Education News in Alabama

April 15, 2009 (archive)

By Sallie Owen Gowan

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Community & schools agree on joint strategic plan

Yes We Can! Dothan and Dothan City Schools have formed a 5-year partnership to implement a "co-owned strategic plan."

Dothan's 5 targets:

• Graduation for all
• Communication that informs, engages and reconnects
• High expectations and accountability for home, school and community
• Parent responsibility and accountability
• Funding better schools for a better Dothan

'Dothan City Schools and Yes We Can! Dothan Partnership Official,' WTVY

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How is Dothan doing it? Find out next week
Yes We Can! Alabama Education Summit
Wednesday, April 22
Wynfrey Hotel, Birmingham

Learn more about Yes We Can! Alabama, a network of community-based organizations working for effective public schools.

Featuring keynote from America's leading advocate of quality schools for all children – Kati Haycock, president of The Education Trust in Washington, D.C.

Come solo or bring a team – and learn what you can do for your schools!

Register here

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RESEARCH FINDING

Alabama's pre-K tops in quality again

First Class, our state's voluntary pre-K program, again earned a perfect 10-out-of-10 quality rating from the National Institute for Early Education Research. This makes 3 years in a row.

North Carolina is the only other state to earn a perfect quality score.

Alabama has room for growth.

NIEER rated our state 36 out of 38 on access. (3.7% of 4-year-olds participate)

Get the report:

'The State of Preschool,' National Institute for Early Education Research

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Huntsville-area community meeting

Expanded Learning Time:
Redesigning Today's Schools to Build a Stronger Tomorrow

Redesigning the school day is a strategy to boost student learning. This gathering will explore what this strategy could mean for our schools.

Tuesday, April 21
2:30-4:30 p.m.
University of Alabama-Huntsville
Nursing Building, Room 100

Speakers will include leaders from the National Center on Time and Learning, Alabama Department of Education and Huntsville City Schools. A+ is one of 11 local, state and national organizations sponsoring the event.

Sign up

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Masters ad promotes A+ College Ready

Golf fans may remember an ExxonMobil ad from the Masters broadcast. It talked about how children who like to tinker, explore and take things apart are the next generation of scientists and engineers.

The spot refers to the National Math and Science Initiative, which is working in Alabama through A+ College Ready.

Watch the video

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STATE SCHOOL BOARD HIGHLIGHTS

Alternative routes to teaching, strengthening school leadership

The Alabama State Board of Education adopted new regulations to:

• Open more avenues for people to get teaching licenses by demonstrating content knowledge
• Strengthen professional development for school leaders. (Result of the Governor's Congress on School Leadership)

Stimulus funds will reduce – but not eliminate – school budget cuts, said State Superintendent Joe Morton.

The board met April 9. All were present except the governor.

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High-achieving rural schools honored

10 of Alabama's top-performing rural schools will be honored at a banquet May 6 in Prattville. The event is organized by the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries’ Center for Rural Alabama.

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