Morning Bell: Districts Tally Voucher Toll As Legal Challenge Goes To Court

Kyle Stokes / StateImpact Indiana

Superintendent-elect Glenda Ritz is one of 12 plaintiffs in a legal challenge to the state's voucher law. The Indiana Supreme Court is scheduled to hear legal arguments Wednesday, though Ritz says she'll drop out of the suit before taking office in January.

Incoming schools chief dropping out of voucher lawsuit – “Ritz, a school librarian, told The Associated Press Tuesday that she would drop out of the legal challenge after a state Supreme Court hearing set for Wednesday and before she takes office Jan. 14.” AP

School vouchers case on Indiana Supreme Courts docket Wednesday – “Although proponents say the program empowers parents and that increased competition will only help public schools, opponents argue that public tax dollars shouldn’t be redirected toward private schools at the expense of public schools.” Lafayette Journal and Courier

500 more students lost to vouchers – “In FWCS, the 1,165 is a cumulative number. About 390 of those students left last year with 529 more this year. The rest were students already in private schools through a scholarship-granting organization.” The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Voucher Program Doubles, Still Well Under Cap – “Lighthouse Christian Principal Don Wilson says while 22 of his students now receive vouchers, that’s still only 10-percent of total enrollment. But Wilson says the number in fall of 2012 is still more than triple what it was a year ago.” Indiana Public Media

Indiana’s voucher program expands – “The number of private schools participating in the voucher program increased from 241 last school year to 289 this school year. To take part, schools must be accredited, administer state assessments and be graded on an A to F scale, just like traditional public and charter schools.” South Bend Tribune