School Choice
Alabama Public Charter School Commission preps for independence
How does a commission become independent? With a lot of paperwork. Alabama legislators this spring approved a bill to make the Alabama Public Charter School Commission, currently under the direction of the Alabama State Department of Education, into its own entity. Now, the commission needs to work through its budget, staffing and legal services. “So, […]
Charter school, voucher bills get through Alabama Legislature
Alabama’s legislative session had numerous proposals for expanding the ways that students could access education, but only a few bills made it all the way to the end. Legislation that changed the governance of the charter school commission and expanded the Alabama Accountability Act made it through this session. Other bills, including one that would […]
Alabama House passes expansion of the Accountability Act
The Alabama House Wednesday passed a bill that could significantly expand the Alabama Accountability Act. SB 263, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, passed the House on a 75-22 vote. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. Chesteen’s legislation would make significant changes to the 2013 law, including expanding the number of schools falling under […]
Alabama Senate committee approves school voucher bill
A bill that would provide families in public schools $6,900 a year to spend at a different school passed the Senate Finance and Taxation Education committee Wednesday on a 12-3 vote, with one abstention. SB 202, sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia and called the PRICE Act would divert $864 million from the Education Trust […]
Alabama state superintendent: Failing label meant to ‘humiliate’ schools
The Alabama state superintendent said Thursday afternoon that state laws that label a set number of schools as “failing” were meant to humiliate struggling communities and push scholarships to private schools. In remarks at an Alabama State Board of Education work session that followed comments from two Senate leaders, State Schools Superintendent Eric Mackey said […]
Alabama charter school proposals likely, but prospects uncertain
New legislators have made the future of a taxpayer-funded K-12 program of school vouchers, tax credits and charter schools uncertain in Alabama after a rocky path last legislative session. Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, the chair of the House Education Policy committee, said last week that she’s hopeful that it would come up again this year. […]