Alabama
April 30, 2015
AL: 2019 Graduation Rate Tops Nationwide List, Though Gap in Preparedness Persists
March 22, 2021
Alabama’s graduation rate continued its years-long climb for the Class of 2019, achieving the nation’s highest graduation rate and beating the national average by nearly 6 percentage points. State education officials both celebrated and expressed caution after the data was announced, with Alabama Department of...
Alabama State DOE Announces Goals for Improvement
June 17, 2020
The Alabama State Department of Education has released a new plan outlining measurable goals to improve student achievement, including: “1) Academic Growth and Achievement; 2) College, career, and workforce preparedness; 3) Safe and supportive learning environments; 4) Highly effective educators; 5) and Customer-friendly services.” The...
Alabama Chief Emphasizes Importance of Alabama Schools’ Culture, Climate
October 25, 2019
Even as educators across the state continue to celebrate Alabama’s high marks in the recent release of school report cards, State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey is urging superintendents and education officials to look beyond the letter grades and see “what kind of improvement schools have...
Alabama Releases School-Level Spending Data
August 4, 2019
Thanks to ESSA’s financial transparency requirements, the public in Alabama is getting a closer look at how much schools are spending to educate the state’s children. These numbers, writes Trisha Powell Crain for AL.com, are “all over the map, varying widely between districts and between...
Alabama’s School Report Cards “Show Parents How to Help Schools”
January 6, 2019
According to AL.com, after multiple delays, Alabama education officials released the state’s second round of school letter grades. “Learning Heroes has been working with and listening to parents for several years” to figure out the best way to present the information, required under ESSA, that...
School Report Cards Delayed (Yet Again) in Alabama
December 31, 2018
AL.com reports that education officials in Alabama have once again delayed release of the state’s “unified report card,” in part because of “technical problems with the website but also to ensure the data is accurate, according to Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey.” This is the...
Alabama Seeks Waivers for Students with Cognitive Disabilities
May 25, 2018
Alabama Today reports that the Alabama State Department of Education plans to seek ESSA waivers from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education to “allow students with cognitive disabilities to take the Alabama Alternate Assessment.”
Seven More States Need Specifics
December 18, 2017
The Dept. of Education sent letters to Alabama, Alaska, Kansas, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming enumerating federal feedback on their ESSA plans.
State Plan Submissions and Drafts
October 17, 2017
Approved State Plans Alabama: Final Plan Approved (5/7/18) Alaska: Final Plan Approved (5/16/18) Arizona: Final Plan Approved (9/6/17) Arkansas: Final Plan Approved (1/16/18) Colorado: Final Plan Approved (5/7/18) Connecticut: Final Plan Approved (8/15/17) Delaware: Final Plan Approved (8/2/17) District of Columbia: Final Plan Approved (8/28/17) Georgia:...
October 12, 2017
The Alabama State School Board has approved the state’s ESSA plan, but stated “changes will be needed in the future.” Parents and advocates of special need students have raised concern over the plan, because it “allows any sub-group (such as special needs) with less than...
Alabama State Board will Vote on ESSA Plan
October 9, 2017
According to WSFA, Alabama’s “state school board will likely approve their version of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) on Thursday, but some parents are against the plan they say excludes kids from the evaluation plan.”
Parents of Special Needs Children are Frustrated with State Board of Ed
September 30, 2017
In Alabama, parents of special needs children say they have been shut out of the state’s ESSA process, and some are frustrated with the “seeming unwillingness of the state board of education to listen to the special education community’s concerns.”
AL State Superintendent Discusses State’s ESSA Plan
August 4, 2017
Alabama State Superintendent Michael Sentance discussed the state’s ESSA plan, commenting that he is “working hard and fast” to “create an environment so that people understand where we’re going.” Once the plan is implemented, Sentance believes that there will be “real, profound change in the...
July 27, 2017
Alabama Superintendent Michael Sentance released the state’s draft ESSA plan for public review and comment. As reported by Education Week, Sentence has been “under fire” by the state board for his “communication and leadership style and the department’s attempted takeover of Montgomery, Ala., public schools.”...
State Superintendent Announces “Pause” on Draft Plan
November 13, 2016
Due to the changing administrations, State Superintendent Michael Sentance stated that work to draft Alabama’s ESSA plan will be “paused.” During a State Board of Education meeting, members were told that the new administration “won’t adopt policies and regulations related to the act without first...
Rep. Roby Reflects on Visit with ESSA Implementation Committee
September 5, 2016
Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL) authored an opinion piece in the Montgomery Advertiser highlighting her recent visit with Alabama’s ESSA Implementation Committee, where she offered “guidance in interpreting congressional intent” of ESSA.
Alabama School Public Relations Association Hosts Community Forum
August 17, 2016
The Alabama School Public Relations Association will conduct a forum to help community members understand ESSA and give them the opportunity to ask questions.
ESSA Implementation Committee Holds First of Eight Meetings
August 9, 2016
The Governor’s ESSA implementation committee held it’s first of eight meetings this week to help parents and teachers understand the law, answer questions, and gather feedback. The next meeting will be Tuesday, August 16th.
Rep. Roby Holds Meeting with State Superintendents
July 15, 2016
U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R-Ala.) held a meeting with state superintendents last week. Of note, it was reported that local leaders expressed “concerns about the Dept. of Education adhering to the strict state authority provisions during the critical implementation process.” As a result, Roby wrote...
ESSA Implementation Committee Hosts Forums for Local Education Leaders
June 29, 2016
ESSA Implementation Committee leadership is working to host forums for local education agency leaders to have a voice in the development of the state plan. Comments will be accepted online through October 30, 2016.
ESSA Implementation Committee Holds First Round of Subcommittee Meetings
June 29, 2016
The Alabama ESSA Implementation Committee – in partnership with the state Dept. of Education – held the first round of subcommittee meetings this past week. Subcommittee meetings were held on Educator Effectiveness, Schools and District Improvement, Early Learning, Title Programs, Data Collection and Reporting, Accountability,...
ESSA Implementation Committee Launches Website
June 20, 2016
The ESSA Implementation Committee – a group appointed by Governor’s office in March – has launched a webpage that contains basic information about the committee and how the public can provide comment to the committee. Public comments will be taken through October 30, 2016 and...
Criticism of Appointment to ESSA Stakeholder Group
May 18, 2016
State Board of Education member Matthew Brown is receiving criticism for his appointment of Ryan Cantrell, state director for the pro-school choice group the Alabama Federation for Children, to the ESSA stakeholder group, noting Cantrell’s large contribution to Brown’s campaign. Read more here.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Releases State ESSA Primers
May 16, 2016
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s primers include individual state by state accountability system fact sheets, which detail each state’s current accountability system, what could change under ESSA, and what to be asking state leaders. See details about your state here.
Gov. Bentley Holds First ESSA Implementation Committee Meeting
May 11, 2016
Governor Robert Bentley held the inaugural meeting of the ESSA Implementation Committee this week. The 27-member committee includes superintendents and members of county school boards, school principals, state Department of Education officials and education policy advocates from across Alabama. Read more here.