Pre-K
Alabama Pre-K thrived outside of politics. Then Kay Ivey dragged it in
Living in Alabama means seeing our state rank high on lists we’d rather not be on. Infant mortality. Heart attacks. Homicides. And we’re used to seeing the state rank low on lists people value. Per-student spending. Educational attainment. Standardized testing. So it’s natural to celebrate those rare moments we end up on top of something […]
Gov. Kay Ivey says ouster of Pre-K secretary was about ‘basics’
Gov. Kay Ivey said Thursday that her ouster of Barbara Cooper as Secretary of the Department of Early Childhood Education was a desire to focus on “basics.” In her first remarks since ousting Cooper last week over a book for teachers, the governor said she objected to the book’s encouragement of teachers being mindful of […]
Ivey forces Early Childhood Education Secretary to resign over teacher training book
Gov. Kay Ivey Friday forced Secretary of Early Childhood Education Barbara Cooper to resign over a book designed to train teachers to be aware of the different backgrounds and challenges of their students. In a Friday afternoon news release, Gina Maiola, communications director for the governor’s office, said Ivey had accepted Cooper’s resignation after learning […]
Alabama House passes bill to require ‘first-grade readiness’
The Alabama House of Representatives Tuesday approved a bill that would require students to attend kindergarten or show the ability to do the work to advance to first grade. The bill passed the chamber 87-12. It moves to the Senate. HB 43, sponsored by Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, would drop the mandatory age of school […]