News around the country

Now that the Utah legislative session is over, here's some catch up news from across the country:

• The State Superintendent of South Carolina hopes that its legislature will pass a bill to expand charters, arguing they provide an education alternative for children who may benefit from a different learning approach. In education, "one size does not fit all," said his spokesman Jay Ragley. 
• On the other hand, Washington's governor pledges to veto a bill to bring charters to her state. Washington is one of eight states without charter schools. Voters have three times rejected allowing them to operate in the state, in 1996, 2000 and 2004. The Legislature rejected charter school bills on several other occasions before they reached the ballot. 
• Massachusetts gets a $12 million grant from the US Department of Education to expand charter schools.    This is a pool of money that used to come to Utah.
• Some key Democrats in Georgia say they'll support letting the state authorize charter schools, joining the Republican majority to bring this choice to Georgians for the first time. All three men said their decisions rested solely on local considerations and would not lessen their support of their Democratic caucus or party.