Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield goes to Denmark in pursuit of bioscience jobs
Last week, Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield led a delegation of Alabama bioscience businesses on a trade mission to Nordic Life Sciences Days (NLSDays), the largest Scandinavian partnering conference dedicated to the life sciences industry. The Alabama team, which includes representatives from six bioscience firms, arrived in Copenhagen to attend an evening reception hosted by Alan M. Leventhal, the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. The group engaged in pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings, toured the region’s dynamic Medicon Valley life science cluster, attended presentations, and participated in networking opportunities. “Alabama’s robust bioscience industry is plugged into a sweeping range of cutting-edge fields, and we’re committed to helping foster growth in this strategically important sector,” Secretary Canfield said. “This mission to NLSDays will permit these Alabama companies to make valuable new connections and explore the possibilities of collaborations in the Nordic region.” Launched in 2013, NLSDays attracts leading decision-makers from biotech, pharma, medtech and more. Organizers say the event creates a unique place to do business by bringing innovative companies together for inspiration, partnering, and global industry growth. Jeremy Blanks is the CEO of BioAlabama, a trade group representing bioscience enterprises across the state. “The NLSDays mission is a critical step in marketing the life science capabilities of Alabama on a global basis,” said Blanks, CEO of BioAlabama. Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones Wadsworth told Alabama Today, “With an estimated annual economic impact of 7.3 billion dollars, bioscience is one of the state of Alabama’s dominant industries. As a targeted business sector, the field has attracted attention across Alabama and the world. Alabama is home to a growing list of bioscience companies that manufacture pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and life-saving treatments and technologies. Attendance at this month’s Nordic Life Science Days (NLSDays) conference helps recruit new partners and further our state’s global presence as a bioscience hub.” Alabama bioscience companies’ missions are: CytoViva Inc. (Auburn), a provider of state-of-the-art optical and spectral imaging instrumentation Gulf Sterilization Inc. (Mobile), which provides medical device sterilization services using chlorine dioxide gas iRepertoire (Huntsville), a provider of next-generation sequencing of immune receptors and T- and B-cells MRIMath LLC (Birmingham), which provides cloud-based workspaces for image analysis and sharing using AI-aided methods SynVivo Inc. (Huntsville), a provider of tissue and organ-on-chip models for drug development and personalized medicine applications TriAltus Bioscience (Birmingham) which provides a simplified protein purification platform for research applications Alabama is home to 780 bioscience companies, and the industry has an annual economic impact estimated at $7.3 billion, according to an analysis performed for BioAlabama. Nearly 18,000 Alabamians are employed in life science or biotechnology jobs, with average annual salaries in the industry topping $67,000. Commerce’s Office of International Trade is a member of the Export Alabama Alliance, a network of agencies that help Alabama companies access foreign markets. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville urges China travel ban to prevent spread of a new mystery illness
On Friday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) joined Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and colleagues in sending a letter to President Joe Biden, urging the President to restrict travel between the U.S. and China until U.S. health experts have more information regarding the mysterious respiratory disease that is rapidly spreading throughout China. “[W]e should not wait for the WHO to take action given its track record of slavish deference to the [Chinese Communist Party],” the senators wrote. “We must take the necessary steps to protect the health of Americans and our economy. That means we should immediately restrict travel between the United States and the [People’s Republic of China] until we know more about the dangers posed by this new illness. A ban on travel now could save our country from death, lockdowns, mandates, and further outbreaks later.” “In light of an unknown respiratory illness spreading throughout the People’s Republic of China (PRC), we call on you to immediately restrict travel between the United States and the PRC,” the Senators wrote. “As you know, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has a long history of lying about public health crises. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CCP’s obfuscation of the truth, and lack of transparency, robbed the United States of vital knowledge about the disease and its origin.” “At this moment, the world faces another unknown pathogen emanating from the PRC that could spread to other countries, including the United States,” the Senators continued. “The PRC has reported an increase in this mystery illness—which it claims to be pneumonia caused by known pathogens—since mid-October. This illness reportedly is a special hazard for children and has overrun hospitals in the north of the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is unclear if the disease is due to an overall increase in respiratory infections or separate events. If history is any indication, we have cause to be concerned.” Joining Sens. Tuberville and Rubio on the letter were Senators J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Rick Scott (R-Florida), and Mike Braun (R-Indiana). The sudden rise in respiratory illnesses in children has sparked concern from hospitals in northern China. The virus has been called “walking pneumonia.” It is continuing to spread through parts of China and severely affect health services, as cases of “white lung pneumonia” continue to rise. The WHO has asked China to share information on the outbreak. Officials in China insist it is not a new disease but rather a combination of different respiratory illnesses that occur during the winter. China was previously criticized for failing to share information about COVID-19. Tuberville has represented Alabama in the United States Senate since 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama returns to college football playoffs
