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Study shows slight decrease in statewide ACT scores

The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama recently published a study showing that Alabama public high school students’ ACT scores went down slightly in 2018, with a 19.1 average score on a 36-point scale. This decrease is minimal. In 2017, Alabama students average a 19.2 score on a 36-point scale. According to the study, Alabama … Continued
April 17, 2019

There is no reason that Alabama can’t copy LeBron James

The anti-public education crowd has to hate LeBron James. Because he and the public school he started last year are destroying every myth, every talking point, every excuse that any of them have ever offered to explain why they’re always so eager to castigate public education and hand tax dollars to private schools and charters. … Continued
April 15, 2019

How a Washington County charter school failed at every step, and was approved anyway

Woodland Prep is a charter school horror story — and it hasn’t even been built yet. Located in rural Washington County, Woodland Prep, which will open as a K-7 school this fall and add a grade level each year, is everything state leaders assured us could never happen under Alabama’s charter school laws. Its land … Continued
April 10, 2019

Those who ignore the past cannot see the future

As I read the pontifications of present and former politicians who have all the answers for education in Alabama, my first inclination is to laugh. But I don’t because it is obvious that they have either forgotten the state’s past – or never knew it. So instead of reason or logic, they only preach fantasy, totally … Continued
April 8, 2019

More choice for education

Fellow Alabamians, we must begin expanding private schools and charter schools. We should begin providing more school choice and option vouchers to kids in poorly performing schools. Additionally, the same failing and poorly performing schools should be closed. Further, we must have an open and frank discussion concerning the negative impact of the current education … Continued
April 5, 2019

Bill would strike language calling homosexuality a “criminal offense” from sex-ed law

Despite changing attitudes and decades-old legal precedent, Alabama’s sex education law still requires sex ed teachers to tell students that homosexuality is a “criminal offense” and “not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public.” The law requires that course instruction that relates to sex education should include “emphasis” on that language as it relates to … Continued
April 4, 2019

Senate confirms one, reconfirms three to Community College System board of trustees

The Alabama Senate confirmed one new member and reconfirmed three returning members to the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees on Tuesday upon appointment by Gov. Kay Ivey. The new confirmed member is businessman and Vietnam veteran John Mitchell. He will be representing District 2 for a four-year term, replacing Ron Fantroy who served … Continued
April 4, 2019

Del Marsh and his standard repeal farce

One of the definitions of “farce” is “an empty or patently ridiculous act, proceeding or situation.” I can think of no better example than the effort by Sen. Del Marsh to repeal the Alabama College & Career Ready standards. First, Marsh was a staunch supporter of these standards. In an article by the Business Council … Continued
April 1, 2019

An Islamic movement, fraud and improper hires: Even more (and weirder) questions arise about Montgomery’s first charter school

When the leadership team behind Montgomery charter school LEAD Academy began putting together an application to start a school, the members knew they lacked experience. None of them had opened a charter or had experience running a school. So, they made the unique decision to turn the management of their school over to a Charter … Continued
March 27, 2019