Idaho: State education offficials approve the American Heritage Charter School, which will emphasize American history, patriotism, money management and free market economics. (Idaho Statesman)
Florida: Demand continues to surge for the state’s tax credit scholarship program, as the chart at left shows. (Tampa Bay Times’ Gradebook blog). The number of charter school teachers in the state tops 10,000, more than double the number from five years ago (redefinED).
Mississippi: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush encourages Mississippi officials to follow Sunshine State education reforms, including vouchers and charter schools. (Associated Press)
Washington: A parents group forms to fight a ballot initiative to bring charter schools to the state. (The News Tribune)
Georgia: Debate heats up over a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to authorize and fund charter schools. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Louisiana: The ACLU threatens to sue a charter school for policies banning pregnant girls from classrooms and requiring girls suspected of being pregnant to submit to a pregnancy test. (Associated Press)
Maine: Applications are withdrawn for two proposed on-line charter schools, but the groups behind them say they’ll be back next year. (Kennebec Journal)
Utah: State education officials discuss additional financial and academic accountability measures for charter schools. (Salt Lake Tribune)
New York: State education officials will consider seven new charter schools in Queens, including one with a Chinese-based curriculum and mandatory martial arts training. (New York Daily News)
California: A former charter school administrator, fired after allegedly ordering his staff to cheat on standardized tests, is paid $245,000 in a settlement. (Los Angeles Times)
