Alabama reports its first case of coronavirus in the state
The Alabama Department of Public Health recommended that people cancel or avoid large public gatherings with more than 500 people.
Alabama releases school report cards
Alabama public schools and school systems have been assigned letter grades for performance in new report cards released Friday by the State Department of Education. The latest report cards include enhanced graphics and features to make it easier to view data and compare school systems, state education officials said. This is the third academic year that the letter grades have been released. “We hope this can be used a catapult to jumpstart conversations about what is working in public schools as well as identifying areas that may need support and/or additional resources,” State Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey said in a statement. The grades are based not just on the latest test scores, but how much students improve in reading and math from one year to the next. The report cards include information about the percentage of students proficient in subjects, information on academic growth and chronic absenteeism at each school. The cards also include demographics about the school and school system and the credentials and experience of educators at the school. Legislators in 2012 voted to require A-F grades for schools and school systems.The school report cards can be viewed at the state department website . Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama education officials create plan for schools to monitor juvenile sex offenders
Alabama education officials plan to create a model policy so that all public school systems are ready to monitor student sex offenders in two years. State Superintendent Eric Mackey says that each local education authority can use it as their own policy by the 2020-2021 school year. Alabama’s mandatory attendance law means that local boards of education must ensure that children younger than 16 in their districts are enrolled in some form of schooling — whether public, private, parochial schools or home-schooled, The Montgomery Advertiser reported . Mackey said that low-level sex offenders can return to the public school system once they are adjudicated. The policy is aimed at making sure those students are supervised and that other students are not harmed. The new policy is required by Annalyn’s Law, which was passed earlier this year, the Montgomery newspaper reported. Annalyn’s Law is named after a child victim who was abused by a juvenile in Alabama. As of January, there were 1,305 juvenile sex offenders on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency sex offender registry. Juvenile sex offenders must submit an application to all school property and school-functions, according to a draft of the model policy. They must also meet with school personnel to create and implement an individualized safety plan. Also, schools will continue to share information and monitor the student through school enrollment changes and school personnel changes, the newspaper reported. Officials will offer training to school personnel on how to take appropriate action when an increase or escalation of certain behaviors is noticed. Members of the advisory committee developing the policy include the state’s Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Department of Education, Department of Human Resources, the Governor’s Office, the Alabama Coalition Against Rape, the Attorney General’s Office and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Alabama wants more money for school security, transportation, nurses
The Alabama Department of Education wants more money for school security and other programs next year. The Montgomery Advertiser reported that State Schools Superintendent Eric Mackey said Thursday he wants more money for reading and math programs, as well as for pre-kindergarten special education. Mackey said additional funding is also needed for transportation and school nurses. Mackey told the state board of education that the $30 million for school nurses would not add one nurse in Alabama. He said state funding for the nurses would free up local money for other programs. Mackey has not put together a formal budget request yet. He says the proposals came from priorities recommended by school board members and superintendents. The legislature reconvenes in March and will consider a new education budget. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Alabama’s ban on yoga in schools questioned
Alabama for 25 years has banned yoga in public schools, and a Hindu activist says it’s time to change that. Rajan Zed of Nevada in a statement Friday said the state is doing a disservice to its students by denying them the opportunity to learn yoga. The Alabama Board of Education in 1993 voted to prohibit yoga, hypnosis and meditation in schools. The ban was pushed by conservative groups. The ban got new attention when a state document circulated this week listing yoga — along with games like tag — among “inappropriate” activities in gym class. Alabama Education Superintendent Eric Mackey said the document is old and should not have been released. However, a department spokesman said there have been no discussions yet about reversing the yoga ban. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
You’re out! Alabama ‘inappropriate’ P.E. activities list resurfaces
A dubious list of activities for Alabama’s physical education (P.E.) classes resurfaced on Tuesday, in “normal” childhood games like duck duck goose, musical chairs and kickball were deemed inappropriate. The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) said these types of games can physically harm students, and can lead to children playing favorites. The policies were implemented two years ago, but resurfaced this week after the Auburn University in Montgomery’s (AUM) Physical Education Program shared the list on their Facebook page. The list has since been removed from the ALSDE website, and the AUM Physical Education Program Facebook page. Director of Coaching for the Birmingham United Soccer Association, Ben Parks told WBMA-ABC 33/40 these games are useful in teaching children life lessons, social skills and perseverance. “It’s okay to have a winner and loser, it teachers you about life,” Parks told WBMA “You may not get the job interview, the best score on a test, make the sports team. That’s okay, you have to get better every time, right?” Newsweek reported that Alabama Education Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey decided to pull the document offline on Tuesday after reading it. “I took it down because it didn’t go out through our normal school system’s process,” Mackey told Newsweek. He also told them the document had never actually earned a formal endorsement. “I completely disagree with it,” Mackey continued. “We are a state that firmly believes in local control. Local principals and superintendents should be permitted to determine how their physical education programs are run.” On Wednesday Mackey addressed the controversy with AL.com. “It is completely up to you which games you play. There is no directive about which games you can and cannot play,” Mackey said according to AL.com. “Go back, tell your principals to take care of their own P.E. problems, please… I can assure you that particular list is not going back up as long as I’m state superintendent.”
