Charter schools. An Orange County charter that served dyslexic students is closing after seven months because of financial problems, reports the Orlando Sentinel. The parents of a charter in Miami-Dade are in limbo after a church decides unexpectedly to end the school's lease, reports the Miami Herald.

Virtual charter schools. In a repeat of last year, the charter school appeals commission sides with the Orange and Seminole school boards in their rejection of applications for Florida Virtual Academy schools. The state Board of Education will make the final call. SchoolZone.

Parent trigger. Two civil rights groups in Florida, LULAC and the NAACP, are opposed. StateImpact Florida.

Magnet schools. Parents plead with the St. Lucie County School Board to not close an arts magnet because of budget cuts, reports TCPalm.com. A new elementary school arts academy is in the works in Okaloosa, reports the Northwest Florida Daily News.

Career and technical. A bill filed by Sen. John Legg, R-Port Richey, would allow students to substitute industry certifications for other graduation requirements, reports Gradebook. More from the Orlando Sentinel. The Pinellas school district plans to create several new career academies for middle schools and put STEM labs in every elementary school in an effort to boost career education, reports the Tampa Bay Times. River Ridge Middle School in Pasco is realigning its curriculum to better reflect career education, the Times also reports. (more…)

Tennessee: Gov. Bill Haslam proposes a voucher that's limited to low-income students in low-performing schools, with additional state funding for those schools to boot (KnoxNews). More from timesfreepress.com and Nashville Public Radio. Haslam reiterates that his proposal won't affect funding for public schools (Nooga.com). Both supporters and opponents find details to criticize (KnoxNews). Haslam's administration is also backing a bill that would cap enrollment at a virtual charter school run by K12 Inc, reports timesfreepress.com.

Florida: At a National School Choice Week event, new Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett gives some school districts credit for expanding public options such as magnet schools and career academies (redefinED).

Louisiana: The teachers union in New Orleans asks for the names of teachers in the city's charter schools in the hopes of organizing them (The Lens).

Arkansas: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush makes an appearance during National School Choice Week, urging lawmakers to expand charter schools and other choice options and calling education reform both the civil rights and economic issue of our time (Associated Press). More from the Arkansas Press-Gazette.

Virginia: Democratic lawmakers kill a charter school bill and snub their party's national platform in the process (Watchdog.org). More from the Associated Press. A bill to allow home-schoolers to play sports in public schools - a so-called "Tebow" bill - passes the House but must still clear the Senate (Associated Press).

Georgia: The state charter schools commission holds its first meeting since being revived by passage of a constitutional amendment (Atlanta Journal Constitution). More than 1,000 charter school supporters gather to celebrate the amendment's passage (Atlanta Journal Constitution).

South Carolina: State Superintendent of Education Mick Zais says at a National School Choice Week event that he supports a legislative proposal for tax credit scholarships (SCNow.com).

North Carolina: An expansion of charter schools brings debate about quality (Durham Herald Sun).

Mississippi: A bill backed by Gov. Phil Bryant to create a tax credit scholarship program clears the Senate education committee (Associated Press).

Texas: A charter school chief executive testifies in a trial about education funding that low state spending is hurting charters too (San Antonio Express News). The Amarillo school district joins others in supporting an anti-voucher resolution (NewsChannel 10). Gov. Rick Perry backs expansion of charter schools and a proposal for tax credit scholarships (Dallas Morning News). (more…)

California: A parents group in Los Angeles is using the state's landmark parent trigger law to force the school district to reform a low-performing school. (Los Angeles Times). More from the Associated Press and Education Week. A national report finds the state continues to lead the nation in charter school growth, despite funding disparities and access to facilities (Huffington Post). Oakland district officials say the American Indian Model Schools, a charter network touted for its academic successes, suffers from "corrupt fiscal practices" and should be shut down (Oakland Tribune).

Michigan: A new report finds the typical Michigan charter school student school gained more learning in  a year than a district school peer, amounting to about an additional two  months of reading and math learning (The Detroit News).

