• Chicago Public Schools Releases Five-Year Plan
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Chicago, Ill.   |   June 11, 2013
• The long-term plan is the first of its kind since Mayor Rahm Emanuel took office and aligns the entire district with the rigorous Common Core Curriculum by the 2014-15 school year.

• STEM Jobs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
• BY: Michael Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• Maps shows jobs requiring STEM skills for each metro area

• Transportation Funding Added to Texas' Special Session Agenda
• BY: The Texas Tribune   |   Texas   |   June 11, 2013
• Gov. Rick Perry has asked the legislature to consider the funding of transportation infrastructure projects during their current special session.

• Metro Areas with the Most Blue-Collar STEM Jobs
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• A new Brookings report finds that there are far more STEM employees in the United States than previously estimated -- and the demand is growing. View maps and data for metro areas.

• Statewide Workplace Smoking Ban Fails in Texas
• BY: The Texas Tribune   |   Texas   |   June 11, 2013
• For a fourth consecutive legislative session, a proposed statewide ban on smoking in public workplaces fell short, as critics argued that such a ban could unconstitutionally curtail businesses’ freedom.
• 2 Comments

• California Budget Deal a Victory for Governor
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   June 11, 2013
• Gov. Jerry Brown and top lawmakers have reached agreement on some of the most contentious issues in the state budget, granting the governor significant victories on the redistribution of school money and expectations of revenue.

• The Implication of Long-Term Pay Freezes
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• Many public employees have waited years for salary increases, and recent surveys indicate pay freezes are continuing to persist. The implications have been far-reaching, from hindering employee retention to hurting morale.
• 24 Comments

• Chicago Police Tactics Reverse Rising Homicide Rate
• Source: New York Times   |   Chicago   |   June 11, 2013
• A year after the city drew new attention for soaring gun violence and gang bloodshed, killings this year have dipped to a level not seen since the early 1960s.
• 2 Comments

• Colorado Asks Judge to Strike Down New Limits to Marijuana-Magazine Sales
• Source: Denver Post   |   Colorado   |   June 11, 2013
• The law says magazines about marijuana must be sold behind the counter at stores where people under 21 are allowed to enter. On Monday, Lawyers for the state joined attorneys for marijuana-themed magazines and booksellers and filed a joint request for an order declaring the law unconstitutional.

• Mississippi's Entire Medicaid Program at Stake in Expansion Debate
• Source: Politico   |   Mississippi   |   June 11, 2013
• Numerous states have battled over expanding Medicaid under Obamacare. But in Mississippi, it’s playing out in a way that threatens the entire program, not just the 300,000 who could get covered if the state expanded.

• Medicaid-Expansion Defeat Sets Up Showdown in Arizona House
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   June 11, 2013
• The Arizona House could consider Medicaid expansion as early as today, less than 24 hours after Republicans in a key committee defeated Gov. Jan Brewer’s top legislative priority.

• Poll: Booker Leads Democratic Primary Field for New Jersey Senate Seat
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   June 11, 2013
• The Rutgers-Eagleton survey found that more than half of New Jersey voters have a positive opinion of Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

• Washington State May Restrict Sales Tax Exemption for Out-of-Staters
• Source: Oregonian   |   Northwest   |   June 11, 2013
• A bill that passed the Washington House and is now in the Senate would require Oregon customers -- as well as those from Alaska, Montana and other states that shun the sales tax -- to pay full tax on all their purchases. Under the proposal, they could eventually get a refund by sending a form to the state.

• Cuomo Bill Eyes Public-Financed Elections
• Source: Albany Times-Union   |   New Jersey   |   June 11, 2013
• With just seven days left in the legislative session, Gov. Andrew Cuomo will introduce a bill calling for public financing of elections and limits on "soft-money" donations to political parties.

• Ex-White House Chief of Staff Forms Committee to Challenge Illinois Governor
• Source: Chicago Tribune   |   Illinois   |   June 11, 2013
• Former White House chief of staff Bill Daley plans to announce Tuesday that he's forming an exploratory committee as he weighs a Democratic primary challenge to Gov. Pat Quinn.