redefinED roundup: vouchers in Indiana, home-schooling in Texas, anti-Muslim sentiment in Tennessee & more

Indiana: The state supreme court rules vouchers constitutional (Indianapolis Star). The decision could set a precedent for other states with Blaine amendments (ABC News). More coverage from StateImpact Indiana, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Associated Press, Christian Science Monitor, Huffington Post. In the ruling’s aftermath, the Senate Education Committee approves a proposal to expand the program in one way (RTV6), but not as far as originally proposed (Indianapolis Star). Republicans are split over how to grow the program (Evansville Courier & Press).

MondayRoundUp_yellaTennessee: Anti-Muslim sentiment surfaces in the Tennessee voucher debate (Murfreesboro Post).

Georgia: Lawmakers increase the cap on the state’s tax credit scholarship program (Atlanta Journal Constitution).

Texas: Education Commissioner Michael Williams says more school choice won’t mean a mass exodus from Texas public schools (Associated Press). Lawmakers consider speeding up the parent trigger (Texas Tribune). Once an outcast education sector, home-schooling is on the rise (Amarillo Globe-News).

Louisiana: Voucher applications are up 20 percent despite legal uncertainty (Baton Rouge Advocate). More from the New Orleans Times Picayune.

Arkansas: Lawmakers are considering tweaks to a state school choice law, struck down by a federal judge last year, that allows students to transfer to other districts (Associated Press).

Mississippi: The state House narrowly votes to send Gov. Phil Bryant’s education reform bill, which includes a proposal for charter schools, to a House-Senate negotiating committee (Jackson Clarion Ledger).

North Carolina: Republican lawmakers want a separate governing board to authorize and oversee charter schools (Raleigh News & Observer). More from the Associated Press.

Kansas: A proposal for tax credit scholarships is narrowly defeated in the state House (Kansas City Star).

Oklahoma: The Indiana voucher ruling could have implications for Oklahoma’s voucher for special-needs students (Oklahoma Watchdog).

Wisconsin: Gov. Scott Walker’s budget  includes a series of initiatives to boost charter schools, with the usual camps lining up for and against (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Vouchers are an issue in the race for state superintendent (Sheboygan Press).

Michigan: Gov. Rick Snyder reads online to students in a cyber charter (MLive.com).

Maine: Some are upset with Gov. Paul LePage’s plan to set up a charter school legal defense fund (MPBN). But school choice supporters fear lawmakers are trying to kill charter schools with bills that would, among other things, require local voter approval for new charters (Portland Press Herald).

Connecticut: The teacher union opposes Gov. Malloy’s nomination of a charter school executive to the state board of education (Hartford Courant).

Rhode Island: The state’s first virtual high school will open this fall (WPRI.com).

New Jersey: Gov. Chris Christie’s voucher proposal constitutes unconstitutional “log rolling,” claims the Education Law Center (newjerseynewsroom.com).

Pennsylvania: To simply the process of parents, some advocacy groups are pushing for a common enrollment system for district, charter and maybe even private schools in Philadelphia (The Notebook).

Idaho: Both the House and Senate pass legislation that would establish a formula to give charters money for facilities funding. Associated Press.


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BY reimaginED staff