Alabama awards $1 million to 50 elementary schools for reading success
Hoping to breathe new life into a once-thriving program, Alabama lawmakers added an additional $1 million to the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) budget during the 2018 Legislative Session in order to recognize Alabama elementary schools showing the most improvement in last year’s 3rd grade reading results. Divided evenly, each school selected will receive a $20,000 check from the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) as a way of recognizing and incentivizing teachers and students who have worked hard to achieve proficiency in reading by the 3rd grade in last year’s statewide Scantron reading assessment. State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Eric Mackey, said the work educators across the state do every day is invaluable, however this monetary donation is another way of distinguishing the state’s top performers in the important category of 3rd grade reading. “Reading is the cornerstone to all other learning. When we make sure our students can read and comprehend what they are reading at an early age, we prepare them for a greater possibility of academic success throughout their lives,” Mackey said. “I commend the Alabama legislature for being good stewards of the limited funds we have in public education, and for recognizing the importance of reading for our youngest students.” The ALSDE will determine which 50 schools will receive the $20,000 award by measuring the percentage of third grade students that met their growth targets as measured by improvement between the initial test taken in the fall of 2017 and the final test taken in the spring of 2018 on the Scantron Performance Series Reading Assessment. All Alabama public schools with a third grade, of which there are approximately 1,071, will be included. In addition to public recognition by the Alabama State Board of Education, selected schools will be able to determine how to use their *$20,000. Karen Porter, program coordinator for ARI, said schools all across the state are working hard and showing significant growth in their reading performance. She said while student achievement is the ultimate reward, the ability to recognize the top 50 performing schools is a great additional incentive. “We are thrilled to see our schools rewarded for their hard work. Every day in Alabama educators are working diligently to provide students with a solid academic foundation,” Porter said. “These awards show that regardless of a student’s zip code, with hard-working educators and students, growth is not only possible, it should be expected.” The announcement of which schools have been selected will occur on Tuesday, August 21, 2018. Selected schools will be acknowledged during a recognition ceremony in Montgomery on Thursday, September 13, 2018 at the ALSDE.
Eric Mackey sends memo to school superintendents outlining new safety program
As schools across the state begin opening for the fall and in the wake of school shootings across the county one issue on nearly every parents mind is school safety. On Friday, State Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey sent a memo to city and county Superintendents across the state outlining the suggested implementation of Governor Kay Ivey‘s Alabama Sentry Program. In May Ivey announced her new plan to provide additional security measure in schools that do not have a School Resource Officer (SRO). The voluntary program will permit administrators in schools, without an SRO, to maintain a firearm on campus in a secured safe in order to be prepared to respond to an active shooter situation. The Sentry Program will require that the administrator successfully complete training created and certified by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Unlike teachers, school administrators have complete access to their schools and are responsible for the safety of all students at the school, not an individual classroom. In his memo, Mackey emphasized that the program is completely voluntary on the part of the school administrator, and that no school board may require their participation. He also outlined eleven steps as the suggested process for school administrators if they choose to take part in the program, including: The local board of education, in consultation with the superintendent, must decide whether to participate in the Alabama Sentry Program. The decision to participate is considered an amendment to the school safety plan in accordance with Section 16-1-44 (C)(2), Code of Alabama, 1975, which is not subject to certain provisions of the Alabama Open Records Act, Section 36-12-40, Code of Alabama, 1975. The local board of education should consult with its own legal counsel regarding any policy amendments, changes to the safety plan, as well as any open records and/or open meetings requirements. The local board of education, through its superintendent and/or legal counsel, should initiate an agreement with the local sheriff if it wishes to implement the ASP whereby the authorized school administrator is appointed as a reserve deputy sheriff. The local