Texas: Key state lawmakers are looking at the franchise tax on businesses as a vehicle to fund private-school scholarships for low-income students (Austin Business Journal). Critics of a proposed voucher program say all it will strip the public school system of funding and state leaders should instead restore $5.4 billion cut from education in 2011 (KUT News). Similar arguments in stories from KX11.com and the Associated Press.

Florida: Magnet schools continue to grow on the school choice landscape (redefinED). A new bill would require emergency response agencies to notify private schools just like they do public schools (redefinED). In response to the Newtown tragedy, private schools and charter schools are considering additional security measures too (redefinED).

Georgia: Tax credit scholarships are used at private schools that bar gay students (New York Times). (more…)

New Hampshire: The ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State file suit against the state's new tax credit scholarship program (New Hampshire Public Radio). More from Associated Press.

Maine: State Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen points to problems in the process after the state charter school commission rejects four of five applicants (Bangor DailyNews). Gov. Paul LePage tees off on the commission and the teachers union after the rejections (Portland Press Herald). Supporters of virtual charter schools are also upset (Portland Press Herald). The teachers union blasts LePage for wanting to lift the cap on charter schools (Portland Press Herald). Public school administrators say charters should have to feel effect of  education budget cuts too (Bangor Daily News).

Kansas: Vouchers, tax credit scholarships and an expansion of charter schools are all expected to be part of the legislative discussion this year (Wichita Eagle.)

Kentucky: A bill is filed to allow a limited number of charter schools to open in the state for the first time (Kentucky Public Radio).

California: Parents at Desert Trails Elementary School finally succeed in using the  parent trigger law to get a charter school to take over their school (Los Angeles Times). More from Hechinger Report and Education Week.

Georgia: A state representative is planning to file a parent trigger bill for the session that begins today (Associated Press).

Mississippi: Business leaders are backing the legislative push for charter schools (Associated Press). Racial divisions and mistrust are at play in debate over charter schools (Hechinger Report). (more…)

Indiana: The race for state superintendent is a referendum on the direction of education reform, including expanded school choice (Associated Press).

Florida: The state's teachers unions are among the weakest in the nation, according to a new Fordham Institute report (Orlando Sentinel). The Duval County school district agrees to settle with a proposed virtual charter school, run by online provider K12, that it had initially opposed (State Impact Florida).

Washington: Education leaders from around the state sign a letter saying they oppose the charter school initiative on Tuesday's ballot (Seattle Times).

Tennessee: Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman, also a member of Jeb Bush's Chiefs For Change, urges parents to use his state's latest education report card to ask questions and consider options (The Tennessean). Groups pushing for education reform and school choice spend heavily in campaign contributions (The Tennessean).

Michigan: Critics question the state's decision to okay new charters from companies whose existing schools are not performing well (Detroit News).

Wisconsin: One school district hopes to stem declining enrollment by expanding online offerings (Oshkosh Northwestern).

Maine: Five proposed charter schools apply to open next year (Kennebec Journal).

Georgia: A lawsuit claims language in the proposed charter school amendment is purposely misleading (Athens Banner Herald). Students from historically black colleges in Atlanta rally for the amendment (Atlanta Journal Constitution.)

Oldest African-American school in Florida. St. Peter Claver Catholic School in Tampa is profiled by Fox 13 in Tampa. Many students attend with tax-credit scholarships.

A different take on charter school payout controversy. Red flags should have prompted more oversight from the Orange County school district, writes Adam Emerson at the Choice Words blog after doing some independent reporting.

Informing or advocating? Some question whether Volusia Superintendent Margaret Smith crossed the line in “informing” voters with automated phone calls about an upcoming tax referendum, reports the Daytona Beach New Journal.

Task force looking at tax hike. From The Florida Current: “A task force looking at construction needs of public schools is finalizing a proposal for a half mill property tax increase with the money split between traditional schools and charter schools.”

Virtual settlement. From the News Service of Florida (subscription required): “Days before an appeals court was set to hear arguments, the Duval County School Board and backers of a proposed virtual charter school have agreed to settle a legal dispute about approval of the school, an attorney said Thursday."

Florida: A failing  charter school cuts its principal a $500,000 check as it was closing its doors (Orlando Sentinel). Charter school supporters are also angered (redefinED).

