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Education News in Alabama
By Sallie Owen
1. COMMUNITIES CAN BOOST THEIR SCHOOLS, FIGHT POVERTY Improving public education is a key way to fight poverty in Alabama, according to the latest newsletter from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.
It is also important to support state initiatives (such as the Alabama Reading Initiative) that have proven to make a difference for children, the newsletter states. Read more at http://parca.samford.edu/fall2007.pdf (233 KB). MORE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Here are more examples of community partnerships working to improve student learning:
2. RESEARCH FINDING: Alabama earned a C on a new evaluation from Education Week, putting the state right at the national average. No state did better than a B, and researchers praised Alabama for strengths in two categories: "standards, assessments and accountability" and "the teaching profession." Also noted were Alabama's best-in-the-nation gains for fourth-grade reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. State Superintendent of Education Joe Morton said he was pleased but not satisfied with a C, which put Alabama ahead of 24 states. "That's a quantum leap from where we used to find ourselves," Morton told the State Board of Education. "We've turned the corner and are headed to being a Top 10 state." The Alabama Reading Initiative, the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative; ACCESS distance learning, and the expansion of Advanced Placement offerings are key factors driving these positive results, Morton said. View "Quality Counts 2008" at http://snipurl.com/qualitycounts08. (May require free registration) 3. WORTH REPEATING "The Legislature must fund education success stories, even during tight budget times." -- The Birmingham News editorial, Jan. 7, about ACCESS, Alabama's acclaimed distance-learning program that is expanding class options for rural students. Read it at http://snipurl.com/bn0107 4. SREB PRAISES ALABAMA'S INVESTMENTS IN PRINCIPALS The Southern Regional Education Board had high praise for Alabama's work so far to strengthen school principals, which has been undertaken by the Governor's Congress on School Leadership. Here are some highlights: "Few roles are more important to the future of every Alabama community than the school principal's - yet the quality of training for principals has often been left to chance." "We found that Alabama is one of the few states in the region that is making real progress in raising the quality of programs that prepare school principals." "In fact, Alabama is one of only three states in the 16-state SREB region, from Texas to Delaware, that requires aspiring principals to learn how to work with teachers to improve classroom instruction - instead of just handling traditional school-management tasks such as bus duty and paperwork." Read more at http://snipurl.com/alleaders 5. NEW STATE-SPONSORED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS The State of Alabama has launched /www.atrip.alabama.gov , which has all the information anyone would need to apply for one of the new, state-funded scholarships. The program is called the Alabama Teacher Recruitment Incentive Program, and the deadline to apply is March 31. 6. STRONGER FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY The Press-Register hailed new state accountability rules for booster clubs and other school-affiliated groups. "The new regulations will ensure that well-meaning parents, boosters and school employees operate under public scrutiny and are held accountable for the trust placed in them by the public," the newspaper wrote, adding that these new rules are good for donors and schools. Read more here http://snipurl.com/accountability 7. DO YOU KNOW AN EXEMPLARY TEACHER? Effective teaching is the No. 1 way to raise student achievement, and parents, students, educators and others are invited to nominate top teachers for the 2008 American Star of Teaching Awards. The deadline is March 31. Nominees should be improving student achievement, using innovative strategies and making a difference for students. Learn more at www.ed.gov/teacherinitiative. 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS ON CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION Two more opportunities remain for citizens, business persons and educators to weigh in on a new State Plan for Career and Technical Education. Hearings are scheduled for Jan. 17 in Childersburg and Montgomery. For details or info on contacting the state directly on the plan, download a Word document from http://snipurl.com/careertechplan 9. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION UPDATE State Superintendent Joe Morton briefed the Alabama State Board of Education, which met Jan. 10, on Education Week's annual "Quality Counts" report (see above). All members except the governor were present. The board presented congratulatory resolutions and approved a teacher education program at Samford University. 10. EXAMPLES OF EXCELLENCE
11. WHAT'S UP @ A+
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January 15 , 2008 (A+ Education Partnership
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