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The article discusses education savings account (ESA) programs started by U.S. states including Florida, Arizona, and Georgia. Topics include the focus Florida's Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts program on students with disabilities, the relation of ESAs to school choice, and legal aspects of Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts in relation to the funding of public school districts.

Focuses on the education voucher program for students with disabilities in Florida. Passage of a bill aimed at removing the limitations to the use of the vouchers by Governor Jeb Bush; Requirements to avail the tuition voucher; Average value of the voucher.

The article presents information on the Utah's new voucher program for students with special needs. Just $740,100 of more than $2.5 million the state allocated for the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarships for fiscal 2006 has been awarded, going to 128 scholarships, according to state education officials. Utah is the second state, after Florida, to offer a voucher program for students with disabilities. According to the state, some 63 special-needs students have used the scholarships to leave public schools and attend state-approved secular or religious private schools that serve such students.

The article presents a photo of Achly Alegria, and Brendan Mitchell, both seniors at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in Saint Augustine, singing the national anthem with other students at their school as they practice for their roles in the Super Bowl, scheduled to be played on February 6, 2005 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Seven people have been arrested as part of an investigation of a Florida private school that had accepted state money to pay for students' tuition. All of those charged last month were connected with Faith Christian Academy in Bartow, according to the Florida Department of Financial Services. The school had accepted state vouchers under the John M. McKay Scholarship program, which pays tuition for students with disabilities. Two officials with the school are accused of fraudulently applying for scholarship dollars on behalf of unknowing parents and diverting the money for personal use.

Offers news briefs pertaining to education for April 2, 2003. Details of legislation in Illinois to set fixed tuition rates for college students; Details of a survey showing that North Carolina teachers are unhappy with their working conditions; The rejection of two charter schools by local school boards overruled by the Florida state school board; Details of a report about the McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities in Florida showing that special education students benefit from school choice options.

States that Florida Governor Jeb Bush is expected to sign a bill in May which will broaden the school voucher program by letting students with disabilities transfer to private schools if the their public schools failed to meet their needs. Benefits of the bill to students and parents; Comments from Patrick Heffernan, president of Floridians for School Choice; Argument of the opponents of the bill.

Reports that the Broward County, Florida school district is facing criticism from parents of students with disabilities who do not want their children moved to regular schools. Requirement of district to move retarded students to regular schools in an agreement with federal civil rights officials; Stand of the United States Department of Education's office for civil rights on the case.