Tennessee: Gov. Bill Haslam, not pleased with Republican plans to create a broader voucher program, pulls the plug on his voucher proposal, limited to low-income children from low-performing schools (Associated Press). More from Nashville Public Radio and The Tennessean. The finger pointing begins (Chattanooga Times Free Press). New York Times takes a look at the Achievement School District, which has turned to charters as part of the solution to raise student achievement. A bill to create a statewide charter school authorizer clears a House committee (The Tennessean).
Texas: The House shoots down any attempts to create a voucher or tax credit scholarship program, with dozens of Republicans joining Democrats in saying no (Dallas Morning News). More from the Houston Chronicle and Texas Tribune. School supporters plan to press ahead with a proposal for tax credit scholarships (Dallas Morning News).
Alabama: Critics say the state’s new tax credit scholarship program will subsidize private schools built to resist desegregation (Birmingham News). Democratic legislative leaders say they’ll push for a repeal (Birmingham News).
Mississippi: Senate leaders agree to a watered-down charter schools bill to keep it alive (Jackson Clarion Ledger). House members pass a charter bill with no debate (Jackson Clarion Ledger). More from the Associated Press. Both sides later pass the same bill and send it to Gov. Phil Bryant (Education Week).
Florida: More than 1,000 rally for school choice at the Florida Capitol in the first event that brings together parents from magnet, charter, voucher, virtual and home-school sectors (redefinED). Catholic schools buck national trends, seeing the first enrollment growth in five years (redefinED). A parent trigger bill clears its first committee in the state Senate (Orlando Sentinel) and passes the House (Tampa Bay Times). A bill that would allow school districts to create charter-like “innovation schools” also gets okay from the Senate Education Committee (Associated Press). A bill to tighten accountability on charters but allow high-performing ones to grow faster passes the House (Orlando Sentinel).
Louisiana: Lawmakers raise concerns about voucher funding (New Orleans Times Picayune).
Arkansas: School choice parents rally before a committee votes down a school choice scholarship bill (ArkansasOnline).
South Carolina: Statewide interest in charter schools is spiking (The State). A bill that would allow students to transfer across district lines, provided there is space available, passes a key committee (WBTW).
North Carolina: The Senate Education Committee passes a bill to create a statewide charter school authorizer (Raleigh News & Observer).
Georgia: A critic says legislative changes to the state’s tax credit scholarship program are “baby steps” in the right direction (Augusta Chronicle).
Maine: State superintendent Stephen Bowen criticizes bills he says are designed to inflict “death by 1000 cuts” on charters (Bangor Daily News).
New Hampshire: Charter schools continue to grow despite opposition (New Hampshire Public Radio).
Connecticut: The state gets seven new applications for new charter schools (CTPost).
New Jersey: The state gets nearly 40 applications for new charter schools (NJSpotlight).
Wisconsin: Some Republican lawmakers are proposing a modest tuition tax credit in lieu of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed voucher expansion (Associated Press).
Washington: Twelve school districts apply to be charter school authorizers (King5).
Idaho: Lawmakers pass bills to increase charter school funding and allow state colleges and universities to authorize them (Idaho Reporter).
California: A parent trigger action in Los Angeles has resulted in the district, the parents and a charter school working together (Los Angeles Times).
Montana: Lawmakers advance bills to create charter schools and offer modest tuition tax credits for private schools (The Missoulian). More from the Independent Record. The House, though, wants more analysis of the financial impact (The Missoulian).