A year ago, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee awarded the four spots in the playoffs to Georgia, Michigan, Texas Christian University (TCU), and Ohio State. The University of Alabama was number 5, and the team was left out of the playoffs. Alabama head football Coach Nick Saban argued unsuccessfully then that Alabama would have been more competitive on a neutral site than TCU – which had just lost their conference championship game. The Committee ignored Saban’s arguments a year ago and put TCU in over Alabama, because TCU finished the season 12 and 1 versus Alabama’s 10 and 2 finish. Two of the three playoff games, including the national championship game between Georgia and TCU, were uncompetitive – as Saban had predicted. On Sunday, the Committee awarded the final four spots in the playoffs to Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama. Alabama, who had entered the conference championship game week at number 8, leapfrogged four teams in the rankings after a convincing 27 to 24 win over Georgia in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game in Atlanta on Saturday. The 12 and 1 SEC Champion was the last team in. Florida State University (FSU) finished 13 and 0 and was the Atlantic Coast Conference Champion. This time, the Committee argued that Alabama, rather than Florida State, would be more competitive in the playoffs. Georgia (12-1) and Ohio State (11-1) finished 6th and 7th. Before the SEC Championship Game, a confident Saban was campaigning for the winner of the SEC CG to be included in the final four teams – even if the SEC champion was number 8 in the previous rankings. Georgia had won the last two national championships and had been the number-one team in the country coming into the conference championship games. They will not get an opportunity to play for a third national championship in a row following Saturday’s loss. Alabama’s victory Saturday ended a 29 and 0 winning streak for Georgia. “You know how tired I am right now? I’m happy as hell we won,” Saban told reporters following the game. “My speech in the locker room was one word: Celebrate. And I had just enough in the tank to do a dance.” Alabama faces Michigan in their first game. Michigan has a 13 and 0 record and is the Big 10 Conference Champion for the second year. Michigan defeated Iowa 26 to 0 in the Big 10 Conference Championship Game on Saturday. “We played Alabama before, haven’t beaten them,” said Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. “We played Georgia before, haven’t beaten them. So we know it’s going to take our best. We’re gonna have to play really good.” Alabama will face Michigan in the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, California, on January 1 at 4:00 p.m. Texas will play Washington in the other playoff game that night in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The national championship game will be on January 8. The playoffs are expanding to twelve teams, meaning much of this committee drama will soon be a thing of the past. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Antoine Mordican awarded cannabis cultivator license
On Friday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) awarded medical cannabis licenses to 21 business entities across the state. One of those to receive an award was Antoine Mordican with Native Black Cultivation. Mordican is an Alabama hemp farmer who was featured previously in Alabama Today. “I am the CEO of Native Black Cultivation,” Mordican told the Commission in his presentation on Monday, November 27. “I am a farmer, an engineer, and an advocate. I spoke in this very room (in 2021) to the Health Committee for passage of the medical cannabis bill.” “I am originally from the west side of Chicago. I came down here in 2009 for an education,” Mordican said. “I have been farming since 2020 growing hemp.” “I and my ownership team are all residents of Alabama,” Mordican continued. “We have the skills to cultivate a quality product for the state of Alabama.” In the previous two rounds of award applications, Native Black Cultivation was denied a permit largely because Mordican had been a resident of Alabama for just 14 years rather than the 15 years necessary to achieve residency. Mordican addressed this by giving his two partners, who have lived in the state for decades, a larger ownership stake so that the company fits the AMCC definition of Alabamian-owned. “If you look at the Alabama Medical Cannabis website, we have overwhelming public support for our application,” Mordican said. “It is critical that we have minority participation in the state. We will be an asset for the state and the people of Alabama.” The Commission could have awarded a maximum of twelve cultivator licenses, but they only awarded seven. The Commission voted to give cultivator licenses to: • CRC of Alabama, LLC • Greenway Botanicals, LLC • Gulf Shore Remedies, LLC • Native Black Cultivation • Creek Leaf