Tag: Education
Pinson Valley High School Teacher Raisa Eady Wins Milken Educator Award
Raisa Eady never saw it coming — which was by design.
The biology teacher at Pinson Valley High School knew something big was happening when officials from the Alabama State Department of Education, Jefferson County Schools, local governments and the Milken Family Foundation showed up for an assembly in the school auditorium. Some teacher was about to receive a big award.
But when her name was announced as the winner of the Milken Educator Award, she sat in disbelief.
“When it (the announcement) happened, everyone looked around and I said, ‘Oh, it is me?’ They said yes and I said, ‘No way!’” Eady told reporters afterward. “I’m so honored and overwhelmed today. I definitely had no idea this was happening. … I have not even grasped what’s happened yet. I feel extremely blessed, grateful — and overwhelmed.”
She did have a literal grasp on a big check, though. The award, given by the Milken Family Foundation, comes with a prize of $25,000, and no restrictions on how it may be used. Read more.
Jefferson County Board of Education Makes History With Appointment of First African American as Interim Superintendent
It was a history-making moment for the Jefferson County Board of Education.
The board on Wednesday unanimously selected Dr. Walter Gonsoulin Jr. as interim superintendent, making him the first African American to head the system in its 200 years of existence. Gonsoulin is temporarily replacing the departing Dr. Craig Pouncey.
“I feel humbled and honored to be chosen by the board,” Gonsoulin said after the meeting.
Gonsoulin joined JefCoEd as a deputy superintendent of school and community support in 2017. One of six deputies currently on the JefCoEd staff, he has had oversight over half of the system’s schools. Before that, Gonsoulin served as superintendent of Fairfield City Schools, a job he took in 2012 after moving from an assistant superintendent’s post in Starkville, Mississippi’s city school system. Read more.
Alabama Charter Schools Group Awarded $25 Million Federal Grant
By WBHM
The U.S. Department of Education announced a $25 million grant today to support charter schools in Alabama. The money will go to New Schools for Alabama, an organization that encourages the growth of charter schools. Tyler Barnett, executive director of New Schools for Alabama, told WBHM in an earlier interview the money will help fund 15 schools. He said the group will focus on serving educationally disadvantaged students. Read more.
Harvard Training Leads to Action Plans for BCS
Birmingham City Schools administrators who participated in Harvard University’s Public Leadership Project presented the school board with actions they’ve implemented as a result of attending the program.
In the Aug. 13 board meeting, the team cited the district’s troubled history of superintendent turnover, inconsistent instructional guidelines and poorly defined roles for principals as instructional leaders as the reason 72% of the schools currently score “D” and “F” on the state Educational Report Card. The team identified five strategies for improving schools to a “C” grade or higher by 2023. Read more.
Woodfin Brags on Birmingham Promise, Entreats Business Leaders to Work With the Internship Program
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced Tuesday that the pilot program of his Birmingham Promise Education Initiative had been successfully completed, though he entreated members of the city’s business community to partner with the internship program as it expands. Read more.
Alabama Schools Ranked 46th in New Study
A new study by WalletHub ranked Alabama’s schools 46th in the country.
The study also gave Alabama a quality ranking of 44 and a safety ranking of 47. Alabama ranked among the bottom five states in math test scores and in the bottom 10 states for spending,
WalletHub’s analysis considered 29 metrics that accounted for performance, funding, safety, class size and instructor credentials. Read more.
Community Development Group Donates $50K to Washington K-8
Navigate Affordable Housing Partners, a housing and community development nonprofit organization, has donated $50,000 to Washington K-8 School as part of its work in the North Titusville neighborhood.
“Any development community effort is only successful it you have schools. Strong schools make for strong communities and strong communities have healthy families,” Lisa McCarroll, CEO of the group, said while presenting the donation during a Birmingham Board of Education board meeting June 11. Read more.
Shooting for the A — Birmingham Schools principal succeeded at one school. Now he’s aiming to redirect another that is facing significant challenges.
As 2020 rolls in, BirminghamWatch looks back at its biggest stories of 2019, highlighting a different one each day.
When Dr. Terrell Brown took over as principal at Birmingham City’s Minor Elementary School, the school had a failing “F” grade. By the time he left three years later, Minor had improved to a “C.”
Over at W.E. Putnam Middle School, where Brown is now, the goal is to do a repeat.
Brown is taking his best practices from Minor and his time at Midfield City Schools and is applying them to his efforts to turn Putnam around from its “F” report card grade and five-time appearance on the AAA failing schools list. Read more.
Read the rest of BirminghamWatch’s special report on Birmingham schools:
Making the Grade? How Birmingham City Schools Are Doing Depends on Which Measure You Choose.
An Introduction to Birmingham Schools, From A to F
The Numbers
The History of the Birmingham City Schools
Many Questions About Birmingham City Schools Remain After Three Months of Trying to Understand the State of Education
Questions submitted to the Birmingham City Schools
The History of the Birmingham City Schools
Birmingham Schools’ Superintendent Talks About Facing Competition for Students, Being Accountable and Building Relationships.
More of BirminghamWatch’s Best in 2019
Birmingham‘s Technology, Start-up Scene Thrives, ‘Innovation District’ in Development Spotlight
Alabama Site for Detained Immigrants Has History of Abuse Charges, Efforts to Close It
First Class in More Than Name Only: Why Alabama’s Preschool Program Is Best in the Country on National Standards
From Buses to Libraries, 2020 Education Has More for K-12 Schools
MONTGOMERY — An additional $318 million for K-12 schools is in Alabama’s 2020 education budget, and lawmakers and education leaders say that money will make tangible differences in local schools.
Gov. Kay Ivey signed the record-setting education budget into law Thursday.
“This budget represents significantly more resources for education,” Senate education budget committee chairman Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said.
Here’s what some of the new money will mean to K-12 schools.
There’s nearly $190 million more for the K-12 Foundation Program that supports schools’ basic functions. The 2020 total is $3.9 billion. There’s also an additional $27.8 million for transportation. Read more.
BW Special Report: An Introduction to Birmingham Schools, From A to F
The quality of education in Birmingham city schools varies across the city. Some schools, such as Phillips Academy, are rated “A” by the state Department of Education, while the report cards for other schools are not as promising.
Read profiles of some of Birmingham’s lower and highest performing schools.
