Volume 27, Issue 6 - May 26, 2015 | Archives | AlabamaSchoolBoards.org
Today the state Board of Education unanimously appointed 10 members of the 11-seat Alabama Public Charter School Commission. AASB Executive Director Sally Howell is among the confirmed appointees.
Ex-officio president Gov. Robert Bentley presided over the special called meeting and saw four of his eight nominees confirmed: Howell, Thomas Rains, Dr. Ed Richardson and Mac Buttram.
The 2015 Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act dictates how commission members are to be chosen. The lieutenant governor has one appointee (Melinda McClendon). The Senate president pro tem gets two appointees (Chad Fincher and Dr. Henry Nelson), and the speaker of the House has three appointees (Terri Tomlinson, Gloria Batts and Dr. Alma Freeman). The state board narrowed the list of 21 nominees by secret ballot, then affirmed the final slate by a show of hands.
The commission’s confirmation failed by a 3-4 vote at the May 13 meeting. Three of those no-voters weren’t present today. Vice President Ella Bell and Stephanie Bell attended funerals, and Betty Peters was ill. Dr. Yvette Richardson said she needed more information on the candidates before casting a yes vote.
The commission is an independent state entity that can authorize charter schools in communities where the school board isn’t an authorizer and hears appeals of charter school applications rejected on the local level. The 11th commission seat rotates to a representative of the school board facing a commission decision.
News reports say legislators working to strip the state board of its power to confirm the charter school commission may now be inclined to back off from that bill.
K-12 business is now the state board’s singular focus, since legislators recently stripped the body of its postsecondary education oversight. As a result, each monthly meeting and work session will be on the same day. The remaining dates are June 11, July 14, Aug. 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.
Summer Conference to address charter schools law
The annual AASB Summer Conference — featuring a discussion of the new charter school legislation — will be June 19-21. The Summer Conference is worth 7 training hours. Earn 14 total hours for the Roles & Responsibilities and Effective Boards and Relationships orientation courses taught June 18 and 19. Summer Conference & Orientation headquarters is The Perdido in Orange Beach. Space is very limited. Please register by the June 8 early registration deadline to save your seat.
Winning ‘Achieve Excellence’ contest videos to be showcased
The “How We Achieve Excellence in Our School” video contest winners’ videos will be shown at the June 11 state board meeting at 10:30 a.m. in Montgomery. The state board meets in the Gordon Persons Building downtown. This is the fourth year the contest has been co-sponsored by AASB, Fairbanks LLC and Alabama Public Television. In first place is G.W. Carver High School of Birmingham City Schools, second place is Demopolis Middle School of Demopolis City Schools, third place is Dadeville High School of Tallapoosa County Schools, and honorable mention is Central Middle School of Coosa County Schools. These videos will also be shown at 9 a.m. Dec. 5 — a highlight of the AASB Annual Convention in Birmingham.
Submit names for All-State Award
Help us honor the state’s exemplary school board members. Nominations for the AASB All-State School Board Member Award are due Sept. 1. Up to five past or present Alabama school board members will be chosen. Call 334/277-9700 or email us.
It’s a date!
June 18-21
AASB Summer Conference & Orientation,
Orange Beach
June 30
Deadline to earn state-required training hours.
Sept. 1
Nominations for director in AASB Districts 2, 4, 6 and 8 due. Forms will be distributed in August.
—info@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org