vice President Pence. In the afternoon, the President will participate in a working session with mayors. Watch Live at 3:00 p.m. ET. This evening, the President will depart for Joint Base Andrews, in route to Zurich, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.