Child Welfare
The State of Illinois has decided to stop doing business with Catholic Charities when it comes to foster care and adoptions services, reports Manya Brachear of the Chicago Tribune. Three of the Catholic Charities agencies under contract with the state for 2011 services sought a court injunction to prevent them from licensing couples joined in a civil union; one had ended its contract with the state; and another had yet to voice a position but had stopped licensing new families.
The Associated Press profiles the Haven Academy Charter School, a New York school populated mostly by children in foster care or who are in families receiving preventive services to avoid foster care.
Education/Jobs
As tough economic times continue in Arizona, reports Dale Quinn of the Arizona Daily Star, Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona hopes to increase revenue for its job training programs by opening three new stores and one new drop-off facility.
There is overwhelming interest in Louisiana’s two virtual charter schools, reports Heather Miller of TheInd.com. One of the schools received 1,900 applications for 600 spots, and will ask the state to increase the number of spots it can fill next year.
Derek Quizon of Inside Higher Ed reports on the recent Republican-led hearings aimed at taking down the already-softened gainful employment rules imposed by the Obama administration.
Meanwhile, reports Katie Andriulli of Campus Progress, 18 state attorneys general are now investigating for-profit colleges.
Juvenile Justice
Just a few years after scandals and violence plagued its juvenile facilities, Texas could become a juvenile justice model for the nation, says the editorial board of the New York Times.