Louisiana: State Superintendent John White is accused of lying to lawmakers about the state's new voucher program (theadvertiser.com). White is also summoned to court in a lawsuit filed by a school district that says the voucher program will interfere with its ability to comply with court-ordered desegregation orders (Associated Press). Debate ensues over whether proposed rules are stringent enough for schools wanting to participate in the program (Shreveport Times).

California: A record-setting 109 new charter schools opened in the state this year, lifting the total number of charter schools to 1,065 and enrollment to 484,000 (Associated Press).

Washington D.C.: Enrollment is up 1 percent in the district's traditional schools, and 11 percent in its charters (Associated Press).

Washington: A former charter school opponent is now a leading supporter of the state's charter ballot initiative (Seattle Times). School choice is a leading issue in a debate between state senate candidates (Tacoma News Tribune). (more…)

Choice at the RNC: Mitt Romney drops a line about school choice in his big speech, while Jeb Bush and Condoleezza Rice say more (redefinED). A former voucher student from Florida joins Jeb Bush on stage, saying in an interview later, "Because I had choice in my education, I was granted a better life (redefinED). (Image from minnesota.publicradio.org)

Louisiana: A statewide teachers union accuses the Black Alliance for Educational Options and other school choice groups of supporting a pro-KKK educational curriculum. (Choice Media)

Washington: The political landscape around charter schools has changed as voters get ready to vote on a charter measure for the fourth time. (Seattle Times)

Florida: A powerful lawmaker and school choice supporter is puzzled by charter schools that want to set up in one of the school districts in his legislative district. (St. Augustine Record)

Ohio: Hundreds of special needs students are benefiting from a voucher program. (Cincinnati.com) (more…)

Idaho: State education offficials approve the American Heritage Charter School, which will emphasize American history, patriotism, money management and free market economics. (Idaho Statesman)

Florida: Demand continues to surge for the state's tax credit scholarship program, as the chart at left shows. (Tampa Bay Times' Gradebook blog).  The number of charter school teachers in the state tops 10,000, more than double the number from five years ago (redefinED).

Mississippi: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush encourages Mississippi officials to follow Sunshine State education reforms, including vouchers and charter schools. (Associated Press)

Washington: A parents group forms to fight a ballot initiative to bring charter schools to the state. (The News Tribune)

Georgia: Debate heats up over a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to authorize and fund charter schools. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Louisiana: The ACLU threatens to sue a charter school for policies banning pregnant girls from classrooms and requiring girls suspected of being pregnant to submit to a pregnancy test. (Associated Press)

Maine: Applications are withdrawn for two proposed on-line charter schools, but the groups behind them say they'll be back next year. (Kennebec Journal)

Utah: State education officials discuss additional financial and academic accountability measures for charter schools. (Salt Lake Tribune)

New York: State education officials will consider seven new charter schools in Queens, including one with a Chinese-based curriculum and mandatory martial arts training. (New York Daily News)

California: A former charter school administrator, fired after allegedly ordering his staff to cheat on standardized tests, is paid $245,000 in a settlement. (Los Angeles Times)

Louisiana: State education officials set accountability rules for private schools participating in the state's new voucher program (Reuters). More from the New Orleans Times Picayune. The state deems a troubled private school ineligible to receive vouchers (Alexandria Town Talk). Meanwhile, a law firm representing a state teachers union sends letters to participating private schools, threatening them with litigation unless they opt out of the program until a lawsuit is settled (New Orleans Times Picayune).

Wisconsin: A Milwaukee charter school gets help from a national fund co-run by tennis legend Andre Agassi (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Michigan: Speaking at the American Federation for Teachers convention, Vice President Joe Biden takes aim at vouchers and says teachers are under "full blown attack" from Republicans. (MLive.com)

Indiana: The state's year-old voucher program is becoming more diverse as it grows (Indianapolis Star). The mayor of Indianapolis tussles with parents over the future of a low-performing charter school (Indianapolis Star).

Florida: The school board in Pinellas County votes to allow an F-rated charter school to remain open after students and teachers plea for more time. (Tampa Bay Times)

Illinois: Charter school leaders in Chicago fear budget cuts because of uncertainty over the district's contract with teachers. (Chicago Tribune) (more…)