education

Staff Report Alabama Political Reporter Auburn, Ala. — Budgets, redrawing district lines and having students use tablet computers instead textbooks are some issues of interest to the Alabama State Senate’s Republican majority whip. “For the last six years, we have averaged spending $35 million to $40 million for textbooks,” said Sen. Gerald Dial (R-Lineville), District … Continued

Staff Report At the beginning of 2011, I inaugurated my own little “tradition” of writing serial columns devoted to an important subject matter. In January and February of this year, the topic was race. My first column in 2012 will begin a five-part (or maybe six-part) series on a topic of equal importance: Education in … Continued

By Bill BrittAlabama Political Reporter Nearing the top of the legislative agenda for the upcoming session will be school choice. Governor Bentley, Speaker Hubbard and President pro tem Marsh have all made passing legislation forming Charter Schools a priority for 2012.Education Chairperson Senator Dick Brewbaker (R-Elmore, Montgomery), will carry the bill in the Alabama Senate. … Continued

By Grant Hallmark Alabama Political Reporter “They say they do not use collected funds to influence elections,” Derek Trotter, spokesperson for President Pro Tempore Del Marsh said of the Alabama Educators Association (AEA). “They have a Super PAC that spent $10 million in the 2010 election cycle,” Trotter continued, they are certainly influencing elections. During … Continued

Staff Report Politicians often get accused, once they safely are in office, of not listening to the voters who put them there. To be fair, though, unless it’s a really heated issue that’s gotten folks riled up — like the situation this summer in Cherokee County where the board of education attempted to close the … Continued

Staff Report Press Release from the office of Attorney General Luther Strange (MONTGOMERY)–Attorney General Luther Strange announced a $34.25 million settlement with GE Funding Capital Market Services, Inc. (“GE Funding”) as part of an ongoing nationwide investigation of alleged illegal conduct in the municipal bond derivatives industry. As part of the multistate settlement, GE Funding … Continued

Staff Report LINEVILLE, Alabama (December 23, 2011)—Senator Gerald Dial (R-Lineville) and Representative Jim McClendon (R-Springville) proposed legislation on Tuesday that will modernize Alabama’s classrooms through the introduction of tablets instead of textbooks. Entitled the “Alabama Ahead Act,” the proposal will provide schools the option to place 21st century technology in the hands of all 9th … Continued

By Grant Hallmark Alabama Political Reporter Henry Mabry, the man expected to replace Paul Hubbert as the executive secretary of the Alabama Education Association (AEA), has a tall task ahead of him. Although he is optimistic about his new position and the future of the AEA, the organization is clearly at a crossroads. Up to … Continued