Education in Alabama

Education in Alabama consists of public and private schools in Alabama, including the University of Alabama, private colleges, and secondary and primary schools.

Primary and secondary education

Public primary and secondary education in Alabama is under the overview of the Alabama State Board of Education as well as local oversight by 67 county school boards and 60 city boards of education. Together, 1,541 individual schools provide education for 743,364 elementary and secondary students.^[1]

Public school funding is appropriated through the Alabama Legislature through the Education Trust Fund. In FY 2006–2007, Alabama appropriated $3,775,163,578 for primary and secondary education. That represented an increase of $444,736,387 over the previous fiscal year.^[1] In 2007, over 82 percent of schools made adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward student proficiency under the National No Child Left Behind law, using measures determined by the state of Alabama. In 2004, 23 percent of schools met AYP.^[2]

While Alabama's public education system has improved, it lags behind in achievement compared to other states. According to U.S. Census data, Alabama's high school graduation rate – 75% – is the second lowest in the United States (after Mississippi).^[3] The largest educational gains were among people with some college education but without degrees.^[4]

There have been concerns about literacy. 130 high schools out of 367 in the state either failed reading or were classified as "borderline" for 11th graders for the school year 2008-9. 60% of Alabama's school systems had at least one school that failed reading or was borderline.^[5]

The state provides education from grades Kindergarten through grade 12. It established a pre-kindergarten program. This program was recognized in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 as having the highest quality standards, tied for first place with North Carolina.^[6] In addition to state funded pre-k programs administered through the state, some public schools in the state offer pre-k through the use of local and federal funds. The appropriation for the state funded pre-k program is $18,376,806.^[7][8] Currently, 7% of the state's four year olds participate in the First Class program.

Colleges and universities

Main article: List of colleges and universities in Alabama

Harrison Plaza at the University of North Alabama in Florence. The school was chartered as LaGrange College by the Alabama Legislature in 1830.

Alabama's programs of higher education include 14 four-year public universities, numerous two-year community colleges, and 17 private, undergraduate and graduate universities. Public, post-secondary education in Alabama is overseen by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. Colleges and universities in Alabama offer degree programs from two-year associate degrees to 16 doctoral level programs.^[9]

Accreditation of academic programs is through the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges as well as a plethora of subject focused national and international accreditation agencies.^[10]

Charter schools

Alabama has no charter schools. Governor Bob Riley (R) proposed charter schools to the Alabama legislature, but the proposition was killed in House and Senate committees in mid-February 2010. Opposition to charter schools has been fierce, by Democrats, city and county school systems, and the Alabama Education Association.^[11]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} "Alabama Education Quick Facts 2007" (PDF). http://www.alsde.edu/general/quick_facts.pdf. Retrieved 2007-08-11. 
2. ^ "Eighty-Two Percent of Alabama Schools Make AYP While Increasing Annual Measurable Objectives" (PDF). http://www.alsde.edu/Accountability/2007Reports/Press/2007AYPNewsRelease.pdf. Retrieved 2007-08-11. 
3. ^ http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-24.pdf
4. ^ Education Statistics. CensusScope.org
5. ^ Marie Leech; Jeff Hansen (2009-11-22). "Reading failures plague high schools". The Huntsville Times. The Huntsville Times. pp. A10. http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-stories/2009/11/130_alabama_high_schools_score.html. 
6. ^ http://www.alabamaschoolreadiness.org/alabamas-pre-k/?pageID=19
7. ^ http://www.alabamaschoolreadiness.org/about-us/?pageID=3
8. ^ Alabama School Readiness Alliance
9. ^ "Degree titles and abbreviations". Alabama Commission on Higher Education. http://www.ache.state.al.us/Acadaffr/ProInv/Degreeabbr.htm. Retrieved 3007-09-03. 
10. ^ "Accreditation". Alabama Commission on Higher Education. http://www.ache.state.al.us/Colleges&Universities/Accreditation/index.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-03. 
11. ^ http://www2.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/riley_plan_for_alabama_charter_schools_blocked/131558/

External references

• 2008 AP test results - College Board press release