This week was a good one for school choice. Let’s start with Florida (two days in a row!), a national leader and superstar in education reform.

This week 5,500 Floridians came to Tallahassee to rally for a proposal that will increase private school choice opportunities for economically challenged families. Watch this excellent 2-minute video news report of what may be the largest school choice rally in American history (H/T Jay Greene):

Sunshine State senators heard the people and on Wednesday voted to expand the scholarship tax credit program. I’m really beginning to like this Florida place — and not just because they have Disney World!

But it was another state senate that launched the bigger surprise. As the Foundation for Educational Choice reports, a 33-20 vote of Illinois senators moves forward a proposed pilot voucher program for Chicago’s neediest students. Safe schools and quality education is the theme:

“Thanks to Rev. Sen. [James] Meeks and other leaders in the Senate, Illinois could be the next state to bring safer, quality schooling options to its families in need,” said Collin Hitt, director of education policy for the Illinois Policy Institute. “Now we must do our part to ensure their efforts become a reality. We invite Illinois families to stand with us in this fight for greater educational opportunity.”

What a great week of great news. Here’s hoping that both bills make it to the finish line and are signed into law as soon as possible.

And just so everybody knows, we’re still fighting here in Colorado, too!