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Education News in Alabama
By Sallie Owen
1. YES WE CAN IMPROVE SCHOOLS IN OUR COMMUNITIES Yes We Can! Birmingham, a grassroots organization working for better public schools in the Magic City, has released a 13-page community agreement. The agreement details the world-class schools that Birmingham residents want for their children. It is based on six months of community conversations in the city's 99 communities and neighborhoods. Get the agreement Watch video from the Community Agreement's release Read "Initiative will work," an opinion piece written by Birmingham businessman Tim Blair. MONROE COUNTY SAYS TOGETHER WE CAN Monroe County has written a community agreement called "Together We Can!" from information gathered in a series of community conversations. The Monroe County Education Foundation will present this agreement to the school board in October. 2. DO YOU WANT TO TRY THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXPERIENCE? Community engagement is making a difference around the country and right here in Alabama – in communities such as Mobile, Birmingham, Dothan and Monroeville. Yes We Can! Alabama is offering a chance for you to learn more about community engagement and why it has such potential to strengthen your neighborhood, your town and your public schools. Topics of discussion will include:
DETAILS The Community Engagement Experience If you register by Oct. 17, we will mail a copy of Peter Block’s book “Community” to you. Later registrants will receive their books on Oct. 30. Yes We Can! Alabama is a partnership of the A+ Education Partnership, Leadership Alabama, Mobile Area Education Foundation and the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. 3. NMSI: ALABAMA WORKING HARD TO REVERSE WORKFORCE TREND The United States won the overall medal count at the Beijing Olympics, but the country only medaled once in the International Education Olympics, that compared student learning around the globe. The good news is that Alabama is working hard to turn that around by ensuring that more students succeed in rigorous high school courses. "What this ultimately adds up to is an Alabama workforce that is better prepared to compete in the global economy," says John Winn of the National Math and Science Initiative. Read more: 4. BOAZ BOASTS BEST MS PRINCIPAL IN NATION Boaz Middle School has changed its culture, its teaching and its good reputation to become a great school. And these changes have earned principal Ray Landers the 2009 National Middle Level Principal of the Year. The award is co-sponsored by MetLife and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Landers, who has been principal of Boaz Middle for eight years, says that it is his responsibility to inspire and lead change based on solid research and best practices. Collaboration has been a key component of increasing student achievement at Boaz Middle School. Landers urged his district to allow him to add an instructional specialist to the faculty so that teachers could get more intense professional development. The district agreed and the results have been phenomenal. For an inside look at Boaz Middle School and Landers' leadership, check out "The Road from Good to Great" in the Alabama Best Practices Center's journal Working Toward Excellence. http://www.bestpracticescenter.org/pdfs/wte8-1.pdf (620 KB) 5. LEARNING LESSONS FROM ALABAMA'S TOP RURAL SCHOOLS Commissioner Ron Sparks recently announced an innovative study of rural Alabama schools through a partnership between the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries and the Alfa Foundation. The organizations are joining forces to take an in-depth look at 10 outstanding rural elementary schools across the state. “This study of high-performing Alabama schools in high-poverty areas is such an important task and the results will be incredibly useful to educators and parents,” said Sparks. “There are teachers who are making a tremendous difference in these communities in spite of the obstacles the children may face. We are looking for ways to help other children throughout the state by learning from the examples set by these top schools.” Find a list of selected schools at 6. RESEARCH FINDING: A new study finds that reading coaches have helped teachers and administrators build their knowledge and skills in Florida middle schools. The study examines the effectiveness of reading coaches (master teachers who offer ongoing instructional support for teachers) recommends ways to maximize effectiveness of these type programs. Get the Report 7. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION UPDATE State Superintendent of Education Joe Morton outlined more than $300 million worth of needed funding increases for K-12 education when the State Board of Education met last week. The board is preparing its fiscal year 2010 budget request for the governor and Legislature. More than a third of the increases would restore funding cut in the fiscal year 2009 budget, and the remainder would cover increased operating expenses and strengthen strategic initiatives that are improving teaching and learning. "If we don't ask for any increase, it would imply we have everything we need in K-12 education," Morton said. " None of us wants to see Alabama move backward." He also updated the board on the current financial situation. Morton said that when the 2008 budget year ends Sept. 30, Alabama will have depleted one $440 million "rainy day" fund for education, and will begin the 2009 budget year $64 million short. "We are without question going to be in proration," Morton said. "It's just a matter of when Governor Riley makes the declaration." The board met for a work session Sept. 25 at Pell City High. All members were present except Ella Bell, David Byers, Sandra Ray and the governor. In other action, the board was briefed on efforts to align college coursework to the professional development provided by the Alabama Reading Initiative, Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative and other programs to improve instruction. 8. WHAT'S UP @ A+ *MORE BLUE RIBBONS IN THE NETWORK – The Alabama Best Practices Center says congratulations to four schools in the ABPC's Powerful Conversations Network. These schools have all won Blue Ribbons from the U.S. Department of Education for academic excellence. They are Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary (Decatur), George Hall Elementary (Mobile), Spain Park High (Hoover) and Wrights Mill Road Elementary (Auburn). *WELCOME ABOARD! A+ is delighted to welcome three new staff members. Jessica Beebout is the new executive assistant for the A+ Education Partnership's Montgomery office. She is a 2008 graduate of Huntingdon College, where she majored in communication studies and minored in psychology. Rennie Crabb is joining the staff on a part-time basis as development and special projects coordinator. Rennie has a background in human resources and brings significant experience as a civic volunteer. And up in Birmingham, Elizabeth McCollum has joined A+ College Ready as office manager. Elizabeth is a 2008 graduate of the University of Alabama, where she earned a bachelor's degee in art history and Italian. *DISCOVERY'S 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS – Educators at Discovery Middle School are working hard to strengthen their teaching skills to make sure their students are ready to succeed in the modern world. Here's a newspaper article about Discovery's work with the Alabama Best Practices Center: http://snipurl.com/21stc01 [www_al_com] *Advanced Placement Programs is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. What is SNIPURL? We Need You Spread the word Want to subscribe? The A+ Education Partnership, based in Montgomery, publishes Education News in Alabama twice a month. A+ is a nonprofit organization that advances policies, programs and initiatives in Alabama's K-12 education system that result in high achievement by every child. Past editions can be found at www.aplusala.org/ednews/index.asp Feedback is welcome. Send messages to comments@aplusala.org |
September 30, 2008 (A+ Education Partnership
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