Wellness Inc. • Twisted Herb Cultivation, LLC • I AM FARMS Four business entities were awarded medical cannabis processor licenses. These are: • Organic Harvest Lab, LLC • Coosa Medical Manufacturing • 1819 Labs, LLC • Jasper Development Group Inc. Four business entities were awarded dispensary licenses. These are: • CCS of Alabama, LLC • GP6 Wellness, LLC • Capitol Medical, LLC • RJK Holdings AL, LLC Four business entities were awarded secure transporter licenses. These are: • Alabama Secure Transport, LLC • Tyler Van Lines, LLC • Pick Up My Things • International Communication, LLC Certus Laboratories was awarded the only state testing laboratory license. The Commission rescinded two previous rounds of awards in June and August to settle lawsuits from failed applicants. “The presentations we received from applicants this week were insightful and allowed Commission members to ask questions about the contents and merits of their application,” explained AMCC Chairman Rex Vaughn. “We received applications and presentations from applicants who would make terrific licensees, which made our job of selecting a limited number of them challenging. However, I trust this Commission’s wisdom and discretion in selecting the best applicants to serve as licensees in Alabama’s newest industry.” Applicants who were awarded a license have 14 days to pay the license fee. Applicants who were denied a license have 14 days to request an investigative hearing before the Commission for reconsideration of said denial. Beginning on Tuesday, the Commission will hear presentations from applicants seeking the integrated facility license. An integrated facility license allows the holder to cultivate, process, transport, and dispense medical cannabis. The number of integrator licenses is limited to a maximum of five. Those awards will be made on December 12. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Will Sellers: The Monroe Doctrine turns 200
When James Monroe addressed Congress 200 years ago, many assumed his annual message would be limited to legislative initiatives. Since he had no spin doctors to help him explain his position, clarify its broad impact, or narrate its context, it was left to him to simply announce the Monroe Doctrine and let others decide its ramifications. Two centuries ago, the New World was shedding Old World political connections as new nation-states were emerging after achieving independence. President Monroe clearly understood the general feelings of his fellow countrymen and realized that the unique American experience provided him a forum to declare his nation’s place in the World Order. The Monroe Doctrine is remembered primarily for its bold limitation on European influence and colonization in the Western Hemisphere, but other parts of the doctrine were of equal importance and expressed American sentiments about the rest of the world. Specifically, the doctrine stated that America had no interest in conflicts in Europe but would respect the existing order in the New World. When viewed in hindsight, the doctrine was in many ways a concise statement of how America viewed the world and coupled its role with a tinge of isolationism. President Monroe told the entire world that the Western Hemisphere was off-limits to European powers. It was a bold move for a nation that was not yet 50 years old and had no military to enforce the policy, but the policy was supported by George Washington’s admonition that America not involve itself in foreign wars. The American Revolution changed the dynamics of foreign policy, foreign trade, and foreign investment. Once the revolution ended, wars in Europe waxed and waned with alliances that switched and boundaries that moved so frequently that it was hard to keep an accurate tally. Monroe understood that America had no interest in these changing relationships and was ill-suited to fully appreciate the dynamics of European diplomatic intrigues. Monroe’s main interest was preserving a sphere of influence with America as the dominant power. There was no need to allow this continent to become a proxy for the varied changes in European politics and reconquest of former colonies. Keeping America stable and secure with its energies devoted toward territorial growth and trade was the president’s ultimate goal. He knew from experience that wars were expensive and diverted time and talent away from domestic improvement. Thus, it was easy for him to disclaim any involvement in Europe, its political theories, and various continental wars, but it was another thing to make a bold statement that European powers were not welcome to assert control over liberated ex-colonies. Even bolder was the assertion that any such involvement by another country would be considered a hostile act against the United States. This provision of the doctrine might be viewed as a NATO-like pledge that any attack by a foreign power against a territory in the Western Hemisphere would be met with force of arms from the United States. Since the United States had a very limited navy and no standing army of any measure, this statement had no enforcement mechanism. If a foreign power tried to invade another country, the U.S. would have been helpless to take effective action, but the Monroe Doctrine had a silent guarantor in the form of the British Empire, which had plenty of ships and troops to enforce the policy. The British acquiesced to the Monroe Doctrine because limiting other countries’ involvement in the New World was advantageous to its long-term interest. It is not a stretch to say that the Monroe Doctrine cemented the Anglo-American relationship while ensuring American and British interests would never again be so adversarial as to incubate hostilities. From this point forward, the two