sheriff will vet each approved candidate to ensure all requisite qualifications are met such as mental and physical fitness for duty as detailed below. The ASP is, at its most essential level, an agreement between the local board of education and the local sheriff. Both of these entities should consult their own legal counsel regarding the type, extent, parameters, and term of any proposed agreement. A sentry candidate must be a school administrator who is properly certified by the local sheriff and works in a participating school system where the local board of education has voted to implement the program. Such a candidate who wishes to become a sentry should send a letter to the superintendent establishing his or her desire to participate. The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)issued certificates, which are considered “school administrator’ certificates for the purpose of this program are: Instructional Leader, Educational Administrator Principal and Career and Technical Administrator. The superintendent may decide whether to forward the letter to the local sheriff for full evaluation and provisional approval. If the letter is forwarded to the local sheriff, it is the responsibility of the sheriff, subject to the agreement previously made between the sheriff and the board, to determine fitness of the sentry candidate. The sheriff will be responsible for completing each of the following for each sentry candidate at a minimum: Physical fitness for duty evaluation, Psychological fitness for duty assessment, using validated instruments and in-depth personal history evaluations Drug and alcohol screening, Background check and Valid pistol permit verification. After the local sheriff validates fitness of the candidate, he or she will refer the candidate to ALEA. ALEA will notify the candidate of training opportunities and requirements. ALEA will copy the local sheriff and the local superintendent on its communications with the candidate. After ALEA has certified that the candidate has completed the required training to serve as a sentry,ALEA will certify such to the local sheriff. The local sheriff may then deputize the sentry candidate who may then be authorized as a reserve deputy sheriff as provided by law. See Ala. Code $16-1-44.1 (1975). The local sheriff will notify the local superintendent of this action. The procurement of any authorized equipment such as a firearm, ballistic vest or biometric safe is the sole responsibility of the local board of education. Read Mackey’s full memo below:
A+ Education Partnership urging Eric Mackey to implement new changes
Alabama’s A+ Education Partnership, a Montgomery-based non-profit, called on newly chosen State Superintendent, Eric Mackey to focus his efforts on implementing four new education policies the partnership believes will boost student achievement across the state. Mackey, who beat out Hoover City Schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy and Jefferson County Superintendent Craig Pouncey for the position in late April, started working in his new position on Monday. “We have worked closely with Dr. Mackey for many years, and we look forward to continuing this partnership with him as our State Superintendent of Education,” said president of A+ Education Partnership, Caroline Novak. “Dr. Mackey is keenly aware of the challenges facing Alabama’s schools, and he knows that change will not occur overnight. Our proposals are commonsense steps that can make an immediate impact for all children. We encourage his consideration and support as he works to unite Alabamians for educational progress.” In January, The Columbia Group, a network of organizations from several states across the Southeast who work to improve education in their respective states; released a new study detailing the four new education policies they believe will improve student learning throughout the South. The A+ Education Partnership assisted six other groups in publishing the study, titled: Accelerating the Pace: The Future of Education in the American South. Although the study found that the South has made progress in recent decades, achievement gaps between more affluent students and historically disadvantaged classmates became more pronounced between 2005 and 2015. To address these concerns, A+ is encouraging Mackey to implement these four priority areas for student improvement: Make the South the best place to teach in the nation: Identify, recruit and retain teachers and principals who have the talent, preparation and continued support they need to help students succeed. Provide new types of academic—and nonacademic—support for today’s students: Students need an array of support systems to help them deal with physical and emotional health issues that can impact their learning. Clear the path for all students to their next steps in education and work: Build a much stronger, supportive bridge from high school into college, career training or a good job. Ensure resources are adequate and targeted: Invest in education to meet the needs of every child, and consider additional support for students who need the most help to catch up.
