The Alabama House has approved legislation that supporters say will give local school districts the authority to make changes in rules and regulations to improve education in Alabama public schools.
The House voted 65-37 mostly along party lines to pass the legislation called the Local Control Flexibility Act. The Republican majority in the House supported the bill and said it would allow local schools to in some cases change rules and regulations that school officials feel are getting in the way of quality education.
Democrats mostly opposed the legislation. House Democratic leader Craig Ford of Gadsden said he feared it would allow schools to get rid of programs like drug prevention efforts and teacher tenure. The bill now goes to the Senate for debate.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.