Augusta - A town hall meeting event was held in the name of education at the State House in Augusta Wednesday. It was to celebrate National School Choice Week.

Lawmakers, educators and Maine's education commissioner were among those to attend.

It was a showcase of all the school choices Maine kids have, including charter schools. Last year lawmakers passed a bill to make Maine the 41st charter school state in the nation.

Lawmakers say school choice is a plus for all students, especially those who struggle in a typical classroom set up. "School choice can best be understood as any program which allows students to attend the school of their choosing as opposed to attending the school by which they've been assigned by the government according to their zip codes," said Lisbon Republican Senator Garrett Mason.

Commissioner Steve Bowen says he hopes to have Maine's first charter schools open this fall. Because those schools are public schools they cannot charge tuition.

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