What is School Choice?
WHAT IS SCHOOL CHOICE? School choice is the process of allowing every family to choose the K-12 educational options that best fit their children. These options include all forms of education, from traditional public schools, to public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online academies, and homeschooling. Every child deserves an effective, challenging, and motivating education. Because each student has their own unique set of talents, interests, and challenges, [...]
What Is A Charter School?
What Is A Charter School? Charter Schools are schools of choice: choice to parents, students, teachers, and administrators. Parents and students get to choose to enroll in a school that may offer a unique learning environment, such as a school whose science classes are conducted in the field, or offer alternative learning methodologies, such as a specialization in arts education. Teachers and administrators have more authority to make decisions than [...]
Charter Vs Public Schools, Public Vs Charter Schools
This is an objective video comparing the difference between charter schools and public schools. It compares areas such as its origin, admission, funding, structure, curriculum, and current statistics.
Why Charter Schools?
Reimagining Education: One school, one classroom, one student at a time Charter schools are independently-operated public schools that have the freedom to design classrooms that meet their students’ needs. All charter schools operate under a contract with a charter school authorizer – usually a nonprofit organization, government agency, or university – that holds them accountable to the high standards outlined in their “charter.” It is common to see charter schools [...]
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN SELECTING A SCHOOL
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN SELECTING A SCHOOL As you begin exploring schools for your child, you begin to realize that you have dozens of options. And they are all a little different. Start with a very basic strategy, a game plan if you will. Let's look at what really matters when it comes to choosing a school for your child. 1. Consider your child and your family 2. Learn [...]
TEN THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN A SCHOOL!
TEN THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN A SCHOOL! Choosing the right school for your child can be an overwhelming prospect. After all, the choices you make early on can have a significant impact later. Elementary schools often feed to particular middle schools, which in turn feed to particular high schools. And once one sibling starts down an educational path, subsequent siblings are likely to follow. With open enrollment available in [...]
AAA Coalition
This new coalition marks one of the first collaborative efforts among various stake holders and advocacy groups in the fight for school choice in Alabama. For more information, visit aaacoalition.com #SchoolChoice The #AAACoalition is made up of: Alabama Policy Institute Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund Scholarships for Kids, Inc. Alabama Christian Education Association American Federation for Children Black Alabamians for Education Business Council of Alabama C2 Opportunity Scholarships Catholic Education Partners [...]
Discovering What Makes Your Child Tick
What Makes Your Child Tick Understanding your child’s behavioral style The 4 primary dimensions of behavior for youth: Direct and Active Interested and Lively Steady and Cooperative Concerned and Correct Direct and Active YOUR CHILD’S BEHAVIOR: These young people are competitive and want to win. They may challenge you with questions, want to know why the rules exist and demand your attention. YOUR REACTION: You may feel like [...]
Huntsville City Schools gets a C on state report card; improved overall score from last year
Huntsville City Schools gets a C on state report card; improved overall score from last year HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Huntsville City Schools has four schools that received failing grades on the state’s report card. The district still received a C from the Alabama Department of Education, but their overall score improved by 7 points, moving from a 70 to 77. “We are continuously improving,” Christie Finley, Huntsville City Schools Superintendent, said. [...]
Building a Win-Win with your child’s Teacher
Building a Win-Win with your child’s Teacher Step 1: PLAN THE BEST METHOD Demonstration: Write your child’s teacher a letter. Begin as soon as you can to get to know him or her. Waiting until the need for a parent/ teacher conference may be too late to make an encouraging impression with the teacher. Step 2: SET UP COMMON PARTICIPATION Let the teacher know that you are an involved and [...]
Accountability Act scholarships going mostly to students of color, reports show
By Trisha Powell Crain | tcrain@al.com tcrain@al.com Though the Alabama Accountability Act has been around for five years now, little has been known about the students using the tax-credit scholarships other than their family’s income cannot exceed the threshold for a student to be eligible. Until now. While information on race and ethnicity of scholarship recipients is not required to be publicly reported, the state’s two largest scholarship granting organizations, [...]
New Report Released: Leadership Matters
A+ was pleased to provide research support and consultation for Leadership Matters, the new report from the Business Education Alliance prepared by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. As the report says in the Executive Summary: "Alabama public schools are producing more high school graduates, but more of them need to be graduating prepared for and connected to education and training beyond high school. Alabama's economy has the potential for impressive growth, but [...]
Meeting set to discuss schools, achievement gap
By Donna Thornton / Times Staff Writer Posted Jul 27, 2017 at 6:32 PM The Black Alabamians for Educational Opportunity will host a second community meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Downtown Civic Center to discuss Gadsden City Schools. The BAEO is the same organization that hosted a meeting July 6. BAEO founder Neonta Williams describes the meetings as “A Community Conversation Series: Education and Your Community.” Williams is a Litchfield graduate now working [...]
Gadsden schools’ scores higher than portrayed
By Donna Thornton / Times Staff Writer Posted Jul 23, 2017 at 4:12 PM Updated Jul 23, 2017 at 4:12 PM The Alabama Department of Education measures scores from the 2015-2016 ACT Aspire test in four categories: In need of support, close, ready and exceeding readiness. Information presented at a community meeting July 13 detailed some of Gadsden’s scores, painting a bleak picture of student readiness in math and reading. However, the numbers were pulled only from column three – [...]
Meeting planned to discuss community’s role in education
By Times Staff Report Posted Jul 7, 2017 at 6:52 PM Updated Jul 7, 2017 at 6:52 PM Those concerned with education in the Gadsden area are invited to ″A Community Conversation: Education and Your Community,” from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Gadsden Civic Center, 623 Broad St. Former Gadsden City Councilman Robert Avery said the gathering is sponsored by the Legacy Education Group, a local nonprofit. [...]