Alabama: State Democrats want to de-fund the new tax-credit scholarship program and use the money to fund the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (The Anniston Star). The new scholarship program provides a little bit of choice but it is limited by the scholarship cap of $3,500 per student (Troy Messenger).

Connecticut: Although this doesn't measure the impact, new state data shows open enrollment students in Hartford outperform students who remain in city schools (The Courant).

Florida: Waste Management donates $4.5 million to StepUp For Students - the scholarship organization that runs Florida's education scholarship tax-credit program - at a Marlins baseball game (PRWeb). Florida's aging population means resources will flow into pensions and healthcare for retirees. That means education needs to be more effective in both cost and student achievement (The Edfly Blog).

Louisiana: The cost of busing students in New Orleans has doubled since 2004-05 as the average trip of 1.9 miles increased to 3.4 miles by 2012 thanks to school choice and open enrollment (The Lens). The Department of Education wants $378,000 back from a voucher school after it was discovered the school charged the state $6,300 per pupil but only $2,000 if the parent paid on their own (Times-Picayune).

Massachusetts: Mayoral candidates debate education at the local teacher union office and a few candidates are brave enough to show their support for charter schools and lifting the cap on charter schools (Boston Globe).

Michigan: Detroit public schools are stepping up their game to recruit and retain students in the midst of competition from charters and other public school districts (The Detroit News).

Minnesota: A high-poverty charter school in Minneapolis is beating the odds, improving student achievement and reducing the racial achievement gap (Star Tribune).

Missouri: Normandy School District must cut $15 million from its budget as students (and their funding) depart for other school districts under a state open enrollment plan for students in failing school districts (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). (more…)