nations would be joined together in almost a common enterprise of trade and international stability. Without having to fight wars, the United States could focus on opening and subduing the rest of its territory. For at least some period of time, the expansion of the country created such opportunities that any foreign influence was not occasioned by military invasion, but by swarms of immigrants leaving the old world behind to seek fortune and opportunity in a new place with little historical memory to retard its progress. Rather than being innovative, the Monroe Doctrine sought to express the consensus of American sentiment about its view of its place in the world. The influx of immigrants would also support this idea that once their home country was on the distant horizon, they were liberated from the politics of the Old World that limited freedom and advancement. Immigrants coming to the United States would gladly agree that they, too, had no desire to involve themselves in the politics of a country they had left. So, while Americans wanted limited involvement with the politics and factious belligerence of Europe, they did not want foreign influence in the New World. Americans would be motivated to apply force only if European countries attempted to assert themselves in our sphere of influence. This was true even in the last century. During World War I, most Americans had no desire to send troops to Europe, but sentiment changed only after a secret German diplomatic initiative was uncovered, promising Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico to Mexico if it would ally with the Kaiser. Ending any thought of European influence in our country’s affairs proved a strong motivator. Likewise, in World War II, Franklin Roosevelt was unable to arouse American interest in defeating the Nazis, but once Hitler’s secret plan to divide Latin America into Nazi-controlled vassal states was exposed, the average citizen began to sense the Nazi threat. For 200 years, the Monroe Doctrine has been a centerpiece of American foreign policy. Its broad provisions continue to affirm a commitment to regional independence and put other nations on notice that the Western Hemisphere is a self-determination zone with no tolerance for foreign influence or territorial threat. Perhaps President Xi Jinping needs a refresher course? Will Sellers is a graduate of
Sandra Day O’Connor, who made history as the first woman on the Supreme Court, dies at 93
Ashley Murray, Alabama Reflector WASHINGTON — The first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court is dead at 93. Sandra Day O’Connor, a groundbreaking justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, died Friday in Phoenix, Arizona of complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer’s, and a respiratory illness, according to an announcement from the court. President Ronald Reagan nominated O’Connor in 1981, and she was confirmed by the full Senate, 99-0, in September of that year. The moderate O’Connor, who served on the bench until her retirement in 2006, was often the decisive vote in major cases that reached the Supreme Court in her nearly quarter-century as associate justice. The justices issued rulings in high-profile cases during O’Connor’s tenure, including Bush v. Gore, which settled the 2000 presidential contest in George W. Bush’s favor, and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, a 5-4 decision that affirmed the constitutional right to an abortion but with leeway for states to impose some restrictions. O’Connor sided with the majority in both cases. “She was consequential,” journalist and historian Evan Thomas told the National Archives in 2019 while promoting his biography “First: Sandra Day O’Connor.” She cast the so-called “swing vote” 330 times in 24 years, Thomas said. “And where it really mattered was in abortion rights and affirmative action,” he said, referring to several cases, including Grutter v. Bullinger, which upheld the consideration of race in the University of Michigan’s law school admissions. In 2022, O’Connor’s successor, Justice Samuel Alito, wrote the majority opinion overturning Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Roe v. Wade, striking down abortion rights at the federal level. A ‘true public servant’ and ‘trailblazer’ Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement Friday that O’Connor “blazed a historic trail as our Nation’s first female Justice.” “She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor. We at the Supreme Court mourn the loss of a beloved colleague, a fiercely independent defender of the rule of law, and an eloquent advocate for civics education. And we celebrate her enduring legacy as a true public servant and patriot,” he said. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a statement that the “nation mourns the passing of a towering figure in the history of American law.” “… From her election as the first female Majority Leader in the history of American legislatures to her confirmation as the first female Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor led with a brilliance and conviction that disarmed resistance. Her vote on the court frequently determined the majority in landmark cases, and the legacy of her role in landmark decisions reviving federalism during her first several terms on the Court continues to resound in Constitutional jurisprudence,” McConnell said. In the mid-1990s and 2000, O’Connor provided decisive votes in two 5-4 decisions that found federal laws unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause, including sections of the Violence Against Women Act and a federal law that criminalized carrying a firearm within 1,000 feet of schools. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said O’Connor was the “conscience of the Court.” Schumer said in a statement issued Friday that O’Connor “was one of the true historic figures of the 20th century. In decision after decision, Sandra Day O’Connor was often the key vote in defending the rights of Americans—in protecting clean air, in protecting women’s rights, in protecting against discrimination, in protecting voting rights. I join Americans all across the country in mourning her passing today.” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana described O’Connor as a “trailblazer” and “legal giant” in a Friday morning post on X. “As the first woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court, Justice O’Connor inspired a generation of women — including the five female Justices that succeeded her — to chart a path that previously seemed unattainable,” he said. “Despite never serving as Chief Justice, she was widely regarded as the most powerful Justice on the bench during her tenure.” The women who followed O’Connor’s appointment to the court included Ruth Bader Ginsburg, nominated by former President Bill Clinton in 1993; Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan in 2009 and 2010, both nominated by former President Barack Obama; Amy Coney Barrett, nominated by former President Donald Trump in 2020; and Ketanji Brown Jackson, nominated by President Joe Biden in 2022. Obama released a statement Friday recounting the well-known story of O’Connor’s challenges finding a job in the legal field as a woman in the 1950s, when she was asked about her typing skills and offered work as a legal secretary. “Fortunately for us, she set her sights a little higher – becoming the first woman to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court justice,” Obama said. “As a judge and Arizona legislator, a cancer survivor and child of the Texas plains, Sandra Day O’Connor was like the pilgrim in the poem she sometimes quoted – forging a new path and building a bridge behind her for all young women to follow. Michelle and I send our thoughts to Sandra’s family and everyone who learned from and admired her.” From the Southwest to the nation’s capital O’Connor was born on March 26, 1930, in El Paso, Texas, and grew up on a ranch in Arizona. She graduated near the top of her law school class at Stanford University in 1952. O’Connor began her law career as deputy county attorney of San Mateo County, California, followed by a position as a civilian attorney for Quartermaster Market Center, Frankfurt, Germany, from 1954 to 1957. O’Connor practiced law in Maryvale, Arizona, until 1960 and went on to serve as assistant attorney general of Arizona from 1965 to 1969. She followed her time in the attorney general’s office with multiple terms in the Arizona State Senate beginning in 1969 and eventually serving as the body’s majority leader. In 1975, she was elected as a Maricopa County Superior Court judge and served until 1979, when she was appointed to the Arizona Court
GOP AGs argue Colorado courts can’t remove Donald Trump from primary ballot
A coalition of 19 attorneys general filed a brief with the Colorado Supreme Court arguing an appeal to keep former President Donald Trump off the primary ballot can’t be decided by the courts. The 41-page brief, led by Republican Attorneys General Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia and Theodore Rokita of Indiana, argues Congress should decide any alleged violation of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The brief states the “courts have no business second-guessing Congress’s decisions to enforce – or not enforce—the Clause,” referring to the insurrection clause in the amendment. “The Fourteenth Amendment entrusts Insurrection Clause questions to Congress—not state officials or state courts,” the brief states. “The Amendment vests Congress with ‘power to enforce’ the Insurrection Clause ‘by appropriate legislation’ and power to ‘remove [the] disability’ it imposes.” The brief was filed on the same day as a brief by three Republican secretaries of state arguing the case should be dismissed because District Court Judge Sarah Wallace described Trump as an “insurrectionist.” Judge Wallace ruled in favor of Trump earlier this month. Although she wrote Trump’s speech on Jan. 6, 2021, “incited imminent lawless violence,” his words didn’t meet the amendment’s requirement of “engagement.” The attorneys general argue the definition of “insurrection” shouldn’t be decided by the courts. “For example, the term ‘insurrection’ is hardly as well defined as the district court let on,” the brief states. “And allowing each state and its courts to determine eligibility using malleable standards would create an unworkable patchwork of eligibility requirements for President.” “… In truth, an ‘insurrection’ is more serious than the district court’s definition supposes. Where the Constitution uses the term ‘insurrection,’ that term appears alongside terms like ‘invasion’ and ‘rebellion.’” The brief aligns with arguments submitted by the secretaries of state regarding a prediction of “electoral chaos” if a party’s presidential candidate appears on some state primary ballots but not on others. The brief states that Trump’s impeachment by the House of Representatives after Jan. 6, 2021, and subsequent acquittal by the Senate shows Congress hasn’t found him guilty of an infraction under the Constitution. “Congress, then, has rendered its judgment – and it disagrees with petitioners’ view that former President Trump engaged in insurrection,” the brief states. “Petitioners want this Court to try again, but ‘[f]ailure of political will does not justify unconstitutional remedies.’” Attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming joined Morrisey and Rokita in filing the brief. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of Trump in a similar case, and an appeal in Michigan is ongoing. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Florida bill could expand state’s dual enrollment program for high schoolers
