Alabama: The state files documents to dismiss the Southern Poverty Law Center’s suit against the new school choice program (Al.com).
Florida: A new private school specializing in special needs education will open in Sarasota, with the state’s McKay scholarship program funding the $11,000 to $17,000 a year tuition (Bradenton Herald). After five years of declining enrollment, Catholic schools in Palm Beach County are seeing a rebound in student enrollment (Sun-Sentinel).
Indiana: Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaks at a church in Indianapolis and calls for more options for students (Indianapolis Star).
Kentucky: With nearly 10,000 students, the Catholic Diocese of Covington would be the third largest school district in northern Kentucky. The diocese would like to see a tax-credit scholarship program for low-income students (Cincinnati.com).
Louisiana: The Department of Justice’s lawsuit to block the voucher program is based on the enrollment of 570 of the 8,000 voucher students located in 22 districts under federal desegregation orders (Education Week, Washington Times, The Advocate). Gov. Bobby Jindal aired television ads slamming the anti-voucher lawsuit (Associated Press).
Maine: Three charter schools in the state claim success with their special needs student population (MPBN).
Mississippi: The state’s new charter school board will operate on 3 percent of the revenue collected from authorized charters but the board has no charter schools yet and the state didn’t appropriate a starting budget (Clarion Ledger, Fordham Institute).
North Carolina: The Charlotte area sees strong growth in charter school enrollment and has piqued the interest of more charter school operators (Charlotte Observer). Minority Democrats in the state legislature took a bold step supporting school choice, says Robert Danos, a former spokesman for the 11th District GOP (Blue Ridge Now).