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Alabama Accountability Act

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Response to Education Reform

Dear Editor, While we understand the desire to help students escape bad schools, we hope state leaders understand there may be unintended consequences to tax credits in the recent accountability act. When kids leave borderline schools, those schools will be left worse off. Due to the inability of the education bureaucracy in Montgomery to embrace change, … Continued
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May 28, 2013

Holtzclaw Lists Highlights of 2013 Session

By Brandon MoseleyAlabama Political Reporter The Republican Super-Majority functioned with much more party discipline than it has in the previous two sessions and that allowed them to dictate terms on the budgets and numerous pieces of legislation, some of them like the Alabama Accountability Act were controversial. Senator Bill Holtzclaw (R) from Madison commented on … Continued
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May 28, 2013

Hubbard Takes Charge on Last Day of Session

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter The last day of the 2013 legislative session began poorly: Senate Democrats were tying up the Alabama Senate with yet another mindless filibuster that threatened to kill hundreds of pieces of legislation. Protestors from the Save Our Selves Coalition (SOS) were outside chanting “No Justice No Peace” demanding that … Continued
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May 21, 2013

“Switcharoo” Marsh takes swing at the Governor

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter Earlier this week, the Governor asked the members of the Alabama Legislature to agree to a two-year moratorium on portions of the Alabama Accountability Act. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh tersely responded by basically telling the Governor to “stick it.” Marsh and his House counterpart, Speaker Mike Hubbard, … Continued
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May 19, 2013

Governor Bentley attempts to gain support for executive amendments

By Beth Clayton Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY–Governor Bentley is working to get the Republican leadership to support his executive amendment to HB658, which would delay implementation of the Alabama Accountability Act until 2015. Wednesday, the governor announced his plans, citing fiscal responsibility and the need to allow failing schools time to improve as reasons why … Continued
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May 19, 2013

Bentley returns to sound principle while others foolishly resist

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—In what might be considered deja vu all over again, the governor visited several of Alabama’s radio talking-heads to find support for his executive amendment to the Alabama Accountability Act (AAA). The thrust of Gov. Bentley’s argument is that the state needs a two-year delay in offering tax credits … Continued
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May 17, 2013

Governor wants to delay Accountability Act

By Beth Clayton Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY–Governor Bentley announced Wednesday that he plans to introduce an executive amendment to HB658 that would postpone the tax credits from the Alabama Accountability Act. This bill contains proposed changes to the Alabama Accountability Act, legislation intended to provide greater flexibility to public schools. If his amendment passes, the … Continued
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May 16, 2013

Senator Vivian Figures stands up for Alabama schools

By Beth Clayton Alabama Political Reporter Click here to view MONTGOMERY—On May 9, Senate Republicans introduced a bill to modify the Alabama Accountability Act. The AAA would provide tax credits to families who wanted to take their children out of schools defined as “failing” and put them into other public or private schools. The proposed … Continued
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May 14, 2013

Legislature Passes Changes to Alabama Accountability Act

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter House Bill 658 sponsored by Representative Jim Carns (R) from Vestavia began as a simple clarification by the House that school boards do not have to grant transfers from failing schools if they do not want them. That bill which was advocated by Representatives Carns and Paul DeMarco (R) came … Continued
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May 13, 2013

House Passes Accountability Act Fix

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter Republican legislators who represent districts with the best public schools in the state demanded an Alabama Accountability Act with language guaranteeing that public school systems had the option of being able to deny transfers from neighboring poor performing schools. Their argument is that generally residents of those suburban systems … Continued
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May 1, 2013