A new bill was filed Thursday by a Florida lawmaker that will change requirements for district school boards regarding dual enrollment for students. Senate Bill 626 is sponsored by state Sen. Corey Simon, R-Quincy. It requires district boards to enter into a dual enrollment agreement with a local Florida College System institution that can accommodate in-person or online dual enrollment courses for students seeking to earn college credits while still enrolled in high school. According to the Education Commissioner of the States, 48 states have state-level dual enrollment policies, and 28 states have established multiple dual enrollment programs using state policy. Twenty-one states have two programs, five states have established three programs, and two states have established four programs. A further 27 states, which includes Florida, are required to notify both parents and students of at least one dual enrollment program and 41 states have specified student eligibility criteria through state policy. In the Sunshine State, there are currently 33 postsecondary institutions that have dual enrollment programs spread across the state, according to the Florida Department of Education. Florida programs have statewide student eligibility requirements, which state that a student can participate in dual enrollment courses between grades 6 through 12 if the student has demonstrated a level of achievement of college-level communication and computer skills, as well as a 3.0 unweighted grade point average. Alabama and Georgia differ slightly from Florida in their dual enrollment programs. Alabama does not require all high schools to participate and student eligibility criteria are from grades 10 through to grade 12 and includes written approval from a principal, while institutions have specific entrance requirements. Alabama’s dual enrollment programs are also only available in public institutions, whereas Florida allows both private and public institutions to provide such programs. The Peach State allows dual enrollments in both public and private institutions and like Alabama, does not require all school districts to be enrolled. In comparison to California and Texas — two of the top three most populated states in the nation — California does not have any state policy in place as to whether a school district must participate, and according to the Education Commission, “Community colleges can restrict the admission of special part-time students based on age or grade level.” Students must also gain a recommendation from their principal. Texas students must undertake an assessment demonstrating college readiness, and the program is available for private and public institutions. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Report recommends changes to Alabama’s education system
Recommendations have been made to improve education at the student and educator levels in Alabama by the Governor’s Commission on Teaching and Learning. The state should promote quality teaching and learning, offer more support for both impoverished and low-performing schools, bolster data collection and accountability, and improve the retention and development of educators, the report says. “These recommendations won’t just serve as mere guidelines; they are a blueprint – a roadmap to our goal of positioning Alabama among the top 30 states on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, which is known as the nation’s report card,” Gov. Kay Ivey said in a release. “They are vital guidelines as we navigate toward a brighter future for our children – one where opportunities flourish and aspirations are nurtured.” The commission recommended full implementation of the Alabama Literacy Act passed in 2019, which requires third graders to read on grade level before being advanced to fourth grade. It also recommended that kindergarten be mandatory, an expansion of the number of assistant principals at schools, and more computer science programs. The commission said in the report that the state’s prekindergarten program should be expanded to help poorer school districts. It also recommended creating a financial incentive program for struggling school districts to reduce chronic absenteeism. Another key item from the commission was the expansion of the state’s Turnaround Schools program, which pours personnel and money into struggling school districts to help them improve scores. The commission said the state Board of Education should change the state’s report card for districts and individual schools to expand transparency and ensure that every graduating high school student is considered college and career ready measured by an examination. The commission consisted of: • Business Education Alliance President and former State Superintendent of Education Joe Morton. • State Superintendent Eric Mackey. • State Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva. • State Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton. • State Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile • Montgomery City Schools Superintendent Melvin Brown. • Wetumpka High School Principal Kyle Futral. • Mountain Brook Schools Superintendent Dicky Barlow. • Booker T. Washington teacher Reggie White. • Alabama Parent Teacher Association President Donna McCurry. • Alabaster City Schools School board member Derek Henderson. • Retired Mississippi State Superintendent Carey Wright. • Whiteboard Advisors CEO, and co-founder, Ben Wallerstein. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
