From the AP:

"Enrollment in Catholic schools in the United States rose 3.8% from the previous academic year, rebounding from a sharp drop caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"The National Catholic Educational Association said nationwide enrollment increased by 62,000 to about 1.68 million students, marking the first increase in two decades and the largest jump it has recorded in at least five decades.

"'Enrollment at all types of schools -- public, charter and private -- were impacted last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Catholic schools had a decline in enrollment of 6.4% from 2019-2020 to 2020-2021,' the NCEA said about the largest single year decline in the 50 years since it has collected data.

"'Catholic schools’ dedication in safely opening classrooms and supporting their communities’ needs last year is demonstrated in the 3.8% increase in enrollment.'"

You can read the report here.

The Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has released a new report titled "Impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Education in the United States (Preliminary Data): Results from the 2020-21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS)." Among its findings:

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has signed legislation increasing the cap on the state's tax credit scholarship program from $2 million to $3.5 million. Under the new law, children in foster care will also be automatically eligible for the scholarships.

According to an Agudath release, "The Educational Assistance Program (EAP) is a grant for educational costs available to Lakewood residents who have been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and meet income eligibility requirements. This grant is the first of its kind in the State of New Jersey, in which government funding will be available for private school tuition, amongst other educational uses. The grant is sponsored by the Lakewood Township through the American Rescue Plan of 2021, and is being administered through the New Jersey office of Agudath Israel."

From the local Fox affiliate in Alabama:

"Architects of legislation that would allow parents to opt out of the public school system and take their tax dollars with them has run into a surprising group of opponents – homeschool parents.

"State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), who is co-sponsoring the bill, said he did not expect that, considering homeschool families are among the intended beneficiaries.

"'I was taken aback by the number and the degree of concern that they had,' he said.

"The bill, which has cleared a Senate committee, would allow parents to set up education savings accounts funded with the money that the state would have spent on their children’s education. Based on the current budget, that would be $5,561 a year. Parents would be able to use the money for private school tuition, fees to other public schools and a wide variety of education-related expenses.

"Mallory Carey, a homeschool parent from Mobile, said the money would be helpful, especially in getting services for her son who has Down Syndrome – services the public schools don’t provide.

"But she told FOX10 News that she and other homeschool parents fear the loss of freedom that would come with taking the money. She pointed to an amendment that would require homeschool students to take standardized tests given to public school students.

"'When you start introducing a standardized test, you then have to adapt your curriculum to make sure that the child then is standardized to the test. … Then we have to make sure that we teach to the test,' she said. 'So you limit our curriculum.'"

"Albritton said he recognizes the concerns of homeschool parents but added those fears 'are probably a little bit overboard.'"

"A state takeover of homeschool education is not the aim of the bill and not the likely result of it, Albritton said. And he added that accepting the money – and the rules that come with it – would be voluntary.

"'It doesn’t require them to participate,' he said. 'It doesn’t require the home-schoolers to become involved with this. You still have to sign up for it. Both the parents, the child and the school has to sign up. So in that way, they are free.'"

School choice continues to be a hot topic across the country, perhaps more so than ever. The folks at reimaginED have a breakdown of choice bills that are moving through eleven state legislatures. You can read it here.

From the American Federation for Children:

"According to a new poll from RealClear Opinion Research, which surveyed more than 2,000 registered voters, the concept of school choice enjoys overwhelming support (72% vs. 18% opposed). This is also true across party lines, with 68% of Democrats, 82% of Republicans, and 67% of Independents saying they support such a policy.

"This represents sizable increases in school choice support since the pandemic began. Changes since April 2020 include the following: 

Overall support: 64% -> 72% (+8 pp)

Democratic support: 59% -> 68% (+9 pp)

Republican support: 75% -> 82% (+7 pp)

Independent support: 60% -> 67% (+7 pp)