Birmingham, AL – Legislators representing Birmingham hope to meet Wednesday with state Superintendent Joe Morton about the potential closing of 16 city schools.
Morton earlier this month gave the city school board 30 days to implement a plan to close and consolidate schools or possibly face state intervention under the Education Accountability Act of 1995.
Morton says the school system needs to meet the deadline or it will be too late to shift personnel by the end of the school year.
The school board is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a plan to reduce the system by 16 schools over three years.
Rep. Oliver Robinson of Birmingham says legislators hope to meet Morton to discuss whether there are alternative ways to bring their budget in line and to keep the schools open.
Robinson says three schools in his district face closure.
Rep. John Rogers, also of Birmingham, says legislators are concerned about the rapidly approaching deadline and the repeated financial problems of the Birmingham school system.
A spokeswoman for the state Department of Education says a department representative will attend Wednesday's meeting, but couldn't immediately confirm whether Morton will be able to attend.
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