Education News in Alabama
March
28, 2005 (archive)
IT WAS A GOOD WEEK FOR:
Excellence in journalism, as two Alabama newspaper reporters
received awards from the Education Writers Association. Jack Stripling
with the Opelika-Auburn News won first place in the Breaking or
Hard News category or his article entitled, “Turmoil at Auburn
University.” Jane Nicholes with the Mobile Register won second
place in the Opinion category for her Editorial Series. Congratulations
to these two outstanding education writers!
IT WAS A BAD WEEK FOR:
Budgets, as the Alabama State Legislature recessed for Spring
Break with a messy passage of the General Fund budget in the Senate
and no resolution to the Education Trust Fund budget. Prior to the
recess, Senator Hank Sanders revealed the outline of an ETF budget
that would include a 6% pay raise for teachers, the sustainability
of which has been brought into question by the Legislative Fiscal
Office. The tentative budget proposed by Sanders also includes many
of the Governor’s requested budget items, including increased
funding for the Alabama Reading Initiative and the Alabama Math,
Science and Technology Initiative.
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION WORK SESSION
The State Board of Education held its monthly work session on
March 24. Deputy State Superintendent Ruth Ash presented details
on how the State Department of Education (SDE) is implementing the
Educational Ruler, approved by the State Board last summer. The
ruler is a roadmap for ensuring that every student in Alabama has
safe and disciplined schools, quality teacher, challenging curricula
and effective school leaders. Each of the nine instructional divisions
of the SDE submitted a strategic plan detailing how they will address
and measure progress on the four benchmarks on the Educational Ruler.
Dr. Ash reported that this internal study is helping the SDE focus
on eliminating duplication of services, especially in schools “in
need of improvement,” and on better responding to requests
for data and research.
Improving High Schools
State Superintendent Joe Morton briefed the board on his recent
trip to the National Governors Association’s (NGA) Summit
on High Schools. Dr. Morton attended the summit with Governor Bob
Riley, who chaired a panel on improving school leadership and was
recognized publicly by the Wallace Foundation for his commitment
to strengthening leaders in Alabama’s public schools.
Several recommendations for improving high schools came out of
the summit, many of which Alabama already has plans to address.
They include:
- NGA Recommendation: States should provide opportunities for
students to take college-level classes and earn college credit
while in high school
- Alabama solution: High school students in Alabama have access
to dual enrollment programs statewide.
- NGA Recommendation: States should improve teacher knowledge
and skills
- Alabama solution: The Teacher Testing Case was recently resolved,
allowing subject-specific testing for certification of Alabama
teachers. Further, the State Board of Education approved stronger
requirements and guidelines for schools of education that will
go into effect in the fall of 2005.
- NGA Recommendation: States should provide incentives to recruit
and keep teachers where they are needed most.
- Alabama solution: Currently, there are two bills in the Legislature
(H.B. 86 and H.B. 286) that would establish a system of financial
incentives for teachers who agree to teach in hard-to-staff schools
and school systems.
- NGA Recommendation: States should develop and support strong
principal leadership.
- Alabama solution: Governor Bob Riley and the State Department
of Education launched the Congress on Educational Leadership in
November 2004. The co-chairs of the Congress will make their final
reports to the State Board of Education in May.
Distance Learning
Dave Stewart with the Governor’s Office and Melinda Maddox
with the State Department of Education presented details on the
Governor’s proposed distance learning program: ACCESS (Alabama
Connecting Classrooms Educators & Students Statewide). The goal
is to provide additional educational offerings for all Alabama public
high school students by using existing Internet capabilities and
videoconference instruction. The Governor’s budget includes
$10 million to launch and sustain ACCESS.
CALL FOR PRESENTERS: TEACHER-TO-TEACHER WORKSHOPS
The U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher-to-Teacher
Initiative is accepting applications from educators who would like
to make a presentation at its 2005 summer workshops on the use of
research-based instructional practices. The Department is looking
for elementary and high school educators who work directly with
students (or their teachers) who have evidence that they are raising
student achievement or are having a positive impact on teaching,
and who are dynamic and engaging presenters able to clearly show
participants what they are doing and why it is working. The Department
wants to highlight educators who believe that all children can achieve
at high levels and have evidence that shows they know how to make
it happen.
Presenters must meet three requirements: (1) Teachers must be “highly
qualified” as defined by the state in which they teach and
be prepared to submit proof of this; (2) the complete proposal,
including the final presentation and handouts, must be submitted
by April 11, 2005; and (3) presenters must commit to attending a
two-day training session and all six workshops (the workshop schedule
is posted on the Web site noted below). Presenters may be asked
to present their session more than once during the workshops and
will be compensated for their work and travel.
Those interested in presenting at the summer workshops should visit
the Teacher-to-Teacher Web site at http://www.ed.gov/teacherinitiative
for detailed information on how to apply.
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