National. Uncommon Schools wins the 2013 Broad Prize for outstanding charter school network (Education Week). U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan praises charter schools for recent improvements but criticizes some for excluding high rates of students through disciplinary actions (Education Week). Tax credit scholarship programs are boosting Jewish day schools and yeshivas nationwide (The Jewish Press).
Washington: A coalition led by the state teachers union files a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s new charter school law (Seattle Times). The state’s three biggest districts take different approaches to the new charter law, with Spokane most aggressively embracing it (Associated Press).
Virginia: The Norfolk school district considers converting a fifth of its schools into charters (Virginian-Pilot).
Louisiana: Only one of 117 private schools participating in the state’s school choice voucher program is found to be in violation of financial rules (New Orleans Times Picayune). The state’s fledgling “course choice” program continues to grow, with 1,500 students enrolled so far (New Orleans Times Picayune).
Mississippi: Charter school supporters consider the possibility of luring a high performing charter network like KIPP (Jackson Clarion Ledger). The process for starting a charter school in Mississippi is a grueling one (Jackson Clarion Ledger). One parent offers a testimonial about the power of the Nashville Prep charter school (Jackson Clarion Ledger).
Wisconsin: Gov. Scott Walker says he’ll use test scores, graduation rates and other measures to determine the effectiveness of the newly expanded school choice voucher program (Green Bay Press Gazette). More from the Wisconsin State Journal. The statewide expansion involves a couple of twists on Walker’s part, including a veto of language that could have been used to circumvent the caps (Education Week). Private schools consider whether to participate (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Critics say private schools that accept vouchers are shortchanging students with disabilities (Wisconsin Watch).
Indiana: Gov. Mike Pence picks the head of the state charter school board to be his top education aide (Associated Press).
Ohio: A left-leaning policy group charges White Hat Management and others with skirting state law on charter school closures by reopening with largely the same staffs but under different names (Cleveland Plain Dealer).
Rhode Island: Four more charter schools get state approval to open in fall 2014, adding to 18 already open and two coming this fall (Providence Journal).
New York: Former New York City schools Chancellor Joel Klein says some mayoral candidates aiming to replace Mike Bloomberg would freeze the growth of charter schools (Wall Street Journal).
New Hampshire: Four charter schools look to open after lawmakers take steps that effectively lift a moratorium on new ones (Concord Monitor).
