The school board in Birmingham is working to prevent a charter school from opening in the city.
The board recently filed suit against the Alabama Public Charter School Commission in order to prevent STAR Academy from beginning operations. Board members say they denied a charter to start the school at the local level. They say that decision was improperly overruled by the state commission.
Board members also have concerns with potential conflict of interest, as the STAR Academy will be tied to the New Rising Star Church. They cite the state Charter Schools Act, which specifically prohibits church-based charter schools.
STAR Academy plans to open in Birmingham in the fall of 2018. They intend to educate around 250 students in prekindergarten, kindergarten and first grade.
Alabama's charter school law was enacted in 2015. The first public charter school is scheduled to open in Mobile this August.