For kids around America, school is starting soon. Kids are stocking up on school supplies and learning their new schedules. Parents are making sure that everything is ready for their children to head off to another year of learning. In Ohio, though, some last-minute legislation could change what the upcoming year will look like for families in that state.

In Georgia, academic freedom is a mixed bag. Legislators in that state have accepted Common Core standards, which gives the federal government unprecedented control over testing standards in individual states. As one of 22 states in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers,  they handed over some of their local control to federal overseers. However, Georgia took steps this week to maintain some level autonomy. 

Today, the fight on Common Core heated up with the first hearing on the topic in Michigan. On one hand is the more liberal wing of the legislature which feels that the Common Core standards would set a high bar for academic achievement across the country.

When we think of states to look to in terms of free markets and the responsibility of personal choices, most of us wouldn’t think of Michigan first, or second. Let’s face it, Michigan wouldn’t crack most peoples’ top ten. However, Michigan is making progress; away from so-called progressivism. Michigan’s shiny new status as a right-to-work state is one of the biggest steps towards this new, freer Michigan.  It is moving away from its union-tied nanny-state history. What should not be overlooked, though, is what Michigan is doing in education. 

Florida is known for having great options when it comes to school choice and, in some ways, that remains true. After all, Florida provides many options for families in public, private, and online education, which is far more than a lot of states provide. However, all is not as it seems in Florida.  

At a congressional hearing in March, Senator Ron Wyden asked the question that a leaked FISC order answered weeks ago. “Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?” “No sir,” replied James Clapper, the NSA’s Director of National Intelligence. “Not wittingly.”