This week in school choice: Progress marches on

This week, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed 2016’s first legislative expansion of private school choice, leaders in other states looked poised to follow suit, thousands rallied for scholarships in Tallahassee, and a state that witnessed a rare successful state constitutional challenge to charter schools began efforts to save their funding. Wonks were winners too, as the week began with the release of a preschool-to-grad-school education proposal from a presidential contender, with educational choice at its center.

Keep reading for details…

Florida is the first state to expand private school choice in 2016.

Tennessee worked on following suit, as a school voucher plan cleared a key legislative hurdle. Executive branch leaders have made school choice a priority in Texas.

Some 10,000 Floridians rallied for school choice in Tallahassee. See a video. Hear a podcast. What were supporters “afraid of?” Pushback from the teachers union, and a parent’s response.

The Washington State Senate backs a plan to save charter school funding. The battle now heads to the state House.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush drew widespread attention for his sweeping education proposal. More from Chester Finn, Michael HornUSA Today and the Miami Herald.

Meanwhile…

Across the country, charter school laws are improving.

Public school choice advances in Florida. Who benefits?

In education, the killer app is the teacher.”

How Nevada’s education savings accounts can boost the bottom line for public schools.

The impact of big-time philanthropy on New York City schools.

A case about playground rubber could strike a legal blow for school choice at the U.S. Supreme Court. More background here.

Tweets of the week:

https://twitter.com/emily_bard477/status/689525710512324608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Send tips, links, quotes, pushback and feedback to tpillow[at]sufs[dot]org.


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BY Travis Pillow

Travis Pillow is senior director of thought leadership and growth at Step Up For Students. He lives in Sanford, Florida, with his wife and two children. A former Tallahassee statehouse reporter, he most recently worked at the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a research organization at Arizona State University, where he studied community-led learning innovation and school systems' responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. He can be reached at tpillow (at) sufs.org.

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