Alabama has made record investments and reforms over the past few years that have benefited students, but now is the time to address the root cause of the opportunity gap: the state’s school funding policies.
For generations, Alabama has ranked near the bottom of the nation in most educational outcomes. And still too many children are not getting the transformative education they deserve. Fewer than half of children can read well and only three in 10 can do math at grade level, and these numbers are even more devastating for students of color and students from low-income communities. Students are graduating unprepared for college, career, and life, and without a path to good jobs or economic mobility.
We cannot continue to accept this reality. We want our children to be proud of their education. It’s time to demand more.
That’s why today we’re launching the A+ Education Partnership. every child alabama, a statewide coalition of organizations, business leaders, educators, students, families, and community members, are coming together to courageously demand more for our students. We share a common belief that transformative education for all children strengthens our communities and makes them better places to live, work and raise families.
Every Child Alabama’s top priority is modernizing the way Alabama schools are funded.We are only one of her six states still using It is a resource-based method and has not been updated in 30 years. Our current formula distributes money based on the number of students in a school, not on student needs such as living in poverty or having a disability. It doesn’t provide enough money. It’s not transparent. It’s too hard. Schools cannot adjust how they spend money to meet student needs.
Every child is different, and some need more support to succeed. Alabama needs a student-focused formula that funds school districts based on the actual student needs of their schools. By investing in the needs of their students, schools will finally begin to fulfill their mission of preparing all children for a competitive and changing world. All students deserve quality teachers, healthy food, safe buildings, summer and after-school opportunities, and a supportive learning environment. A student-focused formula will provide all of Alabama’s children a greater opportunity to lead successful lives.
Improving education in Alabama feels like an insurmountable problem. But the great news is that there are solutions to fix the foundation. School funding reform will lay the foundation for sustainable change. The next step is to just have the courage to do it.
participate every child alabama We are committed to ensuring that all children have access to a world-class education and reach their full potential.
If you would like to learn more about school funding reform, please Click here to register “Every Dollar Counts” is a virtual learning series starting Thursday, April 18 from 3 to 4 p.m.
ECA federation memberss
- Mark Dixon, President, A+ Education Partnership
- Jason Meadows, Director of Advocacy & Partnerships, A+ Education Partnership
- Dr. Jeremiah Newell, Mobile Area Education Foundation CEO
- Voices of Alabama Children
- Dave Wells, Alabama Goodwill President and CEO
- John Wilson, School Finance Director, Baldwin County Board of Education
- Tracye Strichik, Director, Alabama Expanded Learning Alliance (AELA)
- BALDWIN COUNTY EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED.
- Alabama Child Advocacy Center Network
- Alabama’s potential
- face in action alabama
- AG Gaston Business Institute
- Carlos Aleman, CEO, Hispanic Immigrant Center of Alabama (HICA)
- Emily Schultz, Executive Director, Alabama Families for Great Schools
- Anne McKinmon Sykes, Executive Director, Montgomery Educational Foundation
- Robin Heiden, Alabama Arise Executive Director
- T. Ellis, EmpowerED Birmingham Director
- gordon martin
- New life COGIC
- learn little people
- Education 4 Life Co., Ltd.
- Neonta Williams, Black Alabamian Secretary of Education
- Samantha Williams, Executive Director, Birmingham Promise
- Marion Michel, Executive Director of Breakthrough Birmingham
- Tyler Barnett, New School of Alabama Executive Director
- stevie price
- Lawrence L. Batiste IV
