Digital Media Center
Bryant-Denny Stadium, Gate 61
920 Paul Bryant Drive
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0370
(800) 654-4262

© 2024 Alabama Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Charter School guidelines, AARPs "Back to Work" program

The Alabama Board of Education has approved initial guidelines for regulating future charter schools in the state.

The board on Thursday voted in favor of regulations that include stipulations such as approval timelines, funding and safety.

The guidelines are rules temporarily set in place before a June 17 deadline.

State Superintendent Tommy Bice says the guidelines adopted are "broad categories" that will be addressed in permanent guidelines the board is putting together.

Alabama lawmakers this year voted to allow charter schools in the state for the first time.

Charter schools are publicly funded schools that are exempt from some curriculum and other requirements placed on regular schools.

Bice says some school systems already have expressed interest but that he doesn't expect any to start before the 2016-2017 school year.

Alabamians over the age of fifty can get training today on how to re-enter the workforce. AARP’s Back to Work fifty plus program is working with Bevill State Community College in Walker County to offer classes.

Residents interested in the program will attend the orientation meeting today to learn more about enrolling in job training classes.

Rick Watson is the coordinator of the program. He says not only does the program provide training courses, but also resume, interview, and online job application help.

“Those are the things that this program offers. It offers support; it offers the coaching and access to these tools that help them locate these hot-jobs, the jobs that are available in their area.”

 Watson also says classes include Nursing Assistant certification, Truck Driver training, and Computer Familiarization. The meetings will be held at the Walker County Career Center in Jasper.

The city of Tuscumbia is gearing up for the thirty seventh annual Keller Fest later this month.

The town is staging performances of the play the Miracle Worker Friday and Saturday nights to remember Helen Keller. The Tuscumbia native was born blind and deaf and later became a writer and advocate for the disabled.

Sue Pilkilton* is executive director of the Helen Keller birthplace in Tuscumbia. She says the setting for the Miracle Worker play is about as authentic as you can get…

“It’s performed on the grounds of the birthplace of Helen Keller. We have four to five thousand visitors each year that come just for the play. And we have every State represented and last year we had eight foreign countries.”

Helen Keller was also recognized last week with the first group to join the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. Keller was honored alongside author Harper Lee. 

News from Alabama Public Radio is a public service in association with the University of Alabama. We depend on your help to keep our programming on the air and online. Please consider supporting the news you rely on with a donation today. Every contribution, no matter the size, propels our vital coverage. Thank you.