B’ham Schools Submit State-Mandated Plan

 ========= Old Image Removed =========1Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2013/12/BellAndBice6001.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:450;s:4:"file";s:27:"2013/12/BellAndBice6001.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:7:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"BellAndBice6001-336x252.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"BellAndBice6001-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"BellAndBice6001-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"BellAndBice6001-415x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"BellAndBice6001-353x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"BellAndBice6001-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"BellAndBice6001-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Dan Carsen
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:151102;s:14:"optimized_size";i:108614;s:7:"percent";d:28.120000000000001;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:55:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2013/12/BellAndBice6001.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:103506;s:14:"optimized_size";i:72426;s:7:"percent";d:30.030000000000001;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:61:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2013/12/BellAndBice6001-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:4248;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4170;s:7:"percent";d:1.8400000000000001;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:63:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2013/12/BellAndBice6001-415x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:43348;s:14:"optimized_size";i:32018;s:7:"percent";d:26.140000000000001;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1661043283 
1340409600

State schools chief Tommy Bice (center right), Birmingham Mayor William Bell (lower left) and other area leaders look on with concern at a contentious April 2012 board meeting that helped trigger state intervention.

Dan Carsen, WBHM

The Birmingham School system today submitted a detailed cost-cutting plan, fulfilling the first part of a
state-mandated deadline.

Though sources said compiling the latest plan, which includes significant administrative staff cuts, was
intensely difficult, an even bigger challenge may await. The local school board — which has been plagued
by infighting on issues far less complicated and emotional than discharging staff — must approve at least
part of the cost-cutting plan at its meeting on Tuesday. If not, the Alabama State Department of
Education will likely take control of the district’s finances.

Deputy State Superintendent Craig Pouncey said Birmingham Superintendent Craig Witherspoon has
been in direct communication with the local board in preparation for Tuesday’s vote. School officials
would not share names on the latest iteration of the cost-cutting plan, at least before Tuesday’s
meeting, which Dr. Ed Richardson will attend. Richardson is the leader of the team investigating
Birmingham schools since April.

Pouncey and other sources said the local board will likely receive a two-part proposal. The one to be
voted on Tuesday includes various cost-cutting measures; the one to be voted on the following week
will include the exact positions to be eliminated from the central office. Complicated contractual and
tenure requirements are one reason for the slower timeline for the second part of the plan.

 

Massacres in eastern Congo cast doubt on U.S. mediated peace deal

Rwanda backed M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo killed hundreds of villagers in July, according to Human Rights Watch, raising doubts about Trump backed peace process.

One civilian injured in crash with D.C. National Guard military vehicle

The military vehicle, which is designed to withstand explosive attacks, collided with a "civilian vehicle" just after 6 a.m. on Wednesday in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Trump vows to expand his review of U.S. museums. Can he do that? 

The White House said that after the administration eliminates "woke" culture from the Smithsonian, it would expand to other museums around the country. Would that be possible?

Dependent on foreign sales, U.S. wheat farmers hoping longtime partners stick with them

As President Trump's tariffs kick in, American companies that rely on imports are worried about rising costs and passing them onto consumers. But some U.S. exporters are worried too.

The legacy of civil rights martyr Jonathan Daniels

Wednesday marks the 60th anniversary of Daniels’ killing at the hands of an Alabama county official. Today, the Episcopal Church venerates Daniels as a saint and martyr. For the anniversary, Episcopalians from around the country gathered for an annual pilgrimage to the site of his death in Hayneville. 

Swimmers are warned to avoid East Coast beaches as Hurricane Erin moves north

The National Hurricane Center is urging beachgoers to stay out of the water. Parts of North Carolina's Outer Banks are under mandatory evacuation orders.

More Education Coverage