Board of Education approves new superintendent Eric Mackey’s contract
The Alabama Board of Education approved new State Superintendent, Eric Mackey‘s compensation package and contract worth $311,000 on Thursday with a 7 to 2 vote. Mackey, who beat out Hoover City Schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy and Jefferson County Superintendent Craig Pouncey for the position in late April, starts on Monday. The contract details include a base salary of $245,000 a year for the initial three-year term, a $21,000 annual housing allowance, state-owned vehicle for official travel, reimbursement of up to $5,000 for professional development activities annually, and professional association dues. Mackey will also receive a 3 percent raise each year starting in 2019, unless the board votes against it. Board of Education Vice President, Montgomery Republican Stephanie Bell and board member, Montgomery Democrat Ella Bell were the two board members who voted no to Mackey’s contract. Stephanie Bell told AL.com that the contract was not taxpayer-friendly, and gave too much control to Mackey and not enough to the board. Ella Bell said she did not agree with the amount of the raise, stating that teachers will only be receiving a 2.5 percent raise next year. Another point of dissatisfaction from Bell was that the contract does not require and annual evaluation. She said the evaluation should be required, while other board members said the decision should be made year by year. If the board does find fault with Mackey’s performance, they must make a specific proposal for changes. Mackey has an extensive background in education, serving as a former teacher, principal and city superintendent, and has been serving as the executive director of the School Superintendent Association of Alabama since 2010.
Alabama education board chooses Eric Mackey for state superintendent
The director of Alabama’s superintendent association, Eric Mackey, was chosen Friday as the state’s new education superintendent in a tight vote clouded by an ongoing lawsuit between a candidate and a state education board member. Mackey beat out Hoover City Schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy and Jefferson County Superintendent Craig Pouncey. A fourth finalist, former Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott, dropped out of the running Friday morning. Mackey is a former teacher, principal and city superintendent who has served as the executive director of the School Superintendent Association of Alabama since 2010. He said his top priority will be to find an “assessment that fits right” on top of addressing unequal funding between rural and urban areas and school safety concerns. Members of the Alabama State Board of Education voted for Mackey after three hours of interviews with the three finalists in Montgomery on Friday. There were five votes for Mackey and four for Pouncey. After the vote was announced, board member Ella Bell raised the concern that Pouncey has an ongoing lawsuit against another member Mary Scott Hunter and others saying he was victim to a scheme that kept him from getting the job two years ago. Before the 2016 vote, someone anonymously gave board members a packet of information, including internal department emails, accusing Pouncey of getting state staff to write his 2009 dissertation when he was with the department. Pouncey said the accusation was untrue. A subsequent department report found that employee statements cleared Pouncey. Hunter did not recuse herself from the vote, saying she was fair and impartial. She voted for Mackey. Bell, who voted for Pouncey, said she wanted to initiate a lawsuit because without Hunter’s vote there could have been a run-off. “She shouldn’t be able to vote in this because it’s understood they have an adversarial relationship,” Bell said. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who serves as board president, said she had not spoken to any attorneys about the legal question but she was not aware of any rule where the chair could tell a board member to recuse him or herself. The board was seeking a replacement for former Superintendent Michael Sentance, who resigned in September after one year and one day on the job. Sentance stepped down after receiving a poor performance evaluation. A search firm whittled a field of more than 40 applicants to seven semifinalists, who were voted by the board down to the finalists. On Friday, each finalist was asked the same nine questions in an hour-long interview. Questions covered how to make students job-ready, creating a framework for assessment, ensuring equal funding between rural and urban schools and spearheading state interventions to help failing schools like is currently happening in Montgomery. Ivey said “this is the most important decision that this board will make in our terms.” She said she voted for Mackey because of his support for her “Strong Start, Strong Finish” initiative and his focus on teaching students computer science and coding. “I believe Dr. Mackey will serve us well and we will see forward thinking results,” she said. In his interview, Mackey expressed a desire to stay long-term – at least eight or ten years – in the role. Ivey said “that would suit me fine.” Mackey will start May 14. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama education board to choose next state superintendent
Alabama State Board of Education members will choose the state’s next superintendent of education Friday. Board members will interview the four finalists Friday in Montgomery to pick the next head of Alabama’s education system. The finalists are Jefferson County Superintendent Craig Pouncey, Hoover City Schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy, Superintendent Association of Alabama Executive Director Eric Mackey and former Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott. The board is seeking a replacement for former Superintendent Michael Sentance who resigned in September after one year and one day. He stepped down after he received a poor performance evaluation. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
