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ACLU stands against bill allowing Bible studies courses in public schools

The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama Executive Director Randall Marshall commented against SB14, a bill that would allow public schools to teach Bible studies as an elective course, calling it a waste of money and potentially unconstitutional. “While Alabama’s schools continue to struggle, we have to wonder why legislators are spending valuable time in … Continued
May 30, 2019

House passes $7.1 billion education budget

The Alabama House of Representatives passed the education trust fund budget Tuesday. Senate Bill 199 is sponsored by State Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur. The bill was carried on the House floor by State Rep. Bill Poole, R-Tuscaloosa, who chairs the House Ways and Means Education Committee. Poole’s committee substituted the budget that came down from … Continued
May 29, 2019

Legislature votes to allow longer emergency teaching certificates

The Alabama House of Representative voted Tuesday to concur with Senate changes to legislation that would allow the state school superintendent at the request of a local superintendent to issue a two-year emergency alternative teaching certificate. House Bill 502 is sponsored by state Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield. Estes said the emergency certificate could be renewed … Continued
May 29, 2019

House passes bill forcing parents to send children to kindergarten

Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation requiring that all parents enroll their children in kindergarten. House Bill 423 is sponsored by State Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee. Warren said that under current law kindergarten is not required. This law would make it mandatory. According to the synopsis, HB423 amends the, “Code of Alabama 1975, … Continued
May 28, 2019

Legislature to address education reform this week

For decades, Alabama state government has largely deferred decision making on educational matters to the elected state school board. The governor and legislature prepared budgets and the state school board and their appointed superintendent largely did things their way without a lot of interference. This week the legislature is considering a broad spectrum of bills … Continued
May 27, 2019

Study: Socioeconomic status correlates with higher test performance in Alabama

Results from Alabama’s 2018 standardized grade level tests have been released. Across the board, Alabama students in grades 3-8 scored 47.5 percent proficient in math and 46.3 percent proficient in reading. The proficiency rate for science is tested in the fifth and seventh grades and Alabama students scored 38.0 percent proficient in science. 2018 was … Continued
May 23, 2019

Sen. Doug Jones, colleagues introduce bill to align secondary and higher education

Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones and two of his colleagues introduced a bill last week to reduce the need for remedial courses and improve remedial programs in post-secondary education. The bill, called the Promoting Readiness in Education to Prevent Additional Remediation and Expense (PREPARE) Act, aims to align high school graduation requirements with entrance requirements … Continued
May 20, 2019

Don’t be fooled: The plan to kill the Alabama School Board is about money, not helping kids and teachers

On Thursday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh summed up Alabama governance quite nicely in an eight-page bill and a one-page press release. The bill, filed by Marsh, would effectively kill the state school board, replacing it with an appointed bunch of bureaucrats who would be beholden the clowns who … Continued
May 10, 2019