Washington, DC has selected a non-profit organization to administer the first federally funded school voucher program in the nation, according to Justin Blum:

“The group selected, the Washington Scholarship Fund, will be administering the first federally funded voucher program in the country. The program received final approval from Congress in January after contentious debate.
The voucher program will allow at least 1,700 District children to attend private and religious schools this fall with grants of up to $7,500 per student.
At a news conference this morning, officials released new details of how the program will operate. Families first will apply to private schools and go through the schools’ normal admissions procedures. Parents meeting the program’s income guidelines then will apply for voucher funds, indicating their order of preference among the schools where their children have been accepted.”

Meanwhile, the local morning paper suggested that Governor Doyle sign Senate Bill 253, which would let Wisconsin public universities run specialized schools for younger students. The article also references a recent statement by UW Chancellor John Wiley:

The measure could help address specific shortcomings in public schooling as well. For example, UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley this week cited “phenomenal shortages” in the country’s supply of scientists and engineers. Charter schooling would let the UW System address the problem by getting in on the ground floor of public schooling, where educators could run a school geared to students with interest and aptitude in these areas. The students then get the preparation they need to pursue science and engineering degrees and careers.

Wiley’s comments follow a report from the American Electronics Association critical of American schools efforts teaching students science and math.